George Edward Clinton is an American singer, songwriter, bandleader, and record producer. His band Parliament-Funkadelic developed a form of funk music during the 1970s and early 1980s that he termed P-Funk. He launched a solo career in 1981.
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» All American singer InterviewsGeorge Clinton will be answering your questions here on January 15 from 2pm - 4:00pm EST.
FRESH new single: I'm Gon Make You Sick feat. Scarface
Spotify:
http://open.spotify.com/album/6u46p7ixRhDL36bfkI6MQ7
Apple Music:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/im-gon-make-u-sick-ome-feat-scarface-single/1332295532?ls=1
More about George:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Clinton_(musician)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parliament-Funkadelic
*George has a Redditor on his team. He'll be talking, and she'll be typing!
PROOF: https://twitter.com/george_clinton/status/951138347723849729
EDIT: Thanks so much everyone. George had a great time reading and answering your questions. Hope you enjoyed this as much as we did!
Did you ever figure out why you must chase the cat?
Pussy.
Do you think that funk is making a sizable comeback?
EDIT: THE FUNK NEVER LEFT
I always thought I was the big dog
George, are you aware of the show "Mighty Boosh" and the episode entitled 'Legend of Old Gregg'? This episode references an experience you may or may not have had. Care to comment?
Edit: video reference
https://youtu.be/38IFCiqc6LQ
Edit 2.0: fixed spelling
July 2nd, 1979 ring any bells?
I'm mad because I didn't do this shit. I like it.
(*I just showed him the video and he's laughing!)
Any stories from the filming of PCU?
Everybody on the set was fucked up. Toronto had the best weed around. Fuck the beer.
What's the drug of choice for a king of funk?
The Chronic. Snoop's Shit. Whattup snoop! u/Here_Comes_The_King
Thank you for Maggotbrain?
The questionmark is because this mod motherfucker is a motherfucker?
I agree
Good Dr. Funkenstein, how do young performers bring back the funk to modern music? Also, are you a fan of Thundercat?
Damn you answered your own question. Thundercat Flying Lotus and all that shit.
HUGE fan here - saw you three times already and looking forward to your show in San Luis Obispo later this spring.
QUESTION: in the 90’s it seemed like you had toured with a musician alternate for each member of your group. You were known for performing for up to three straight hours. My question is: was this to be able to play lengthy sets or was it primarily so musicians could party - like if they got too high they could be swapped out for a more sober musician?
THANK YOU for keeping our society Funkadelic and inspiring so many of us musicians and funksters!!!!!!
Nah it wasn't that. It was so a lot of people could get a paycheck. It happened every once in a while when someone was high. It was mainly to get a check. The show was so long, sometimes you'd need two drummers to carry it on.
What music do you enjoy listening to currently?
Flying Lotus, Cardi B, Kendrick Lamar, Jay Z's new album, Tra'Zae, and all that shit coming out of Atlanta. All that trap shit. I'm trapped in it. Medicaid Fraud Dog, that's on my mind right now.
What was it like on the set of Kuso?
Is it true that you told Eddie Hazel to play one half of Maggot Brain like his momma died, and the other half like he found out his momma was still alive? Some of my friends say this backstory is a myth, but i'm not so sure.
Beautifully gross and nasty. Plus there was a hole in my ass bigger than the hole in my ass. And the story about Maggot Brian is half true. I told Eddit to play it like he found out his momma died. That's it.
What's the craziest thing you have seen at a performance? Please be as detailed as possible
Norman, Oklahoma. 1978. A girl came up on the stage in overalls. Dropped her pants to her ankles. Turned around. Put a joint up her butt. And blew three smoke rings. We couldn't finish the show because we couldn't stop laugh. We tried 3 or 4 times to continue. Even took a break and we couldn't stop laughing.
Thank you Mr. Clinton. Is there anything you remember about producing for the Red Hot Chili Peppers?
I remember the socks they were wearing were too big. I had to buy them some snuffleupagus jock straps.
Have you ever seen Flying Lotus at a grocery store??
Yes in the film Kuso
This world has gone to shit. Can you take me to your home planet?
I got that doo-doo, you know that
Mr. Clinton, today is also Martin Luther King Jr day. Do you have any special messages to share, for his remembrance?
Just like we said in the 60s, peace and love, and remember what Martin Luther King is about.
George, what planet are you from?
The planet Sirius better known as the Dogstar. Sirius A and sometimes known as Sirius B.
Thanks for doing this, George. It's great to have a chance to interact with such an iconic figure in music. I'm a huge fan of your work and had the privilege of seeing you and the gang in Melbourne, Australia last year.
Why did you decide to revive the Parliament name for this new album? (the single sounds great btw, very excited to hear the album)
Can you tell us more about the conception of Funkadelic's second album? How much of it was conceived of and recorded under the influence of LSD?
Which artists have you enjoyed collaborating with the most and who would you like to work with in the future?
When was the last time you took acid and how do you think it helped to shape and influence your music?
Lastly, which planet is the Mothership heading to next and how can I get a ticket?
Peace and love, stay funky!
Because the last album was Funkadelic "First Ya Gotta Shake the Gate". It's Parliament's turn. The new album is "Medicaid Fraud Dog" featuring the PFunk horns Fred Wesley, Pee Wee Ellis, Greg Thomas and Benny Cowan. The next album will be P-Funk Allstars.
You got that right. All of that album Free Your Mind was recorded under the influence, over the influence, and between the influence of LSD and trendy chemical substances.
I always enjoyed working with everyone. I'd like to work with Cardi B. She's got the funk. And the new Jay Z album is the motherfucker. I like the whole concept. I might write off that shit.
Oh shit. 71 probably. It wasn't Acid after '69. It went commercial.
We're going back to the Dog Star, the planet series, to pick up the Dogun and Nomos and Bouvier
Do you have anything to say about Sun Ra and his arkestra?
He was one of my neighbors in outer space. Him and Jimi Hendrix. They lived in some cosmic projects not far from me.
You recently said you won a legal victory giving you the rights back to the four Warner Bros. era Funkadelic records?
Any further updates?
Will you be doing your own reissues of these albums?
Yes
What are some entertaining Bootsy stories?
We were driving into Toronto together and were contacted by a UFO. We saw a flashing light hit the ground first in front of our car. Three of four minutes later we saw it again two times, hit the street. Then the light hit the car and the light turned to liquid like mercury from a thermometer, beaded up and rolled off the car. All the street lights went out slowly as we passed. We looked behind us it was dark. Bootsy wasn't scared, he thought I knew what was going on. We weren't high, because he just crossed the border. We eventually arrived home and walked in the house and my daughter said, you all acting like you just saw a ghost! I didn't even think about it until later, why were we seeing light in daylight. I had to call Bootsy to confirm what time of day it was. We lost a lot of time that day and didn't realize it until years later.
How many times now has Mother Earth been pregnant? Still 3?
Yep still 3
Boxers, briefs, or fig leaf?
Depends
Tell me about your experience with Ice Cube recording "Bop Gun (One Nation)". What were your initial thoughts when you were approached? And how great is his writing on that track, right?
Give me some insight on how the drug culture of P-Funk's time played a role in your creative process. Was the collective mythology the product of your minds on acid and coke? Y'all smoked weed, right?
What are your underrated favorites from your decades with P-Funk? "Wizard of Finance" is a masterpiece. And I rarely see people acknowledge how fantastic Clones of Dr. Funkenstein was.
You're a hero, George. You have a young generation of fans.
When he said Bop Gun, I thought he was talking about Bop Gun I didn't realize until I got there that he was playing One Nation which is easier for me to do because I'm not trying to sing behind Glenn on Bop Gun. They slowed it down a bit making it easier for me to sing. It was the bomb. In fact, he did a Remix of Ain't That Funkin Kinda Hard on You. That shows you how much I depend on Ice Cube! Thank you Ice Cube.
I agree with Wizard of Finance. I also like Happiness on Our Side by Bernie Worrell. That whole album in the world is probably my favorite underrated album.
What inspired the long soliloquy on "Good Thoughts, Bad Thoughts?"
I read it somewhere, I don't know where. I didn't go to school or nothing to know all that shit. I read it in a magazine. It was a good thought and I put it in pfunk terminology.
What's your favorite use of any of your songs on television or in a movie?
Guardians of the Galaxy, Good Burger
What do you think about Rage Against The Machine's cover of "Renegades of Funk"?
Rage Against the Machine is definitely a rock band that can play hip hop on instruments live. So when they are funky they sound like Super Stupid, that era of Funkadelic. They bad.
Oh my god, man, what you and your band mates have done is some amazing music. Changed my idea of what was possible musically. Thank you so much for all those years of work. How the hell did you come up with such awesome, unique sounds? Who are your influences?
I hope you don't mind the comparison, but learning about you blew my mind in the same way as first learning about Screamin' Jay.
I also heard some chick wouldn't fuck you cuz you were wearing a diaper, is that true?
I like Screamin' Jay Hawkins. I put a spell on you.
Don't know how I'd fuck with a diaper on. Take it off. It's weird fucking with a diaper on!
I've had the pleasure of seeing you at my first show ever at the 1994 Lollapalooza and twice at Woodstock 1999. Thank you for the amazing memories!
In all of the decades you've rocked, do you have a favorite venue?
My favorite venue is any place with a stage. No particular place. No particular city. Any place I can plug in and get down. It kinda helps if marijuana is legal there, it makes a difference.
What's is your current relationship with John Frusciante and how did you find working with the Chili Peppers?
He did Gangsters of Love with me. He went back and got Chili Peppers with Kim Manning. We did an old R&B Song "Come on Baby Let the Good Times Roll". Chili Peppers are my boys. I can't say enough about them Flea, Anthony, John, Chad
We love you Dr Funkenstein, your funk is the best!
Question: other than keeping a strong emphasis on the 1 count of a beat, what’s the best advice for someone trying to maximize their groove?
Stay in the pocket. Even if you know a lot of shit, dumb down a little bit. Funk will take care of itself. It will lead you to where you want to go. If I'm going to OD, that's what I want to OD on, The Funk. I don't think there's every been a situation with too much funk. It don't mean don't wash your hands now. We're talking about music.
Thank you for your amazing contribution to music.
How did the George Clinton Family Series albums come about? Some of my favorite work you've done is on those records.
They were leftover tunes from the sessions from Flash Light, We Want the Funk, and all the other hits that were not used on the albums back then. And I got a lot more!
One of my favorite cuts from one of my favorite P-Funk songs:
Parliament Funkadelic "Comin Round The Mountain"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTXsndtmz5M
How did it feel to be part of such a large band? Was it hard to split the money?
Are you the leader of the band?
Who writes the songs?
Did you cry when you had to retire the mothership?
Years and years ago, a family friend was telling me the story of meeting you. Rather a far ways into the conversation, she asked you if you wanted anything to drink, and she quoted you as saying "Yeah. Your dirty bathwater." Did this happen? It's one of her favorite stories :)
You feel safe with a large band. You know they got your back. You can always find someone one stage ready to kick up. If the guitar playing isn't feeling it, the drummer will, five or six of the singers will. We perform like a broadway play. Different people perform on different nights. It's never the same show twice.
Yes, I am the leader of the band. I write the songs and lyrics. All the musicians arrange the songs or make the beats, as they say nowadays.
I’m sure you’ve answere this before, but what’s your stance on sampling? Does it still provide good mailbox money to this day? Do you think that reform is necessary to create a reasonable market for samples vs the arbitrary nature of licensing samples today? Finally do you consider a composition derived entirely of samples to be as creative as some of your best work?(or any of you original work for that matter)
You have to work your ass off to make that shit work. Public Enemy was a good arranger with samples. I've seen people do shit with our songs that's very intricate. The stuff Childish Gambino did with I'd Rather Be With You, he's killing it.
Any plans to repress One Nation Under A Groove?
Already in the works
Why did Garry Shider wear a diaper on stage?
He was a baby at the time. I had got old and was a grand dad by then. It was time for the younger one to wear the diaper. Plus he liked wearing it.
Seen you live twice sir, spectacular shows, thank you! I'm in the cannabis industry, and I was wondering if we could get some love for legalization from you please? Just a shout-out of support is all I need :)
PLEASE LEGALIZE THE SHIT. You got my support. In fact, I want to get in the cannabiz too! Brand that shit, give me a deal.
Do you wipe with your left or right hand?
Let me smell my finger
Can you explain the ‘dooloop’ part of ‘Psychoalphadiscobetabioaquadooloop’?
Follow up question: How does Sir Nose feel about water these days?
Dooloop is that looping of the concept around and around jumping in and out of water. You can't swim but you do it again over and over again. Sir Nose don't have no sense in his brain. Its snot logical. The membrains in your nose don't have any sense. So he keeps jumping in the water not realizing that he can't swim til he's in there.
Do you have a favourite Prince song?
Brother Can You Paradigm
Are you still living in Detroit? If so, what do you think of the recent turn around and where are your favorite spots?
No I don't live in Detroit, now I live in Florida. But I still visit all the time. They're really fixing it up now. When they do that to the hood I might move back.
What is the best activity to do while listening to funk music?
Dance your ass off and smoke a joint
Whose idea was the mothership?
After seeing all the huge productions, like Pink Floyd the Wall, I wanted to do a huge stage production too. You can thank Pink Floyd for the Mothership.
Huge fan. Thank you for your work.
Who would you say are your largest musical influences? What artists should someone start with if they were trying to explore the genre of funk?
Smokey Robinson is definitely the first. Sly Stone and The Beatles. Jimi Hendrix. I could say a lot more, but that would be a well rounded look at all the stuff I learned to do.
Best albums to listen to with a woman?
Bootsy Collins, Michael Franks, Eddie Kendricks, Al Green
Do you eat breakfast? What do you eat?
Bacon & Grits when I'm home
Was there any counter movement or objection to funk music, or was it a type of music that was accepted by everyone at the time? What treatment did you receive once you guys became a more well-known act?
We were too black for white folk. And too white for black folks. But as time passed, more people got on board. By the time we released Mothership Connection we had a huge fan base. We’ve been one nation under a groove ever since.
You're my hero man.
How did you meet Bernie Worrell?
Peace!
At a barber shop in Plainfield NJ. He was still in high school and played with us in our doo wop band. My favorite musician in all the world. Always has been.
do you have a favorite producer you've been listening to recently?
Pharrell is a PHENOMENAL producer, one of the best around. And he's been around a while. He picked up with Terry Riley and kept going.
Have you been to the National Museum of African American History? What did you think?
Yep. Love it. I was so busy looking at the Mothership first time. I had to go back a few more times.