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Davros sock drawer

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Davros sock drawer

Davros sock drawer

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"The bigger the headache, the bigger the pill. And I'm the big pill baby..."

I'd forgotten just how awesome the whole Parliament/Funkadelic/P-Funk George Clinton phenomenon was, especially in the mid to late 70's, until my mate brought over a DVD of their live Mothersip Connection tour the other day.

Basically, in terms of stage act, vocal performances, musicianship and pure old fashioned entertainment, this knocks most of today's live acts into a cocked hat. From the opening lead break from the giant furry-hatted lead guitarist to the so ludicrous it's fantastic Mothership landing of Dr Funkenstein himself, the whole thing is just a blast from start to finish. I'd love to have been there.

One thing I'd forgotten was quite how guitar based this stuff is (it's been a while since I listened to any Funkadelic). I think I counted 4 guitarists amongst the 30 odd people that eventually end up on stage (incl Bootsy Collins and Sly & the Family Stone), and there is some really nice work going on. Very Hendrix-y, but also some more subtle work (plus amazing vocals) from Eddie Hazel. The fact that one of the guitarists is wearing a nappy is a clear bonus!

Highlights are Standing on the Verge of Getting it On, Cosmic Slop, and the whole introduction of the Mothership sequence. Right, I'm off to buy the whole back catalogue (well, One Nation Under a Groove and Standing on the Verge at least...), as the only stuff I've got at the moment is on tape. Oh, and it was this DVD I watched:

Clinton.jpg

Inspiring stuff. Let's take it to the stage, sucker!

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Davros sock drawer

Davros sock drawer

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Indeed. The sheer exuberance on display in their stage act is something you just don't seem to see these days. I suppose Slipknot's costumes etc on stage would be the closest thing to it today, if only I could stand their music, but it lacks the humour and sexy singing ladies (obviously).

Ordered Maggot Brain, Standing on the Verge, One Nation and the aforementioned DVD. Next time I have a party it's going to be the funkiest party EVAR!

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Davros sock drawer

Davros sock drawer

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All University ever did for me was give me a chance to visit a nearby music shop and buy every Parliament/Funkadelic album I could find.

If you want to be completist, you better make sure you've got shitloads of room.

They started waaay back didn't they. I've got some of the early single stuff from the late 60's on the Music for Your Mother compilation. Glancing down the discography on a fansite it appears they did an album a year throughout the 70's alone. ;)

What would you say is the best stuff Biglime? I'm liking the stuff like Red Hot Mama and Standing on the Verge the most.

Imagine what would happen if you mixed Funkadelic with Wrestling! ;)

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biglime

biglime

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The best stuff? There's so much I'd recommend...

Free Your Mind and Your Ass Will Follow, Lets Take It To The Stage, Uncle Jam...just a few Funkadelic albums you haven't mentioned.

Then Parliament? Phew.

Up For The Down Stroke is ESSENTIAL. Chocolate City. Mothership Connection....

Christ, you can't really go far wrong, to be honest.

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SM47

SM47

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I've got one of those suckers myself. It's the main guitar sound on the first song on our album actually (albeit on a rather extreme setting). It's an Electro Harmonix one.

Possibly the funkiest effects pedal there is, even funkier than a Wah Pedal.

Electro-harmonix make some nice effects. I've got the bassballs pedal too.

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spanky debrest

spanky debrest

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Too fucking right - this whole thread, that is.

Eddie Hazel was such a mother. They've (well, Rhino Handmade) have just released his eBay darling of a solo LP on CD - "Game, Dames and Guitar Thangs" together with a posthumous EP as bonus tracks. The version of California Dreaming is the most soulful version you could imagine largely because of his incredible singing (check "Let Me Be" off Parliament's Chocolate City for another great example of Hazel's lead vocal).

Don't overlook the 1st, much overlooked (due to it's ultra-craziness) Parliament LP "Ozmium". The UK version is the finest available due to inclusion of all the B-sides from this fantastic period (when they were a proper cumbustible Billy Bass & Hazel led unit as opposed to a gargantuan pool of musicians). It's definitely one of the greatest black psychedelic rock LPs ever made. Just get it.

Glen Goins (the singer who, from 1975 onwards contributed some amazing extra-freaky vocals and guitar, particularly on Mothership & Choc City) deserves a shout out. He's also the guy Clinton gave the Mothership Connection to during the last tour with the original Parliaments (the DVD is of one of those sets). No-one took you to church like Glen. Damn shame he died of Hodgkins disease a short time later, without telling a soul he was ill.

Also, and this is a BIG also, don't forget about Bootsy's Rubber Band. From 1976 onwards they put the rest of the P-Funk clan to shame, in the studio and on the road.

I've got so many stories and anecdotes about these guys, this crew who left one of the greatest music legacies of all.

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biglime

biglime

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Don't overlook the 1st, much overlooked (due to it's ultra-craziness) Parliament LP "Ozmium". The UK version is the finest available due to inclusion of all the B-sides from this fantastic period (when they were a proper cumbustible Billy Bass & Hazel led unit as opposed to a gargantuan pool of musicians). It's definitely one of the greatest black psychedelic rock LPs ever made. Just get it.

Absolutely.

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