FUNKADELIC

The group Funkadelic continued the psychedelic soul started by Parliament in the 1960s. This second entity created by George Clinton evolved towards funk and p-funk in the following decade and released some gems like Free Your Mind…And Your Ass Will Follow (1970), Maggot Brain (1971) or One Nation Under a Groove (1978). Finally, it gave way to the P-Funk All Stars and the solo career of George Clinton.

In 1964, George Clinton, leader of the doo-wop group The Parliaments, added a rhythm section. With brothers Frankie and Richard Boyce and drummer Langston Booth. Then, they were replaced in 1967 by guitarists Eddie Hazel and Lucius Tawl Ross, Billy Bass Nelson (bass) and Tiki Fulwood (drums). The group signed to Westwood and released its first album Funkadelic (1970), dominated by psychedelic soul.

Eruptive funk rock
A few months later, Free Your Mind...And Your Ass Will Follow is a real plea for funk rock, eruptive and danceable. It is quite simply one of the best funk albums ever made. Bernie Worrell settles in permanently on keyboards. After the explosive Maggot Brain of 1971, Funkadelic offers itself another key musician, bassist Bootsy Collins, accompanied by his brother Catfish Collins on guitar (both ex James Brown) on America Eats Its Young.

Funkadelic subsequently experienced various changes in musicians as some were involved in drug dealings. Eddie Hazel spent a year in prison, Tawl Ross overdosed, Billy Bass Nelson slammed the door... Hardcore Jollies was released in 1975, when the band's music was described as p-funk, followed by Tales of Kidd Funkadelic ("Undisco Kid"). In 1978, the grandiose One Nation Under a Groove was released, a commercial success (the title track was No. 1 for six weeks). Uncle Jam Wants You delivered another No. 1, "(Not Just) Knee Deep" with singer Philippe Wynne.

Then, in 1981, the hit "Connections and Disconnections" was recorded by a different line-up from the next album The Electric Spanking of War Babies. George Clinton disbanded Funkadelic shortly after to focus on his solo career and the P-Funk All Stars. The album By Way of the Drum, supposed to close the Funkadelic chapter, remained in the drawers and was not released until 2007. Other records recorded in the early days surfaced late: Toys in 2008, US Music with Funkadelic in 2009.

Funkadelic remains one of the most influential groups among rappers who have borrowed multiple musical motifs from it.