George Clinton (musician)

Beginnings

Clinton was born in Kannapolis, North Carolina, grew up in Plainfield, New Jersey, and currently resides in Tallahassee, Florida. During his teen years Clinton formed a doo-wop group inspired by Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers called The Parliaments, while straightening hair at a barber salon in Plainfield.

The West End of Plainfield, New Jersey was once home to the Silk Palace, a barbershop at 216 Plainfield Avenue owned in part by Clinton, staffed by various members of Parliament-Funkadelic and known as the "hangout for all the local singers and musicians" in Plainfield's 1950s and 1960s doo-wop, soul, rock and proto-funk music scene.^[5][6][7]

1960s and 1970s

For a period in the 1960s Clinton was a staff songwriter for Motown. Despite initial commercial failure and one major hit single, ("(I Wanna) Testify" in 1967), as well as arranging and producing scores of singles on many of the independent Detroit soul music labels, The Parliaments eventually found success under the names Parliament and Funkadelic in the 1970s (see also P-Funk). These two bands combined the elements of musicians such as Jimi Hendrix, Sly and the Family Stone, Frank Zappa, and James Brown while exploring various sounds, technology, and lyricism. Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic dominated diverse music during the 1970s with over 40 R&B hit singles (including three number ones) and three platinum albums.

From 1971 to late 1973, Clinton and several other members of the band settled in Toronto. During the years in Toronto, they honed their live show and recorded the album America Eats Its Young, which was their first to feature Bootsy Collins.

1980s

Clinton's efforts as a solo artist began in 1982. He is also a notable music producer who works on almost all the albums he performs on, and has produced albums for Bootsy Collins and Red Hot Chili Peppers, among others. Beginning in the early 1980s, Clinton recorded several nominal solo albums, although all of these records featured contributions from P-Funk's core musicians. The primary reason for recording under his own name was legal difficulties, due to the complex copyright and trademark issues surrounding the name "Parliament" (primarily) and Polygram's purchase of that group's former label Casablanca Records.

In 1982, Clinton signed to Capitol Records under two names: his own (as a solo artist) and as the P-Funk All-Stars, releasing Computer Games under his own name that same year.^[2] The single "Loopzilla" hit the Top 20 on the R&B charts, followed by "Atomic Dog", which reached #1 R&B and #101 on the pop chart.^[2] In the next four years, Clinton released three more studio albums (You Shouldn't-Nuf Bit Fish, Some of My Best Jokes Are Friends, and R&B Skeletons in the Closet) as well as a live album, Mothership Connection (Live from the Summit, Houston, Texas) and charting three singles in the R&B Top 30, "Nubian Nut", "Last Dance", and "Do Fries Go with That Shake?". This period of Clinton's career was marred by multiple legal problems (resulting in financial difficulties) due to complex royalty and copyright issues, notably with Bridgeport Music, who Clinton claims fraudulently obtained the copyrights to many of his recordings.^[8]

In 1985, he was recruited by the Red Hot Chili Peppers to produce their album Freaky Styley, because the band members were huge fans of George Clinton's and of funk in general. Clinton, in fact, wrote the vocals and lyrics to the title track which was originally intended by the band to be left as an instrumental piece. The album was not a commercial success at the time, but has since sold 500,000 copies after the Red Hot Chili Peppers became popular years later.

During the mid to late 1980's, many hip-hop and rap artists cited Clinton's earlier music as an influence. Along with James Brown, Clinton's songs with Parliament-Funkadelic were often sampled by rap producers.^[9] "Sure, sample my stuff…" he remarked in 1996. "Ain't a better time to get paid than when you're my age. You know what to do with money. You don't buy as much pussy or drugs with it – you just buy some."^[10]

In 1989, Clinton released The Cinderella Theory on Paisley Park, Prince's record label. This was followed by Hey Man, Smell My Finger in 1993. Clinton then signed with Sony 550 and released T.A.P.O.A.F.O.M. (The Awesome Power of a Fully Operational Mothership) in 1996, having reunited with several former members of Parliament and Funkadelic.

1990s to 2000s

George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic performing at Pori Jazz 2014 in Finland.

1994 saw Clinton contribute to several tracks on Primal Scream's studio album Give Out But Don't Give Up. In 1995, Clinton sang "Mind Games" on the John Lennon tribute Working Class Hero. In the 1990s, Clinton appeared in films such as Graffiti Bridge (1990), House Party (1990), PCU (1994), Good Burger (1997), and The Breaks (1999). In 1997, he appeared as himself in the Cartoon Network show Space Ghost Coast to Coast. Clinton also appeared as the voice of The Funktipus, the DJ of the Funk radio station Bounce FM in the 2004 video game, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, in which his song "Loopzilla" also appeared.

Rapper Dr. Dre sampled most of Clinton's beats to create his G-Funk music era. In 1999, Clinton collaborated with Lil' Kim, Fred Durst, and Mix Master Mike for Methods of Mayhem's single "Get Naked".

Displaying his influence on rap and hip hop, Clinton also worked with Tupac Shakur on the song "Can't C Me" from the album All Eyez on Me; Ice Cube on the song and video for "Bop Gun (One Nation)" on the Lethal Injection album (which sampled Funkadelic's earlier hit "One Nation Under A Groove"); Outkast on the song "Synthesizer" from the album Aquemini; Redman on the song "J.U.M.P." from the album Malpractice; Souls of Mischief on "Mama Knows Best" from the album Trilogy: Conflict, Climax, Resolution; Killah Priest on "Come With me" from the album Priesthood; the Wu Tang Clan on "Wolves" from the album 8 Diagrams.

Clinton founded a record label called The C Kunspyruhzy in 2003. He had a cameo appearance in "Where Were We?", the season two premiere of the CBS television sitcom How I Met Your Mother, on September 18, 2006.

Clinton wrote "You're Thinking Right", the theme song for The Tracey Ullman Show. He appeared on the intro to Snoop Dogg's Tha Blue Carpet Treatment album, released in 2007. Clinton was also a judge for the 5th annual Independent Music Awards to support independent artists' careers.^[11]

On September 16, 2008, Clinton released a solo album, George Clinton and His Gangsters of Love on Shanachie Records. Largely a covers album, Gangsters features guest appearances from Sly Stone, El DeBarge, Red Hot Chili Peppers, RZA, Carlos Santana, gospel singer Kim Burrell and more.^[12]

On September 10, 2009, George Clinton was awarded the Urban Icon Award from Broadcast Music Incorporated.^[13] The ceremony featured former P-Funk associate Bootsy Collins, as well contemporary performers such as Big Boi from Outkast and Cee-Lo Green from Goodie Mob.

Also in 2009, Clinton was inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame.^[14]

2010s

On March 7, 2010, Clinton voiced a colorful blob alien version of himself in T-Pain's Adult Swim television movie Freaknik: The Musical.

In May 2012, Clinton was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Music from Berklee College of Music. During the commencement concert, Clinton joined the college's P-Funk Ensemble to perform hits like “Testify,” “Give Up the Funk,” and “One Nation Under a Groove." He was accompanied by longtime horn players Bennie Cowan and Greg Thomas.^[15]

Clinton was a guest star in Odd Future's television show Loiter Squad on Adult Swim in 2013.

On June 27, 2015, Clinton joined Mark Ronson, Mary J. Blige and Grandmaster Flash on stage at the Glastonbury Festival to perform Ronson's hit Uptown Funk.^[16] Clinton also appears with Kendrick Lamar on the song "Wesley's Theory" from the album To Pimp a Butterfly.

Clinton and the Parliament Funkadelic are slated to headline the seventh annual Treefort Music Fest in Boise, Idaho in 2018.^[17] The release of a new album was announced in March 2018. The release date is still unknown.

In April 2018, Clinton announced that he would retire from touring in May 2019. Billboard reported that Clinton had recently undergone pacemaker surgery, but he said that was not a factor in his decision.^[18] He indicated that he expected Parliament-Funkadelic would continue to tour without him, saying "Truth be told, it's never really been about me. It's always been about the music and the band. That's the real P-Funk legacy. They'll still be funkin' long after I stop." Earlier in 2018, he told Rolling Stone that he had made a hologram, suggesting that the band could "have it start performing in Vegas".^[19]

Studio albums

Live albums

Family Series albums

EPs

Solo singles

Contributions

• 1981: "Work That Sucker To Death" (Xavier featuring George Clinton and Bootsy Collins; Point of Pleasure)
• 1983: "I Almost Believed You" (from the Michael Bolton album Michael Bolton)
• 1985: "American Ghost Dance" sang backing vocals with the Red Hot Chili Peppers on their album Freaky Styley". He also produced this album.
• 1985: "May The Cube Be With You" collaborated with Thomas Dolby and appeared in the music video for the song.
• 1985: "Sun City" (Artists United Against Apartheid; Sun City)
• 1986: "Break My Heart" (Jimmy G. & The Tackheads) one of his many one-off groups with George Clinton supplying vocals & possibly Bootsy on bass.
• 1986: "Magilla Gorilla" (from the Kurtis Blow album Kingdom Blow)
• 1990: "We Can Funk" (from the Prince album Graffiti Bridge)
• 1991: "Rock The Planet", "Dysfunction", "Air Head", "Freedom of Speech" (from the Muruga UFM album Rock The Planet)
• 1991: "Sons of the P" (from the Digital Underground album Sons of the P)
• 1991: "Words & Music from da Lowlands" (from the Gotcha! album Words and Music from the lowlands)
• 1993: "G-Funk Intro" (from the Snoop Doggy Dogg album Doggystyle)
• 1993: "Tight" (from the MC Breed album The New Breed (album))
• 1994: "PCU" (George Clinton)
• 1993: "Bop Gun (One Nation)" (from the Ice Cube album Lethal Injection)
• 1994: "P-Funk" (NBA Jam; Hidden Character)
• 1994: "Funky Jam" / "Give Out But Don't Give Up" / "Free" (Primal Scream; Give Out But Don't Give Up)
• 1995: "Blac Mermaid" (from the Society of Soul album Brainchild)
• 1996: "Can't C Me" (from the 2Pac album All Eyez on Me)
• 1997: Good Burger (Mental Patient/Dancer)
• 1998: "Synthesizer" (from the Outkast album Aquemini)
• 1999: "Get Naked" (from the Methods of Mayhem album Methods of Mayhem)
• 2000: "Alien Love" (from the Alien Lovestock album "Planet Of The Fish")
• 2001: "Come With Me", "The One" (from the Killah Priest album Priesthood)
• 2001: "Speed Dreaming" (from the Warren G album The Return Of The Regulator)
• 2001: "J.U.M.P." (from the Redman album Malpractice)
• 2002: "The Movie" (from the Too Short album What's My Favorite Word?)
• 2003: "Hey Bulldog" (from the Eric McFadden album "Diamonds To Coal")
• 2005: "Lotus Flower" (from the Blackalicious album The Craft)
• 2006: "Uncle Speaks (Album Naration)" (from the Joi album Tennessee Slim Is the Bomb)
• 2006: "Intrology" (from the Snoop Dogg album Tha Blue Carpet Treatment)
• 2006: "The Doctor and the Kidd" (from the People Under The Stairs album Stepfather)
• 2007: "Wolves", "Tar Pit" (from the Wu-Tang Clan album 8 Diagrams)
• 2007: "When the World is at Peace" (Masters of Funk & Blues feat. George Clinton & Bobby Taylor; A Soulful Tale of Two Cities)
• 2007: "Love Won't Let Me Wait" (Masters of Funk, Soul & Blues featuring George Clinton; A Soulful Tale of Two Cities)
• 2007: "Night Out" (from the Lifesavas album Gutterfly)
• 2008: "Up Again" (from the Bobby Digital album Digi Snacks)
• 2008: "Hitler's Brain" (from the Die Warzau album Vinyl88: Not the best of Die Warzau)
• 2009: "There's A Party" (from the N.A.S.A album The Spirit of Apollo)
• 2010: "Fo Yo Sorrows" (from the Big Boi album Sir Luscious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty)
• 2010: "Red Wine (Skit)" (From the Stevie Stone album New Kid Comin)
• 2010: "Red Wine" (From the Stevie Stone album New Kid Comin)
• 2011: "D-Funk (Funk With Us)" (from The Headhunters album Platinum)
• 2012: Thanksgiving Day halftime show at Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan. Halftime Concert featuring Kid Rock.
• 2013: "Tonight We Ride" (from the Killah Priest album The Psychic World of Walter Reed)
• 2013: "Do the Damn Thang" (from the Ralph Myerz album Supersonic Pulse)
• 2014: "UFO Le Funk" & "Brooklyn UFO" from the Funky Taurus & George Clinton album UFO Le Funk via MTV / USA their first mutual CDs
• 2015: "Wesley's Theory" (from the Kendrick Lamar album To Pimp a Butterfly)
• 2015: "The Lavishments of Light Looking" (from the Adult Swim Singles Program 2015 by WOKE)
• 2016: "Do the Damn Thang" (from Da YoungFellaz single featuring Snoop Dogg & Nipsey Hussle)
• 2016: "COOL JOE" NEW VERSION George Clinton Funky Taurus via ITUNES
• 2016 "Riot" (From Awaken My Love) by Childish Gambino
• 2018: "HAWKING Tribute" George Clinton & Funky Taurus to pay a tribute to the passing of Stephen Hawking