P-Funk Albums for song lyrics and biography.

P-Funk is an abbreviated, compound name for two bands, Parliament and Funkadelic. Originally, "P-Funk" was simply a slang expression for two George Clinton bands with members in common, first Parliament, and then Funkadelic. The two groups often are referred to jointly as "Parliament-Funkadelic." The breakout popularity of Parliament-Funkadelic also led to a broader application of "P-funk" to mean something in its quintessence, of superior quality, or sui generis.

In the late 1950s, George Clinton and some others started The Parliaments, but found very little success. They added a backup band that eventually became known as Funkadelic. George Clinton was running a hair salon in New Jersey at the time when the group's breakthrough single was released. By this time, the Parliaments had become Parliament and had added several new members, including Bill Nelson, Tawl Ross and Eddie Hazel. The group lost the rights to the name Parliament and became known as Funkadelic. Their sound gradually became less firmly steeped in RandB music, and moved towards a psychedelia-influenced groove, heavily dependent on Jimi Hendrix, Sly Stone, the Beatles, and the MC5. As their sound progressed, it became thick and complex, loud and psychedelic. Clinton's experimentation with new and original sounds meant that early Funkadelic had a small and devoted cult following. Band included trumpet player Rick Gardner aka "The Gardener of Funk".

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Bill Nelson and Eddie Hazel left the group due to financial disputes, and Tawl Ross left because of a bad acid trip. William and Phelps Collins, or Bootsy and Catfish, hopped aboard. Bootsy left after one album but rejoined later, while Catfish was an on-and-off member, who eventually played mostly for his Bootsy's solo efforts. Bootsy brought a new sense of discipline to the group, as he had played with James Brown and was forced to dedicate himself to his musical growth. Both were influential in the development of the P-Funk sound.

Parliament was reformed in 1974. Maceo Parker and Fred Wesley joined Funkadelic, quickly followed by the return of Bootsy Collins and Eddie Hazel. The addition of Parker and Wesley added a jazzy dimension to the music. "Tear the Roof Off the Sucker" became the first Top Ten single for the group. Mothership Connection became the group's first gold LP. Clinton, meanwhile, moved from Westbound to Warner Brothers. Many of the original members departed, angry at Clinton becoming the owner of the name Parliament and that they had become his employees. Bootsy Collins formed Bootsy's Rubber Band, a wacky, bass-driven group, along with Catfish Collins, Mudbone Cooper, Bernie Worrell, the Horny Horns and Joel Johnson. Meanwhile, Michael Hampton replaced Eddie Hazel as lead guitarist. Jerome Brailey joined, eventually becoming one of the most widely respected P-Funk drummers, and Glen Goins, a talented singer who did the lead vocals on many admired tracks, including "Mothership Connection" and "Bop Gun," also joined.

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1977 brought Parliament its first #1 hit, "Flashlight", and marked the emergence of the lavish tours the group eventually became known for. Funkadelic continued releasing albums, soon scoring two #1 hits, "One Nation Under a Groove" and "(Not Just) Knee Deep", while Parliament scored another #1 with "Aqua Boogie". The albums of the period had morphed into concept albums, with bizarre, spacy themes that carried elaborate and pointed political messages, and were usually linked between albums. The two most notable additions to the group during this period were Junie Morrison and Skeet Curtis. Junie in particular played several instruments, wrote, produced and arranged many of the most-respected songs on two crucial albums, One Nation Under a Groove and Motor Booty Affair. The P-Funk family multiplied in the late seventies, and albums were released under the names The Brides of Funkenstein, Parlet, Bernie Worrell, Eddie Hazel and the Horny Horns. Meanwhile, the tours became ever more and more elaborate and expensive, resulting in dire financial straits. In 1979, Funkadelic launched the Anti-Tour, scrapping much of the lavishness. Dennis Chambers, Blackbyrd McKnight and the P-Funk Horns joined the group.

Parliament's final album came out in 1980, and Funkadelic's in 1981. George Clinton battled financial problems and addiction, but soon managed to launch a solo career with the single, "Atomic Dog." Funk was dying down in popular consciousness, but its influence on hip-hop grew. P-Funk soon replaced James Brown as the most often sampled artist in hip-hop, and G Funk has P-Funk samples as a defining characteristic. The P.Funk All-Stars went on tour in the mid 1980s. Bootsy Collins and Bernie Worrell both released successful solo albums, and managed to keep thriving solo careers. By 1993, most of the old Parliament and Funkadelic albums were re-released, leading to a new emergence of funk and a new tour by the P.Funk All-Stars. In 1994, the group toured with Lollapalooza.

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George Clinton has been, since its inception, the driving force behind the development of the P-Funk sound. Though he may be remembered today more for his rainbow hair and outlandish costumes than his music, his influence on generations of musicians has been remarkable. Clinton's artistry encompassed more than mere entertainment. In an era of growing black awareness, political ferment, social protest and societal upheaval, Clinton took African-American popular music to new levels of political outspokenness, public visibility and artistic accomplishment. A strong rhythm guitarist, Catfish Collins' ability to lock onto a groove and keep it going through the epic live jamming the group is known for has made him one of the most influential rhythm guitarists in musical history. He was able to keep a stable rhythm, thereby allowing Worrell and others to go off on musical improvisatory excursions while keeping the music stable and grounded. Bootsy Collins is a versatile bassist, capable of playing many styles. He was adventurous and original in his playing, and has become known as a legendary virtuoso of the bass guitar. He also made a substantial impact as a songwriter and uncredited guitarist and drummer on several studio tracks. Bernie Worrell was added after the release of their first album. He deserves a special mention as an especially important influence in the early development of the P-Funk sound. Even before officially joining the group, he helped out on many of the recording sessions. Eventually, he became responsible for many of the musical arrangements, and produced most of the later albums. Of all the Funksters, Garry Shider is probably the greatest vocalist of the group. He performed leads on many of their most famous songs, notably on "Cosmic Slop". Eddie Hazel is considered one of the most influential guitarists in musical history. His playing was always intense and unconventional. "Maggot Brain," a twelve-minute solo, is widely cited as an emotional masterpiece of the guitar. He wrote many of the guitar riffs for the band, and did some singing as well. Along with childhood friend, Billy Bass Nelson, Hazel developed psychedelic funk rock, mixing blues, rock and roll, soul, Motown and pop music.