Live: Meadowbrook, Rochester, Michigan – 12th September 1971
Encyclopedia
Funkadelic Live: Meadowbrook, Rochester, Michigan 12th September 1971 is a 1996 live release featuring the only official in-concert recording from early in the career of Funkadelic
. Westbound Records
owner Armen Boladian
had decided to record the show without the band's prior notice, for a possible official live album release. Boladian then decided not to go forward with the project. The soundboard recording resided with engineer Ed Wolfram until being unearthed in 1996. The album contains the entire live performance of September 12, 1971 minus approximately three minutes of between-song chatter.
was still structuring Funkadelic
as the live band supporting his concurrent doo wop vocal group Parliament
, even though by that point multiple albums had been released under both names. As was common for concerts during the period, the Funkadelic musicians would warm up the crowd with instrumentals, after which the Parliament singers would take to the stage for the vocal numbers. The concert would end in a similar fashion, with the Parliament singers exiting slightly before the end of the show, with the Funkadelic musicians closing with another instrumental.
At the show recorded for this album, the band opened with two extended instrumentals totaling about 20 minutes: the then-untitled "Alice in My Fantasies" (to be later recorded with vocals on the 1974 Funkadelic
album Standing on the Verge of Getting It On
) and "Maggot Brain
." The closing instrumental consisted of a short portion of "Free Your Mind and Your Ass Will Follow." The vocal tracks were taken from the albums Funkadelic
and Maggot Brain
with the exception of two tracks that had been recorded originally as singles by Parliament
: "I Call My Baby Pussycat" (later retooled for the 1972 Funkadelic
album America Eats Its Young
) and "All Your Goodies Are Gone (The Loser's Seat)" (later retooled for the 1974 Parliament
album Up for the Down Stroke
). There was no encore.
This concert was beset by personnel issues. Guitarist Tawl Ross
had recently dropped out of the band due to a damaging experience with LSD
and was replaced right before the show by former Isaac Hayes
sideman Harold Beane. Original drummer Tiki Fulwood
had also departed right before this show to explore other musical opportunities, and was replaced by former Apollo Theater
house drummer Tyrone Lampkin. Sources indicate that Beane and Lampkin had rehearsed either very little or not at all before this performance. This resulted in many musical difficulties, particularly because of the differences in drumming styles between Lampkin and Fulwood, which in turn created many difficulties for bassist Billy Bass Nelson
. These problems resulted in an inadvertent breakdown during the performance of "I Call My Baby Pussycat," while Nelson stormed off the stage in frustration before the conclusion of "Free Your Mind and Your Ass Will Follow." Nelson and lead guitarist Eddie Hazel
left the group about a month after this concert.
Funkadelic
Funkadelic was an American band most prominent during the 1970s. The band and its sister act Parliament, both led by George Clinton, began the funk music culture of that decade.-History:...
. Westbound Records
Westbound Records
Westbound Records is a Detroit-based record label founded by Armen Boladian in 1970. It had a distribution deal with Janus Records from 1970 to 1975, but then it switched distribution to 20th Century Records during 1975 and 1976, but again switched distribution to Atlantic Records from 1976 to...
owner Armen Boladian
Armen Boladian
Armen Boladian is a former record producer, founder of Detroit-based Westbound Records in 1970.Boladian is currently the head of Bridgeport Music Inc. , a catalogue company in possession of most of George Clinton's catalogue...
had decided to record the show without the band's prior notice, for a possible official live album release. Boladian then decided not to go forward with the project. The soundboard recording resided with engineer Ed Wolfram until being unearthed in 1996. The album contains the entire live performance of September 12, 1971 minus approximately three minutes of between-song chatter.
Background
In late 1971, George ClintonGeorge Clinton (funk musician)
George Clinton is an American singer, songwriter, bandleader, and music producer and the principal architect of P-Funk. He was the mastermind of the bands Parliament and Funkadelic during the 1970s and early 1980s, and launched a solo career in 1981. He has been cited as one of the foremost...
was still structuring Funkadelic
Funkadelic
Funkadelic was an American band most prominent during the 1970s. The band and its sister act Parliament, both led by George Clinton, began the funk music culture of that decade.-History:...
as the live band supporting his concurrent doo wop vocal group Parliament
Parliament (band)
Parliament was a funk band most prominent during the 1970s. It and its sister act Funkadelic, both led by George Clinton, began the funk music culture of that decade.-History:...
, even though by that point multiple albums had been released under both names. As was common for concerts during the period, the Funkadelic musicians would warm up the crowd with instrumentals, after which the Parliament singers would take to the stage for the vocal numbers. The concert would end in a similar fashion, with the Parliament singers exiting slightly before the end of the show, with the Funkadelic musicians closing with another instrumental.
At the show recorded for this album, the band opened with two extended instrumentals totaling about 20 minutes: the then-untitled "Alice in My Fantasies" (to be later recorded with vocals on the 1974 Funkadelic
Funkadelic
Funkadelic was an American band most prominent during the 1970s. The band and its sister act Parliament, both led by George Clinton, began the funk music culture of that decade.-History:...
album Standing on the Verge of Getting It On
Standing on the Verge of Getting It On
Standing on the Verge of Getting It On is the sixth studio album by Funkadelic, released on Westbound Records, released in 1974.On this album, the lyrics generally take a backseat to the music and the jamming. It is one of the most popular Funkadelic albums among fans, and considered an essential...
) and "Maggot Brain
Maggot Brain (song)
"Maggot Brain" is a song by the band Funkadelic. It appears as the lead track on their 1971 album of the same name.The original recording of the song, over ten minutes long, features little more than a spoken introduction and a much-praised extended guitar solo by Eddie Hazel. Music critic Greg...
." The closing instrumental consisted of a short portion of "Free Your Mind and Your Ass Will Follow." The vocal tracks were taken from the albums Funkadelic
Funkadelic (album)
Funkadelic was the debut album by the American funk band Funkadelic, released in 1970 on Westbound Records. The album showcased a strong bass and rhythm section, as well as lengthy jam sessions, future trademarks of the band...
and Maggot Brain
Maggot Brain
Maggot Brain is the third studio album by the American funk band Funkadelic, released in 1971 on Westbound Records. The album incorporates musical elements of psychedelia, rock, gospel, and soul music, with significant variation between each track. Pitchfork Media named it the seventeenth best...
with the exception of two tracks that had been recorded originally as singles by Parliament
Parliament (band)
Parliament was a funk band most prominent during the 1970s. It and its sister act Funkadelic, both led by George Clinton, began the funk music culture of that decade.-History:...
: "I Call My Baby Pussycat" (later retooled for the 1972 Funkadelic
Funkadelic
Funkadelic was an American band most prominent during the 1970s. The band and its sister act Parliament, both led by George Clinton, began the funk music culture of that decade.-History:...
album America Eats Its Young
America Eats Its Young
America Eats Its Young is the fourth album by Funkadelic, released in 1972. This was the first album to include the whole of the House Guests, including Bootsy Collins, Catfish Collins, Chicken Gunnels, Rob McCollough and Kash Waddy...
) and "All Your Goodies Are Gone (The Loser's Seat)" (later retooled for the 1974 Parliament
Parliament (band)
Parliament was a funk band most prominent during the 1970s. It and its sister act Funkadelic, both led by George Clinton, began the funk music culture of that decade.-History:...
album Up for the Down Stroke
Up for the Down Stroke
Up for the Down Stroke is a 1974 album by Parliament. It was the band's second album , and their first to be released on Casablanca Records. The album's title track was Parliament's first chart hit and remains one of the most well-known P-Funk songs...
). There was no encore.
This concert was beset by personnel issues. Guitarist Tawl Ross
Tawl Ross
Lucius "Tawl" Ross was the rhythm guitarist for Funkadelic from 1968 to 1971 and played on their first three albums. He left the band in 1971 soon after a debilitating experience with LSD. He moved back to North Carolina and dropped out of the music scene, but resurfaced in 1995 after a nearly...
had recently dropped out of the band due to a damaging experience with LSD
LSD
Lysergic acid diethylamide, abbreviated LSD or LSD-25, also known as lysergide and colloquially as acid, is a semisynthetic psychedelic drug of the ergoline family, well known for its psychological effects which can include altered thinking processes, closed and open eye visuals, synaesthesia, an...
and was replaced right before the show by former Isaac Hayes
Isaac Hayes
Isaac Lee Hayes, Jr. was an American songwriter, musician, singer and actor. Hayes was one of the creative influences behind the southern soul music label Stax Records, where he served both as an in-house songwriter and as a record producer, teaming with his partner David Porter during the...
sideman Harold Beane. Original drummer Tiki Fulwood
Tiki Fulwood
Ramon "Tiki" Fulwood was a drummer for the funk bands Parliament and Funkadelic...
had also departed right before this show to explore other musical opportunities, and was replaced by former Apollo Theater
Apollo Theater
The Apollo Theater in New York City is one of the most famous, and older, music halls in the United States, and the most famous club associated almost exclusively with Black performers...
house drummer Tyrone Lampkin. Sources indicate that Beane and Lampkin had rehearsed either very little or not at all before this performance. This resulted in many musical difficulties, particularly because of the differences in drumming styles between Lampkin and Fulwood, which in turn created many difficulties for bassist Billy Bass Nelson
Billy Bass Nelson
William "Billy Bass" Nelson is a U.S. musician, who was the original bassist for Funkadelic. He is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, inducted in 1997 with fifteen other members of Parliament-Funkadelic....
. These problems resulted in an inadvertent breakdown during the performance of "I Call My Baby Pussycat," while Nelson stormed off the stage in frustration before the conclusion of "Free Your Mind and Your Ass Will Follow." Nelson and lead guitarist Eddie Hazel
Eddie Hazel
Edward Earl "Eddie" Hazel was a guitarist in early funk music in the United States who played lead guitar with Parliament-Funkadelic...
left the group about a month after this concert.
Track listing
- Alice in My Fantasies - (George Clinton, Eddie Hazel) - 6:37
- Maggot BrainMaggot Brain (song)"Maggot Brain" is a song by the band Funkadelic. It appears as the lead track on their 1971 album of the same name.The original recording of the song, over ten minutes long, features little more than a spoken introduction and a much-praised extended guitar solo by Eddie Hazel. Music critic Greg...
- (Eddie Hazel, George Clinton) - 14:02 - I Call My Baby Pussycat [fast version] - (Billy "Bass" Nelson, George Clinton, Eddie Hazel) - 5:38
- I Call My Baby Pussycat - (Billy "Bass" Nelson, George Clinton, Eddie Hazel) - 8:08
- Good Old Music - (George Clinton) - 4:31
- I Got a Thing, You Got a Thing, Everybody Got a Thing - (Clarence "Fuzzy" Haskins) - 8:38
- All Your Goodies Are Gone (The Loser's Seat) - (George Clinton, Clarence "Fuzzy" Haskins, Billy "Bass" Nelson) - 15:08
- I'll Bet You - (George Clinton, Sidney Barnes, Pat Lindsey) - 5:25
- You and Your Folks, Me and My Folks - (George Clinton, Bernie Worrell, Billy "Bass" Nelson, Clarence "Fuzzy" Haskins) - 5:28
- Free Your Mind and Your Ass Will Follow [instrumental] - (George Clinton, Eddie Hazel, Tawl Ross) - 3:41
Personnel
- ParliamentParliament (band)Parliament was a funk band most prominent during the 1970s. It and its sister act Funkadelic, both led by George Clinton, began the funk music culture of that decade.-History:...
(George ClintonGeorge Clinton (funk musician)George Clinton is an American singer, songwriter, bandleader, and music producer and the principal architect of P-Funk. He was the mastermind of the bands Parliament and Funkadelic during the 1970s and early 1980s, and launched a solo career in 1981. He has been cited as one of the foremost...
, Fuzzy HaskinsFuzzy HaskinsClarence Eugene "Fuzzy" Haskins is a former singer with 1950s and 1960s doo-wop group, The Parliaments. He is a founding member of the groundbreaking and influential 1970s funk bands Parliament and Funkadelic, also known as Parliament-Funkadelic. He left Parliament-Funkadelic in 1977 to pursue a...
, Calvin SimonCalvin SimonCalvin Eugene Simon is a former member of the bands Parliament and Funkadelic. He is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, inducted in 1997 with fifteen other members of Parliament-Funkadelic....
, Grady ThomasGrady ThomasGrady Thomas is a former member of the bands Parliament and Funkadelic. He is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, inducted in 1997 with fifteen other members of Parliament-Funkadelic...
, Ray DavisRay Davis (musician)Raymond "Ray" Davis was the original bass singer and one of the founding members of The Parliaments, Parliament, and Funkadelic. His regular nickname while he was with those groups was "Sting Ray Davis". Aside from George Clinton, he was the only original member of the Parliaments not to leave the...
): Vocals - Eddie HazelEddie HazelEdward Earl "Eddie" Hazel was a guitarist in early funk music in the United States who played lead guitar with Parliament-Funkadelic...
: Lead Guitar, Vocals - Billy Bass NelsonBilly Bass NelsonWilliam "Billy Bass" Nelson is a U.S. musician, who was the original bassist for Funkadelic. He is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, inducted in 1997 with fifteen other members of Parliament-Funkadelic....
: Bass, Vocals - Bernie WorrellBernie WorrellGeorge Bernard "Bernie" Worrell, Jr. is an American keyboardist and composer best known as a founding member of Parliament-Funkadelic and for his work with Talking Heads. He is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, inducted in 1997 with fifteen other members of Parliament-Funkadelic...
: Keyboards, Vocals - Harold Beane: Guitar
- Tyrone Lampkin: Drums