Funkadelic’s legendary Maggot Brain isn’t a song you quickly gulp, it’s an experience you must indulge and savor with each drop. The beauty of this creation lies in the dichotomy of the simple and complex. From its very inception, this creation cradles you in tearful melancholy with a tempered blend of sensuality due to its uninhibited release of raw passion from renowned guitarist and co-writer, Eddie Hazel. While it’s been said that the song was done in one take and co-writer, George Clinton, intended for Hazel to play with the pain of losing a mother then later with the realization of her life again, the arousing structure of Maggot Brain has an ironic cerebral undertone. It is first layered with a constant harp-like guitar line that sets the somber stage. Then the spotlight is brought by the cry of Hazel’s solo which is a mixture of a dirty distortion and a delayed effect. The creative use of both effects can subtly taunt the listener’s sensations. In one moment it can embody the pleasure of a lover’s tenderness and in the next, be the haunting remembrance of love gone away too soon.
So if you enjoy songs that awaken feelings of multiple pleasures and leave you intoxicated with untamed shivers, Funkadelic’s Maggot Brain will fulfill that desire.
In “Chocolate City”, our Artist of the Month is dreaming out loud about his desire to put a little “chocolate” on our nation’s capital. He even assigns the Cabinet: Muhammad Ali as the President; Rev. Ike as the Secretary of the Treasury; Richard Pryor as the Minister of Education; Stevie Wonder as the Secretary of Fine Arts and Ms. Aretha Franklin as the First Lady of the United States. All this probably sounded like comedy set to funky beat in 1975, but look at 2008–a ”chocolate” man and woman became the President and First Lady of the United States. Aretha Franklin sang at the inauguration; as did Stevie Wonder. Stevie Wonder was also honored by President Obama at the White House as the second recipient of the Library of Congress’ Gershwin Prize. Not that big of a “trip” after all… “Chocolate City” from the 1975 Parliament album of the same name.
“Up for the Downstroke” by Parliament is the group’s first top-ten record. It is also one of the first songs to feature the songwriting team of George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, Bernie Warrell and Fuzzy Haskins. “Up for the Downstroke”–from the 1974 album of the same name.
Written by George Clinton and Eddie Hazel during the doo-wop days of the The Parliaments, The Goose is very reminiscent of the 60′s sound of Motown. This is probably due to the fact that George was also a Motown producer and songwriter at the time. The song was later re-released as a two-part single bringing forth more of the funk soul styling Funkadelic is known for. Take a listen at the original cut from 1968 then check out the Casablanca re-release. Tell us which one you prefer. (more…)
Much is said about the onesies and skimpy costumes that these pop divas wear today and their overt sexuality, but remember Vanity 6? Thirty years ago this group knocked our collective socks off with lingerie as outfits and explicit records that included moaning and groaning. I still can’t believe my mom allowed me to have this album, but I’m glad she did. It was great music–courtesy of Prince and The Time (Also known as The Original 7ven). Written and composed by Prince with backing music by The Time, “Nasty Girl” went to #1 on the Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 and Hot Dance Club Play charts. Vanity is now a Christian minister and denounces the song.
Charlie Wilson, affectionately known as “Uncle Charlie”, has two 2012 Grammy nominations for Best R&B Song and Best R&B Performance for his hit song “You Are”, from his latest CD Just Charlie; a song on which is wife is also a co-writer. ”You Are” held the #1 position on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart for 13 weeks.
Charlie Wilson’s music goes back to the ’80s when he and his brothers Ronnie and Robert put out funkalicious jams such as “Outstanding”, “You Dropped A Bomb On Me” and others as The Gap Band. His influence can be heard in the vocal stylings of R. Kelly and Aaron Hall. Although drug and alcohol drug addiction almost overcame him after the band broke up, Wilson has reemerged and triumphed as a revered artist who is sought after by Hip-Hop and R&B artists to collaborate on their music; thus introducing him to a new generation of fans. “Uncle Charlie” is truly the comeback kid– he was also nominated for two Grammys in 2010. To find out if he will win this year, tune in to the Grammy Awards February 12 at 8/7c on CBS.
“The Sound Of Philadelphia” by MFSB (Mother, Father, Sister, Brother) featuring vocals by the group The Three Degrees was written by Philly Soul legends Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff as the theme song for the television show Soul Train. The song reached #1 on both the Billboard Hot 100 and the R&B chart in 1974. Although the song was re-recorded in different versions over the different eras of black music (’80s R&B, New Jack Swing, Hip-Hop, Neo-Soul) since 1974, “The Sound Of Philadelphia” remained the show’s theme song until the final episode in 2006.
A very talented group of musicians that rose to the top of the music world not once but twice, Kool & the Gang continues to be one of the most beloved bands of the last 30 years. Formed by Robert “Kool” Bell, his brother Ronald Bell and bunch of their New Jersey teenage friends in the mid-60s (then called the Jazziacs), the group played traditional jazz in regional venues for several years, slowly morphing their style to incorporate emerging funk sounds of Sly and the Family Stone and James Brown. They were signed by the De-Lite label in the early 70s and gathered a small but loyal national following (particularly for their 1971 release Live at the Sex Machine). The group’s fortunes exploded in 1974 with Wild and Peaceful, an infectiously raw album that spawned three smash hits, “Funky Stuff,” “Hollywood Swinging,” and “Jungle Boogie,” all featuring great instrumentation and lyrics virtually shouted by the group. However, as quickly as they rode to fame, Kool & the Gang faded, their rough sound appearing out of place against the slick, dance-oriented sounds that began to dominate popular radio in the late 70s.
