Funkadelic

George Clinton (b. 22 July 1941, Kannapolis, North Carolina, USA), established this inventive, experimental group out of the 1969 line~up of the Parliaments- Raymond Davis (b. 29 March 1940, Sumter, South Carolina, USA), Grady Thomas (b. 5 January 1941, Newark, New Jersey, USA), Calvin Simon (b. 22 May 1942, Beckley, West Virginia, USA), Clarence ‘Fuzzy’ Haskins (b. 8 June 1941, Elkhorn, West Virginia, USA), plus the backing group; Bernard Worrell (b. 19 April 1944, Long Beach, New Jersey, USA; keyboards), William Nelson Jnr (b. 28 January 1951, Plainfield, New Jersey, USA; bass), Eddie Hazel (b. 10 April 1950, Brooklyn, New York, USA, d. 23 December 1992; lead guitar), Lucius Ross (b. 5 October 1948, Wagram, North Carolina, USA; rhythm guitar) and Ramon ‘Tiki’ Fulwood (b. 23 May 1944, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; drums) -when contractual problems prevented the use of their original name. Bandleader Clinton seized the opportunity to reconstruct his music and the result laced hard funk with a heady dose of psychedelia; hence the name Funkadelic. Primarily viewed as an album-orientated vehicle, the group’s instinctive grasp of such contrasting styles nonetheless crossed-over into their singles. Although few managed to enter the R&B Top 30, Funkadelic consistently reached the charts lower placings. In 1977 Clinton moved from the Westbound label to Warner Brothers and the following year the compulsive ‘One Nation Under A Groove’ was a million-seller. By this point the distinctions between Funkadelic and Parliament were becoming increasingly blurred and the former secured another major hit in 1979 with ‘(Not Just) Knee Deep’. Several offshoot projects, Bootsy’s Rubber Band, Parlet and the Brides Of Funkenstein, also emanated from within the burgeoning corporation,but a -~ protracted contractual wrangle with Warners ended with legal action. Three long— associates, Clarence Haskins, Calvin Simon, Grady Thomas, then broke away, taking the Funkadelic name with them. Despite an early R&B hit, ‘Connections And Disconnections they were unable to maintain their direction and the group later dissolved. In 1993 the band were favorably reappraised and courted by the soul/dance cognoscenti. Albums: Funkadelic (1970), Free Your Mind and Your Ass Will Follow (1970),maggot brain 1971]America Eats Its Young (1972), Cosmic slop1973(1973), Standing On The Verge Of Getting it on (1974 ), Let’s Take It To The Stage (1975>tales Of Kidd Funkadelic (1976), Hardcore Jollies1976 ‘One Nation Under A Groove (1978), Uncle jam Wants You (1979), The Electric Spanking of war Babies (1981). Compilation: The Best of the Early Years - Volume One (1977).