George Clinton (born July 22, 1941) 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 began his work as a solo artist
in 1981. He has been called one of the most prominent innovators
of funk music, along with James Brown and Sly Stone. Clinton became
a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, after being inducted
in 1997 with fifteen other members of Parliament-Funkadelic.
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. 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),
The Parliaments eventually found success under the names Parliament
and Funkadelic in the seventies (see also P-Funk). These two bands
combined the elements of musicians such as Jimi Hendrix, Sly and
the Family Stone, Cream and James Brown while exploring different
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.
Clinton's efforts as a solo artist began in 1982. He is also a notable
music producer working on almost all of the albums he performs on,
as well as producing albums for Bootsy Collins and Red Hot Chili
Peppers, among others.
[edit] 1980s
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.[1] 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.[1] 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.
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 and 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.
George Clinton performing in Holland.
Though Clinton's popularity had waned by the mid 1980s, he experienced
something of a resurgence in the early 1990s, as many rappers cited
him as an influence and began sampling his songs. Alongside James
Brown, George Clinton is considered to be one of the most sampled
musicians ever. 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 old members of Parliament and
Funkadelic.
[edit] 1990s to 2000s
George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic performing at Waterfront
Park, in Louisville, Kentucky, July 4, 2008
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 his beats to create his
G-Funk music era.
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; 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 and the Wu Tang Clan on "Tar
pit" from the album "8 Diagrams".
George Clinton performing live in Texas.
Clinton founded a record label called The C Kunspyruhzy in 2005.
He had a cameo appearance in the season-two premiere of the CBS television
sitcom How I Met Your Mother, on September 18, 2006.
"You're Thinking Right", the theme song for The Tracey
Ullman Show, was written by Clinton. 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.[2]
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. [3]
On September 10, 2009, George Clinton was awarded the Urban Icon
Award from Broadcast Music Incorporated,[4] the Performing Right
Organization for songwriters. Clinton entered an elite collection
of BMI Icons including the Jacksons, James Brown, the Bee Gees, Isaac
Hayes, Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Gloria Estefan, Willie Nelson, Carlos
Santana, Little Richard and Al Green—songwriters who have had
a “unique and indelible influence on generations of music makers.[5]
The ceremony featured former P-Funk associate Bootsy Collins, as
well contemporary performers such as Big Boi from Outkast and Cee-Lo
Green from Gnarls Barkley.
On February 1, 2010, Clinton's son, George Clinton, Jr., was found
dead in his Florida home. According to police, he had been dead for
several days and died of natural causes.[6]
On May 20, 2010, George Clinton received a proclamation from Mayor
Sharon Robinson-Briggs of Plainfield, New Jersey, the city in which
he was raised, at a fundraiser for the Barack Obama Green Charter
High School, which is focused creating leaders in sustainability
for the 21st Century.
[edit] Discography
[edit] Studio albums
Clinton performing in Centerville, 2007
Year Album information Peak chart positions
US US
R&B
1982 Computer Games
* Released:
* Label: Capitol Records
* Format:
40 3
1982 You Shouldn't-Nuf Bit Fish
* Released:
* Label: Capitol Records
* Format:
102 18
1985 Some of My Best Jokes Are Friends
* Released:
* Label: Capitol Records
* Format:
17 163
1986 R&B Skeletons in the Closet
* Released:
* Label: Capitol Records
* Format:
17 81
1989 The Cinderella Theory
* Released:
* Label: Paisley Park Records
* Format:
75 192
1993 Hey Man, Smell My Finger
* Released:
* Label: Paisley Park Records
* Format:
31 145
Dope Dogs
* Released:
* Label: XYZ
* Format:
— —
1996 T.A.P.O.A.F.O.M.
* Released:
* Label: Sony 550 Music
* Format:
121 —
2005 How Late Do U Have 2BB4UR Absent?
* Released:
* Label: The C Kunspyruhzy
* Format:
— —
2008 George Clinton and His Gangsters of Love
* Released:
* Label: Shanachie Records
* Format:
— 34
"—"
denotes releases that did not chart.
[edit] Live albums
Year Album information
1986 The Mothership Connection – Live from Houston
* Released:
* Label: Capitol Records
* Format:
1990 Live at the Beverly Theater
* Released:
* Label: Westbound Records
* Format:
2004 500,000 Kilowatts of P-Funk Power (Live)
* Released:
* Label: Fruit Tree
* Format:
2006 Take It To The Stage (Live)
* Released:
* Label: Music Avenue
* Format:
[edit] George Clinton Family Series albums
Year Title Label
1992 Go Fer Yer Funk Nocturne
Plush Funk Nocturne
1993 P Is the Funk Nocturne
Testing Positive 4 the Funk AEM
A Fifth of Funk AEM
1995 The Best (compilation) AEM
[edit] EPs
Year Album information
1988 Atomic Clinton! (EP)
* Released:
* Label: Capitol Records
* Format:
1990 Atomic Dog (EP)
* Released:
* Label: Capitol Records
* Format:
[edit] Solo singles
Year Title Peak chart positions Album
US
R&B US Dance UK
1982 "Loopzilla" 19 48 57 Computer Games
"
Atomic Dog" 1 38 94
1983 "Nubian Nut" 15 — — You Shouldn't-Nuf
Bit Fish
1986 "Do Fries Go with That Shake?" 13 — 57 R&B
Skeletons in the Closet
"
R&B Skeletons (In the Closet)" — — —
1989 "Why Should I Dog You Out?" — — — The
Cinderella Theory
"
Tweakin'" — — —
1993 "Paint The White House Black" — — — Hey
Man, Smell My Finger
"
Martial Law — — —
1996 "If Anybody Gets Funked Up (It's Gonna Be You)" 13 — — T.A.P.O.A.F.O.M.
"—"
denotes releases that did not chart.
[edit] Guest appearances
* 1981: "Work That Sucker To Death" (Xavier featuring
George Clinton and Bootsy Collins; Point of Pleasure)
* 1985: "Sun City" (Artists United Against Apartheid; Sun City)
* 1986: "Magilla Gorilla" (from the Kurtis Blow album Kingdom Blow)
* 1990: "We Can Funk" (from the Prince album Graffiti Bridge)
* 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)
* 1994: "Bop Gun (One Nation)" (form 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)
* 1997: "Good Burger" (Mental Patient/Dancer)
* 1998: "Synthesizer" (from the Outkast album Aquemini)
* 1996: "Can't C Me" (from the 2Pac album All Eyez on Me)
* 1999: "Get Naked" (from the Methods of Mayhem album Methods of
Mayhem)
* 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?)
* 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)