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Parliament-Funkadelic: A New Era (1975)

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Recording acts whose careers span numerous decades have seen those careers go through numerous periods of transition. These transitions have often resulted in groundbreaking sounds that inspire fellow performers and alter the musical landscape.

Parliament-Funkadelic experienced numerous periods of transition in a career spanning some eight decades. They’ve pivoted from doo-wop to Detroit-Soul to Cosmic Soul, to brazen Street-Funk, landing boldly into the realm of P-Funk. One of those periods of adjustment came exactly 50 years ago.

In 1975, Funkadelic’s days at Westbound Records were slowly coming to an end. P-Funk overlord George Clinton was eyeing expansion for the organization he’d started in the late 1950s. The times were ripe for a serious, and in many ways, drastic change. The ingredients for this readjustment were somewhat complicated. P-Funk guitarist Eddie Hazel’s presence on record and on the stage would grow to be more inconsistent (in album liner notes, he was now classified as “Funkadelic alumni”). At the same time, bassist Bootsy Collins saw his role growing rapidly after returning to the band the year before. Parliament would enter into its second year under contract to Casablanca Records. 1975 would see the release of three albums from the P-Funk organization. These releases would set the tone for the band’s musical and conceptual direction for the rest of the decade.

On the live performance tip, P-Funk would share the bill with Graham Central Station, the Ohio Players, and the dance troupe the Lockers during a week-long engagement at Radio City Music Hall in February of 1975. Reportedly, the 11-man Funk unit would steal the show on a number of nights during this run, employing stage theatrics that would include Clinton emerging out of a coffin (a throwback to the days of shock rock legend Screamin’ Jay Hawkins). These theatrics would foretell the kind of presentation P-Funk would present to their audience on subsequent tours.

P-Funk would release three albums within a calendar year, an output not seen from the band since 1970. It would serve as an important adjustment in the journey of the Mothership.

CHOCOLATE CITY (Casablanca Records)

The now legendary songwriting team of Clinton, Collins, and keyboardist Bernie Worrell would take full shape on an album dedicated to the citizens of the nation’s capital and its vanilla suburbs. In fact, all but one of the tracks on side one of Chocolate City are the creation of Funk music’s holy trinity. Vocalist Gary Cooper (affectionately known Mudd Bone) makes his debut appearance on the track “Together” (originally recorded by Bootsy, Phelps, and Gary in 1973/74). Also making his debut is vocalist Glenn Goins on the track “Big Footin.” A Plainfield, New Jersey native, Goins would represent a crucial figure in the live performances of P-Funk for the next two years, operating as a dominant vocalist during the band’s highest level of prominence in the music world.

 

LET’S TAKE IT TO THE STAGE (Westbound)

“This album is dedicated with fun and love to all our Boogie-Funk competition.”

The second-to-last album that Funkadelic would record for Westbound Records landed in record stores roughly two months after the February Radio City gig. Their performances during that week would, in various ways, inspire the title of Funkadelic’s seventh album, challenging other bands in the Funk game to put up or shut up. Let’s Take It To The Stage represents perhaps the greatest Funk/Rock album most rock fans have never heard. From the Halloween-ish, X-rated insanity of “Atmosphere,” to the crazed, high energy chant of “Get Off Your Ass and Jam” (with equally crazed axe molestation courtesy of guitarist Paul Warren of Rare Earth), Stage envisions freakish horror movie scenarios to adventures in groupie-land (“No Head, No Backstage Pass”). Given that the next Funkadelic album, Tales Of Kidd Funkadelic, mainly consisted of tracks that weren’t used for the band’s Warner Bros. debut, Hardcore Jollies, Let’s Take It To The Stage serves as a more proper swan song for the band’s tenure at Westbound.

MOTHERSHIP CONNECTION (Casablanca)

P-Funk as a musical concept is firmly established with the release of what’s considered to be the greatest Funk album ever created. Mothership Connection is, as Clinton himself would say, the “album with all the hits.” All of the singles released from this pivotal album received generous airplay in most major radio markets in the U.S. (including NYC). The massive success of this album and the million single “Give Up The Funk (Tear The Roof Off The Sucker)” helped to elevate a band with a decent sized cult following to platinum-level illustriousness.

Mothership Connection’s success would help to finance the most ambitious theatrical stage show ever conceived by an African-American musical act. As a further testament to the album’s continued impact, Mothership Connection was added to the National Registry of the Library of Congress in 2011.

“Yes, we have shocked a lot of people over the years, but anyone who has seen our show went away having learned something. To us, our music is more than just music. It’s a way of life.”- George Clinton.

-Tim Kinley

Photo: Parliament-Funkadelic, Radio City Music Hall/New York, 1975  (publicity still/fair use)

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Tim Kinley

Tim Kinley

Tim Kinley is a longtime disciple of the Mothership Connection and spends way too much time copping duplicate copies of Parliament-Funkadelic albums. Documentaries, CD compilations and other Funky projects also distract him from paying utility bills, which results in his cell phone bill not being paid on time.

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    • If you have seen the Landing of the Holy Mothership, then you have been Baptized by the FUNK. BEST LIVE SHOW EVER.

  3. Parliament/Funkadelic was one of the best musical bands to ever do it. They are definitely the sound track of my life!

    • How was that that concert at the Baltimore Civic Center? I can tell you who was on stage. It was Buddy Miles, Roy Airis Bootsy, Parliament funkadelic. I sooo torch that night. I don’t know how I got home. Buddy miles threw his drum sticks in the crowd, Roy Airis , broke his sticks on xylophone. Funkadelic blew up the amp. Show was 🔥!

    • I WAS AT THAT SHOW – THE OLD BMORE CIVIC CENTER..!! GLENN GOINS CHURCHING “SWING DOWN, SWEET CHARIOT” … WHEN THAT LITTLE SHIP CAME FROM THE TOP CORNER & THEN THE BIGGIE FLOATED DOWN TO THE STAGE… I LOST MY MIND !! DAMN THE YOUTUBE VIDEOS – YOU HAD TO BE THERE TO FEEL THE FUNK..!!

  5. I don’t think that there will be a concert to match stage production of the mothership or the aqua underwater affair, straight genius!

    • “If you ain’t gonna get it on, take your dead ass home”. Seen them twice. Once at the legendary Apollo theatre in Harlem, USA. The second time at Symphony Hall in Newark, NJ. Definitely some of the most accomplised and hardest working musicians on the planet. “Free your mind and your ass will follow”. Some of these creative geniuses are no longer with us but their stamp upon music’s firmament is everlasting. Like their music, their lyrics were integral to the atmosphere of the world they created. They were right on time in reflecting music genre’s of the time while being so far ahead of the curve that for the most part much of the music world is still trying to catch up. To my mind, Prince was the only musician to occupy the stratosphere that held the P-Funk Allstars. “Make my funk the P-Funk, I want to get funked up”. Yeah, I guess you can say that I love these guys.

  7. PFUNK you had to see it to believe it, 69yrs young, saw them 1st time 1970 heard them 1st Detroit. I just want to testify l967. 2nd to none!

  8. Parliament – Funkadelic as far as the Funk goes they can’t never be topped or touched by any other group.

  9. Thanks for some of the greatest funk music of the 70’s and some of our best party music that’s on a wavelength all by itself and I must say that the stereo sounds played on the analog format of that time is 100 million times more superior than today’s digital junk because in order to appreciate the real essence of soul/funk you have to come from an era where you had an ear for real instrumentation, master musicians and pioneers of grooving music … It would take too long to express the sincerest gratitude for y’all’s creations and collaboration but with deep rooted love and soul this DJ – DJ Eric Skyy- wants to say thanks again and let’s get FUNKED UP….. 1 NATION UNDER A GROOVE … GOD BLESS Y’ALL 4EVER – 1 LOVE

  10. P-Funk, Parliment Funkadelic the Bomb!!! I grew up in Plainfield. Me and my late twin brother Ray enlisted the Marines at 17 in 1973 during Vietnam. Their Funk beyond Compare kept me in the Grove while in the P.I. to make it back to the world! I turned on all my P’s to the Funk and was Proud that they were my Homies! When I got back to the World me and Ray saw the Mother Ship land in Madison Square Garden in 1977 where George landed the Mothership while Gary Shider was flying around shooting the Bop Gun, they Tore the Roof off the Mothersucker!!! Bootsy’s Rubber Band also were there Streching out on the Rubber Band! Best Concert I ever attended. A shout out to the late Glen Goins, one of the Greatest Funk Voices ever to Sang! I will Always be a Funkateer, its a Funk Thing! As George would say, Free your Mind and Your Ass will Follow!!!

  14. One of the best bands I ever seen. And one best performance when I seen them perform maggot brain. 🧠🙃🙂😊

  15. Seen them in 1977 at the tender age of 14 in Columbus Ohio, Fairgrounds Coliseum the Flashlight concert. Cameo and Barkays plus 2 other bands were on that show. Pfunk is fonk of the highest order. Their will never be another group like them.

  18. Bootsy Collins as BOOTZILLA with the song telephone bill. Bootsy’s Rubber Band. Whine me up!!!!!!

  19. In 1992, I had a dream come true, I became the drummer for George Clinton’s Parliament Funkadelic following my friend and band mate Dennis Chambers. Sixteen members from Baltimore’s rival bands shared the stage with the group, eight at the time I was handed the torch. Last year I reunited with the band as a guitarist. what a journey. Thanks God/ thanks George

  20. Parliament-Funkadelic was the sound track of the African American college student experience of the 70’s. I first saw them in Pittsburgh. At Duquesne University of all places.

  21. George Clinton and I are great friends, being that my brother Roy Glover worked with Geroge for 20 plus years. It’s a great privilege to know my brother and I will always remember my brother talking me to Canada to Geroge home, and it was so amazing and beautiful home. P S Geroge I ❤️ you with, thanks for letting me in your life. Yours truly. Demetris Glover.

  22. The Greatest show everrrrr!!!.
    On stage in Ga…lovved it
    The Mothershp was crazzzzxy..
    M r.George Clinton
    Gary S.
    Ray Davis
    Where’s that diaper at lol

    The biggest an 👌 best
    shrimp cocktail on 🧊
    Gents Great ones
    Thank u 4 all yur kindness

  23. VERY NICE MR. TIM KINLEY..I HAVE SEEN THE MOTHERSHIP LAND SEVERAL TIMES.. BUT THAT “MOTHER BOOTY AFTER” AQUA BOOGIE CONCERT WAS THE BOMB!! DANCE UNDERWATER AND NOT GET WET!!..HAD MRS. TURNER MESMERIZED…

  24. My 1st concert ever!
    University of Maryland’s
    COLE FIELD HOUSE:

    Opening Act: MOTHER’S FINEST
    Intermediate: BOOTSY
    Headliner: The 1st Landing of
    The Quintessential
    “One Seminal Step for
    Manchild………One Giant
    DUMP for Mankind!!!”

  26. I got the chance to see Parliament funkadelic and Niagara Falls convention center in 1976 with Chaka Khan and a mandrels beautiful show never forget it

  27. I’ve been keeping the funk alive since 1992 the world old funk radio show wrtc fm.com keeping the funk alive the P-Funk Earth tour was the greatest show on Earth.

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