George Edward Clinton is an American singer, songwriter, bandleader, and record producer. His Parliament-Funkadelic collective developed an influential and eclectic form of funk music during the 1970s that drew on science fiction, outlandish fashion, psychedelia, and surreal humor. He launched his solo career with the 1982 album Computer Games and would go on to influence 1990s hip-hop and G-funk.
Parliament-Funkadelic is an American funk music collective of rotating musicians headed by George Clinton, primarily consisting of the bands Parliament and Funkadelic, both active since the 1960s. Their distinctive funk style drew on psychedelic culture, outlandish fashion, science-fiction, and surreal humor; it would have an influential effect on subsequent funk, post-punk, hip-hop, and post-disco artists of the 1980s and 1990s, while their collective mythology would help pioneer Afrofuturism.
The Parliaments were an American doo-wop quintet from Plainfield, New Jersey, United States, formed in the back room of a barbershop in the mid 1950s and named after the cigarette brand. After some early personnel changes their lineup solidified with George Clinton, Ray Davis, Fuzzy Haskins, Calvin Simon, and Grady Thomas. Clinton was group leader and manager, and part owner of the barbershop where the group convened to entertain customers. The group later evolved into the funk bands Parliament and Funkadelic, which found success in the 1970s.
Parliament was an American funk band formed in the late 1960s by George Clinton as part of his Parliament-Funkadelic collective. More commercial and less rock-oriented than its sister act Funkadelic, Parliament drew on science-fiction and outlandish performances in their work. The band scored a number of Top 10 hits, including the million-selling 1976 single "Give Up the Funk ," and Top 40 albums such as Mothership Connection (1975).
Funkadelic was an American funk rock band formed in Plainfield, New Jersey in 1968 and active until 1982. The band and its sister act Parliament, both led by George Clinton, pioneered the funk music culture of the 1970s. Initially formed as a backing band for Clinton's vocal group the Parliaments, Funkadelic eventually pursued a heavier, more psychedelic rock-oriented sound. They released acclaimed albums such as Maggot Brain (1971) and One Nation Under a Groove (1978).
Edward Earl Hazel was an American guitarist and singer in early funk music who played lead guitar with Parliament-Funkadelic. Hazel was a posthumous inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, inducted in 1997 with fifteen other members of Parliament-Funkadelic. His ten-minute guitar solo in the Funkadelic song "Maggot Brain" is hailed as "one of the greatest solos of all time on any instrument". In 2015, Rolling Stone ranked Hazel at no. 83 in its list of the 100 Greatest Guitarists.
William "Billy Bass" Nelson is a U.S. musician, who was the original bassist for Funkadelic. He is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, inducted in 1997 with fifteen other members of Parliament-Funkadelic.
Clarence Eugene "Fuzzy" Haskins is a former singer with 1950s and 1960s doo-wop group, The Parliaments. He is a founding member of the groundbreaking and influential 1970s funk bands Parliament and Funkadelic, also known as Parliament-Funkadelic. He left Parliament-Funkadelic in 1977 to pursue a solo career. He is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, inducted in 1997 with fifteen other members of Parliament-Funkadelic.
Garry Marshall Shider was an American musician and guitarist. He was musical director of the P-Funk All-Stars for much of their history. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997, with fifteen other members of Parliament-Funkadelic.
Michael Hampton is an American funk/rock guitarist. He is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, inducted in 1997 with fifteen other members of Parliament-Funkadelic.
The P Funk Mothership, also known as The Holy Mothership, is a space vehicle belonging to Dr. Funkenstein, an alter ego of George Clinton. An integral part of the P-Funk mythology, the Mothership existed conceptually as a fictional vehicle of funk deliverance and as a physical prop central to Parliament-Funkadelic concerts during the 1970s and 1990s.
Grady Thomas is a former member of the bands Parliament and Funkadelic. He is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, inducted in 1997 with fifteen other members of Parliament-Funkadelic.
DeWayne Stephen "Blackbyrd" McKnight is an American guitarist. He was a member of The Headhunters, a jazz-funk fusion band from 1975 through 1978 and Parliament-Funkadelic from 1978 though 2008. He served briefly as guitarist for the Red Hot Chili Peppers after the death of Hillel Slovak in 1988 though was quickly replaced by John Frusciante. He also played briefly with Miles Davis in 1986.
Federation Of Tackheads is an album by the Parliament-Funkadelic spin off act, Jimmy G and the Tackheads. The band was led by George Clinton's younger brother Jimmy Giles and features various musicians and singers from the P-Funk musical collective.
Lifestyles of the Roach and Famous is an album by the P-Funk spin off act, INCorporated Thang Band. The album was released in 1988 by Warner Bros. Records. The album was produced by George Clinton and Bootsy Collins, while Andre Williams and Lige Curry serve as "Mack Roach" producers. The album concept is a parody of the television series "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous". The album cover was designed by longtime P-Funk album artist Pedro Bell. Originally, the Incorporated Thang Band went by the name of the Tackheads, a slight reference to Jimmy G and the Tackheads which was a P-Funk spin off act fronted by George Clinton's brother Jimmy.
Parliament-Funkadelic: One Nation Under A Groove is a documentary broadcast in the USA on PBS in October 2005 as part of the Independent Lens series. The documentary chronicles the development of the Parliament-Funkadelic musical collective, led by the producer, writer and arranger George Clinton. Parliament-Funkadelic: One Nation Under A Groove was developed by Brazen Hussy Productions, based in New York City and led by director Yvonne Smith.
P Is the Funk is the second installment of the George Clinton Family Series collection. The album was released in 1992 by P-Vine Records in Japan, and then was released later in the same year by AEM Records in the United States and Sequel Records in the United Kingdom. The album contains notable tracks such as the first song ever recorded by the Brides of Funkenstein entitled "Love Is Something" featuring P-Funk lead guitarist Eddie Hazel, as well radio commercials for the Ultra Wave album by Bootsy Collins.
Go Fer Yer Funk is the first installment of the George Clinton Family Series collection. The album was released in 1992 by P-Vine Records in Japan, and then was released the next year by AEM Records in the U.S. and Sequel Records in the U.K.. The Family Series were designed to present previously unreleased recordings done by various bands in the Parliament-Funkadelic musical stable. The first CD is notable in that it features the title cut "Go Fer Yer Funk" which originally featured a collaboration between P-Funk and Funk legend James Brown.
The Best is a compilation album by George Clinton and the P-Funk All Stars. The album was released in 1995 by P-Vine Records in Japan and features various tracks that were originally released on the George Clinton Family Series CDs. Unlike the Family Series CDs, "The Best" has never been released outside Japan and does not feature commentary from George Clinton.
