Live: Meadowbrook, Rochester, Michigan 12th September 1971

Performer: Funkadelic
Distributor: Select-O-Hits

Notes: Personnel: Clarence "Fuzzy" Haskins, George Clinton , Grady Thomas, Ray Davies , Calvin Simon (vocals); Eddie Hazel , Harold Beane (guitar); Bernie Worrell (organ, keyboards); Billy "Bass" Nelson (bass guitar); Tyrone Lampkin (drums). Not released until 1996, this was an unusual gig for the band, which was breaking in a new rhythm section (this may have been this lineup's first show) without much or any rehearsal. You can't tell from this 77-minute disc, which offers a typically amorphous, free-floating set of black rock -- which is to say, judged by most standards, it's not typical music at all. Seguing from spaced-out jams to occasional numbers with vocals by George Clinton, and throwing in imaginative improvisations by guitarist Eddie Hazel and keyboardist Bernie Worrell, it sounds something like a combination of Jimi Hendrix, James Brown, and Sun Ra. The 14-minute "Maggot Brain" verges on prog rock/psychedelia (in the good sense), with its almost mystical guitar lines; earthier pleasures are offered with cuts like "I Call My Baby Pussycat" (two versions). The fidelity is pretty good, though the vocals lack the presence of the instruments. Funkadelic are still shown to their best advantage on their studio recordings of the era, but this is certainly a fascinating find for fans, augmented by detailed liner notes about the gig by Rob Bowman. ~ Richie Unterberger

Established at the dawn of the '70s, Funkadelic mixed hard rock, psychedelia, soul, and funk in equal measure. Led by funk godfather George Clinton, they released a brace of enormously influential albums throughout the decade, buoyed by the liquid bass lines of Bootsy Collins and the mind-melting guitar of Eddie Hazel. Over the time, the line between Funkadelic and Clinton's other project, Parlaiment, became increasingly blurred. They've influenced everyone from rock bands (Talking Heads, Red Hot Chili Peppers) to rap acts (Dr. Dre, Ice Cube), and remain among the most distinctive funk-rockers ever.

Click Here for Shipping Options and Policies

Shipping or Dimension weight in pounds: 0.25