Kosmik Radiation Radio - July 6, 2012 Playlist

July 6, 2012 Playlist

The Eighth Annual
Parliament / Funkadelic
Tribute Spectacular

CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK
Parliament "Osmium" 1970 (USA)

It's time for our annual salute to America's Greatest Band, Parliament also-known-as Funkadelic! 1970 was the year when funk madness really took over. Jimi Hendrix's final album with the all-black "power soul" Band Of Gypsys came out, Sly Stone topped the charts with the oddly titled "Thank You Falletinme Be Mice Elf Agin", and Miles Davis released the seminal Bitches Brew. Meanwhile in Detroit, Funkadelic released their first two albums that year, while simultaneously putting out this record on a different label under a different name! As near as I have ever been able to figure, the reason for two names was simple economics: why settle for one record contract (as Funkadelic on Westbound records) when you could have two? And so "Parliament" released this very strange progressive soul album on the Invictus label, with pretty much the exact same singers and musicians! And Osmium is probably the strangest album in their entire discography: it includes not only strings and horn sections (absent from the Funkadelic records up to this point), but such odd touches as bagpipes, pedal steel, and yodeling! Several tracks seem to have more in common with classical and country/western(!!) music than "funk". But really, that's just one more reason why they are America's Greatest Band! However Invictus soon went out of business, and the name Parliament wouldn't pop up again until Funkadelic tried the same trick again with Casablanca records in 1974 (which ushered in the era of their greatest success . . . . a tale for another classic album).
Here's a clip that dates from the era of this week's classic album: Parliament live on TV in 1969, and who can resist a chunk of the Mothership Connection tour of 1976, one of the most spectacular stage shows of the 20th century? Years later, here's George still freaking out the squares on David Letterman in the 1980's, and an interesting documentary on George Clinton, the mastermind of P-Funk.

(N) = New Release

Artist	Song	Album	Year	Country
The Chambers Brothers	Funky	New Generation	1971	USA
James Brown	Ain't It Funky Now (alternate version)	70's Funk Classics (compilation)	rec. 1970	USA
Rufus Thomas	The Funkiest Man Alive	Crown Prince Of Dance	1973	USA
Kool & The Gang	Funky Man	A-side 7" single (The Best of Kool & The Gang LP on Delite records)	1970	USA
Parliament	Funky Woman	Osmium CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK	1970	USA

Parliament	I Call My Baby Pussycat	Osmium CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK	1970	USA
Parliament	Little Ole Country Boy (by Ruth Copeland)	Osmium CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK	1970	USA
Funkadelic	Mommy, What's A Funkadelic?	Funkadelic	1970	USA
Funkadelic	Free Your Mind And Your Ass Will Follow	Free Your Mind And Your Ass Will Follow	1970	USA

Bootsy's Rubber Band	Shejam (Almost Bootsy Show) (co-produced & co-written by George Clinton)	This Boot Is Made For Fonk-N	1979	USA
Parlet	Booty Snatchers (co-produced & co-written by George Clinton)	Invasion Of The Booty Snatchers	1979	USA
Ruth Copeland (backed up by Parliament/Funkadelic)	Don't You Wish You Had (What You Had When You Had It) (co-written by George Clinton)	I Am What I Am	1971	USA
The Temptations (with Billy "Bass" Nelson and Eddie Hazel from Funkadelic)	Shakey Ground (co-written by Eddie Hazel)	A Song For You	1975	USA
Dr. John	Eleggua	Locked Down (N)	2012 (Nonesuch)	USA

Graham Central Station	The Jam	Ain't No 'Bout A-Doubt It	1975	USA
Sly & The Family Stone	I Want To Take You Higher	Stand!	1969	USA
Herbie Hancock	Sly	Head Hunters	1973	USA
James Brown	My Thang	Hell	1974	USA
Parliament	Dr. Funkenstein (live)	Parliament Live: P-Funk Earth Tour	1977	USA

Funkadelic	Tales Of Kidd Funkadelic (Opusdelite Years)	Tales Of Kidd Funkadelic	1976	USA
Funkadelic	Good Thoughts, Bad Thoughts	Standing On The Verge Of Getting It On	1974	USA

Jimi Hendrix	Hey Baby (New Rising Sun)	Rainbow Bridge	rec. 1970, rel. 1971	USA
The Isley Brothers	Summer Breeze (Seals & Croft)	3 + 3	1973	USA

Funkadelic 1973 (George Clinton in "whiteface")

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