Funkentelechy vs. the Placebo Syndrome

Last updated

Funkentelechy vs. the Placebo Syndrome
Parliament-Funkentelechy Vs. the Placebo Syndrome (album cover).jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedNovember 28, 1977
Recorded1976–1977
Studio United Sound Systems, Detroit, Michigan, and Hollywood Sound, Hollywood, California
Genre Funk, disco
Length44:22
Label Casablanca
Producer George Clinton
Parliament chronology
Live: P-Funk Earth Tour
(1977)
Funkentelechy vs. the Placebo Syndrome
(1977)
Motor Booty Affair
(1978)
Singles from Funkentelechy vs. the Placebo Syndrome
  1. "Bop Gun (Endangered Species)"
    Released: October 29, 1977
  2. "Flash Light"
    Released: January 28, 1978
  3. "Funkentelechy"
    Released: June 3, 1978

Funkentelechy vs. the Placebo Syndrome is the sixth studio album by the American funk band Parliament, released in 1977. [1] [2]

Contents

It is a loose concept album warning the listener of falling into the "Placebo Syndrome," which according to George Clinton is consumerism, and listening to disco music, which he saw as a simplification of funk music in attempt to gain commercial success. The album spawned the R&B number No. 1 single in "Flash Light", which features a funky synthesizer bass line played on a Minimoog by keyboardist Bernie Worrell. The album became Parliament's fourth consecutive gold album and second platinum album. The song "Sir Nose d'Voidoffunk (Pay Attention – B3M)" contains nursery rhymes "Baa, Baa, Black Sheep" and "Three Blind Mice"; the lyrics were changed to refer to drug use.

The original vinyl release contained a 22″×33″ poster of the character Sir Nose D'Voidoffunk, as well as an 8-page comic book that explains the concept behind the LP. Both the poster and the comic book were illustrated by Overton Loyd.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [3]
Christgau's Record Guide A [4]
Rolling Stone Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [5]
(The New) Rolling Stone Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [6]
Spin Alternative Record Guide 9/10 [7]
The Virgin Encyclopedia of R&B and Soul Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [1]

The Globe and Mail praised the "superb" backing vocals of the Brides of Funkenstein. [8] The New York Times wrote that "the music is typical P-Funk bouncing disco, lively and toe-tapping, with gabbling spoken and sung vocals on top." [9]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Bop Gun (Endangered Species)" (released as a single, Casablanca NB 900) George Clinton, Garry Shider, Bootsy Collins 8:31
2."Sir Nose d'Voidoffunk (Pay Attention – B3M)"Clinton, Collins, Bernie Worrell10:04
3."Wizard of Finance"Clinton, Ronald Ford, Glenn Goins 4:23
4."Funkentelechy" (released as a single-Casablanca NB 921)Clinton, Collins10:56
5."Placebo Syndrome"Clinton, Billy Nelson 4:20
6."Flash Light" (released as a single, Casablanca NB 909, and as a promo-only 12″ single, Casablanca NB 20113 DJ)Clinton, Collins, Worrell5:46

Personnel

According to George Clinton, Mallia Franklin also sang on this album with other original Parlet members Debbie Wright and Jeanette Washington but she is not listed on the album's credits.[ citation needed ]

Horn arrangement by Bernie Worrell and Fred Wesley

Production

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1977–1978)Peak
position
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard) [10] 2
US Billboard 200 [11] 13

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA) [12] Platinum1,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Parliament-Funkadelic</span> American funk music collective

Parliament-Funkadelic is an American music collective of rotating musicians headed by George Clinton, primarily consisting of the funk bands Parliament and Funkadelic, both active since the 1960s. Their eclectic style has drawn on psychedelia, outlandish fashion, and surreal humor. They have released albums such as Maggot Brain (1971), Mothership Connection (1975), and One Nation Under a Groove (1978) to critical praise, and scored charting hits with singles such as "Tear the Roof Off the Sucker" (1975) and "Flash Light" (1978). Overall, the collective achieved thirteen top ten hits in the American R&B music charts between 1967 and 1983, including six number one hits. Their work has had an influential effect on subsequent funk, post-punk, hip-hop, and techno artists of the 1980s and 1990s, while their collective mythology has helped pioneer Afrofuturism.

The P-Funk mythology is a group of recurring characters, themes, and ideas primarily contained in the output of George Clinton's bands Parliament and Funkadelic. This "funkology" was outlined in album liner notes and song lyrics, in addition to album artwork, costumes, advertisements, and stage banter. P-Funk's "Dr. Seussian afrofunk" is often cited as a critical component of the Afrofuturism movement.

<i>Cosmic Slop</i> Album by Funkadelic

Cosmic Slop is the fifth studio album by Funkadelic, released in July 1973 on Westbound Records. While it has been favorably reevaluated by critics long after its original release, the album was a commercial failure, producing no charting singles, and reaching only #112 on the Billboard pop chart and #21 on the R&B chart. The album was re-released on CD in 1991.

<i>Tales of Kidd Funkadelic</i> 1976 studio album by Funkadelic

Tales of Kidd Funkadelic is the eighth studio album by the band Funkadelic, released in September 1976. It was their final album on the Westbound record label. The tracks were recorded during the same sessions as their first release for Warner Bros. Records, Hardcore Jollies; which was released a month later. Two tracks from Tales of Kidd Funkadelic, the single “Undisco Kidd” and the party anthem “Take Your Dead Ass Home!” have been staples in the band’s live performances since the album’s 1976 release, and can be heard on the 1977 Parliament concert album Live: P-Funk Earth Tour. The album opener “Butt-To-Buttresuscitation” and the song “I’m Never Gonna Tell It” were included in the band’s live shows during the early 2000s. The song "Let's Take It to the People" has been sampled by hip-hop band A Tribe Called Quest for their song "Everything Is Fair", on their album The Low End Theory.

<i>Pleasure Principle</i> (album) 1978 studio album by Parlet

Pleasure Principle is the debut album by the female P-Funk spin off group Parlet. The album was released in 1978 by Casablanca Records and was produced by P-Funk leader/producer George Clinton. Parlet consisted of Mallia Franklin, Debbie Wright, and Jeanette Washington. The album features heavy involvement from the P-Funk musical collective.

<i>Invasion of the Booty Snatchers</i> 1979 studio album by Parlet

Invasion of the Booty Snatchers is the second studio album by the P-Funk spin off group Parlet. Released in June 1979, it was the final Parlet album to feature Mallia Franklin and the first to feature Janice Evans. The album was produced by George Clinton and Ron Dunbar. The cover art was created by Ronald "Stozo" Edwards. The album's highest-charting single was "Riding High". The album leaned more toward disco, in an effort to keep up with musical trends.

<i>Motor Booty Affair</i> 1978 studio album by Parliament

Motor Booty Affair is the seventh album by funk band Parliament, released in 1978. It contains two of the group's most popular tracks, "Rumpofsteelskin" and "Aqua Boogie ", which went to number one on the Billboard Soul Singles chart.

<i>The Clones of Dr. Funkenstein</i> 1976 studio album by Parliament

The Clones of Dr. Funkenstein is the fifth album by funk band Parliament, released on July 20, 1976. The album is notable for featuring horn arrangements by ex-James Brown band member, Fred Wesley. The album charted at #3 on the Billboard R&B Albums chart, #20 on the Billboard pop chart, and became Parliament's second album to be certified gold. Two singles were released off the album, "Do That Stuff", which charted at #22, and "Dr. Funkenstein" which charted at #43.

<i>Live: P-Funk Earth Tour</i> 1977 live album by Parliament

Live: P-Funk Earth Tour is a live double album by Parliament that documents the band's 1977 P-Funk Earth Tour. The performances include songs from Parliament's albums through The Clones of Dr. Funkenstein as well as songs from the Funkadelic repertoire. The album is made up of portions of two performances from January 1977 at the Oakland Coliseum Arena and the Los Angeles Forum.

Children Of Production ia an innovative derivative of P-Funk.

<i>All the Woo in the World</i> 1978 studio album by Bernie Worrell

All The Woo In The World is the debut funk album by Parliament-Funkadelic keyboardist Bernie Worrell, released in 1978 by Arista Records. The album was produced by Bernie Worrell and P-Funk leader George Clinton and features various P-Funk alumni including Garry Shider, Bootsy Collins, Junie Morrison, Billy Bass Nelson, and Eddie Hazel.

<i>Funk or Walk</i> 1978 studio album by Brides of Funkenstein

Funk or Walk is the debut album by the Brides of Funkenstein, released on Atlantic Records in September 1978. The album was produced by George Clinton with the exception of the album's first single "Disco To Go" which was written and produced by Clinton and Bootsy Collins. The Brides of Funkenstein consisted of Lynn Mabry and Dawn Silva, who were members of Sly and the Family Stone prior to joining P-Funk. Funk Or Walk earned Mabry and Silva a Record World Award for Best New Female Artists and Best New R&B Group in 1979. The song was originally performed live by Bootsy's Rubber Band. To this day, the P-Funk All Stars continue to play "Disco To Go" in their live concerts. The Brides of Funkenstein also toured and recorded with Parliament/Funkadelic around this same time.

<i>This Boot Is Made for Fonk-N</i> 1979 studio album by Bootsys Rubber Band

This Boot Is Made for Fonk-N is the fourth album by the American funk band Bootsy's Rubber Band, released through Warner Bros. Records in 1979. Unlike previous albums by Bootsy's Rubber Band, the album did not generate any hit singles. The album was more experimental in nature than previous efforts. It would also mark the last time that the name "Bootsy's Rubber Band" would be used on a Bootsy Collins related project until the 1982 12" single release "Body Slam". This Boot Is Made for Fonk-N peaked at number 9 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and number 52 on the Billboard 200 album chart.

<i>George Clinton: The Mothership Connection</i> 1998 video by George Clinton; Parliament-Funkadelic

George Clinton: The Mothership Connection is a DVD released in 1998 and then reissued in 2001, featuring George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic. The DVD features a concert performed by Parliament-Funkadelic at The Summit in Houston, Texas on October 31, 1976. The DVD documents the beginning of famed P-Funk Earth Tour, which would run for almost two years.

<i>Testing Positive 4 the Funk</i> 1993 studio album by George Clinton Family Series

Testing Positive 4 the Funk is the fourth installment of the George Clinton Family Series collection. The album was released in 1993 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 U.K. This collection is noted for the inclusion of tracks such as a re-recording of "Live Up " which was originally recorded by the soul quartet, The Fantastic Four. The track marked the debut of P-Funk vocalist Glenn Goins.

<i>P Is the Funk</i> 1992 studio album by George Clinton Family Series

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.

<i>Plush Funk</i> 1993 studio album by George Clinton Family Series

Plush Funk is the third installment of the George Clinton Family Series collection. The album was released in 1993 by P-Vine Records in Japan, and then was released the next year by AEM Records in the United States and Sequel Records in the United Kingdom. The CD features the track "May Day (S.O.S)", which was an outtake from the Funkadelic album "The Electric Spanking of War Babies".

<i>A Fifth of Funk</i> 1993 studio album by George Clinton Family Series

A Fifth of Funk is the fifth and final installment of the George Clinton Family Series collection by Parliament-Funkadelic collective members. The album was released in Japan in 1993 by P-Vine Records, and later in the same year by AEM Records in the United States and Sequel Records in the United Kingdom. The compilation's producer and P-Funk leader George Clinton gives his final thoughts about the tracks on the album, as well as his feelings on the entire Family Series project, for A Fifth of Funk's final track. The title is a play on words of Beethoven's Symphony No. 5, as well as Walter Murphy's 1976 disco hit "A Fifth of Beethoven".

<i>Go Fer Yer Funk</i> 1992 studio album by George Clinton Family Series

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 was 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.

References

  1. 1 2 Larkin, Colin (1998). The Virgin Encyclopedia of R&B and Soul. Virgin. p. 255.
  2. Reading Rock and Roll: Authenticity, Appropriation, Aesthetics. Columbia University Press. 1999. p. 150.
  3. Funkentelechy vs. the Placebo Syndrome at AllMusic
  4. Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: P". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN   089919026X . Retrieved March 10, 2019 via robertchristgau.com.
  5. "Rolling Stone Album Reviews : Parliament". Web.archive.org.
  6. Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian David (2004). (The New) Rolling Stone Album Guide . Simon and Schuster. p.  619. ISBN   9780743201698.
  7. Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. 1995. pp. 296, 297.
  8. McGrath, Paul (January 18, 1978). "Parliament". The Globe and Mail. p. F2.
  9. Rockwell, John (February 26, 1978). "Records: The Disco Fever Is Spreading". The New York Times. p. D14.
  10. "Parliament Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved December 6, 2021.
  11. "Parliament Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved December 6, 2021.
  12. "American album certifications – Parliament – Funkentelechy vs. the Placebo Syndrome". Recording Industry Association of America.