MEMORIES:

Release History:

Members:

In much the same way that KISS created comic book heroes out of their rock star personas, Parliament were the superheroes of R&B music in the mid to late 70s, creating funky, space-age characters, and using their over-the-top appearance and funk fueled grooves to become one of the most important R&B bands in history.

The Parliaments formed in 1955, fronted by songwriter/producer George Clinton. Their harmony-based style was based on the sound of Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers. In 1967 they got their first hit with the gospel styled "I Wanna Testify." It was around this time that they and their record label parted ways, and the band reformed as Funkadelic, creating a new funk style featuring heavy guitars and a rock ‘n’ roll attitude. The combination worked – their albums Maggot Brain and Cosmic Slop went on to sell a significant amount of copies.

Clinton and the team brought back the Parliament name, dropping the “The”, and released the album Osmium in 1970. Up For The Down Stroke followed in 1974, containing a set of danceable funk tunes that contained a full horn section and funky bass riffs. Their remake of "I Wanna Testify" became a major R&B hit, as well as the title track. The band followed that up the next year with another successful album, Chocolate City.

 

The group really found their groove on the classic album, Mothership Connection, released in 1975. Clinton took science fiction ideas and incorporated them into both the group’s music and it’s look. Keyboardist/arranger Bernie Worrell and bassist Bootsy Collins created a sound that could only be described as intergalactic funk. The live show included over-the-top comic book style space costumes, as well as a giant spaceship. It was unlike anything anyone had seen or heard before, and resulted in the top 20 hit "Tear The Roof Off The Sucker (Give Up The Funk)."

 

The band released another sci-fi concept album only six months later. It was called The Clones Of Dr. Funkenstein, and it featured the R&B hits "Do That Stuff" and "Dr. Funkenstein." The next album, Funkentelechy Vs. The Placebo Syndrome, took the comic style literally, and actually included it’s own comic book. That album contained the #1 single "Flashlight," the first major hit that used a synthesizer-produced bass line. In 1978, the water-themed Motor Booty Affair was released, containing weird underwater vocals, the synthesizer bass lines, and the #1 R&B hit, "Aqua Boogie."

 

Parliament released hit albums Gloryhallastoopid and Trombipulation in the 80s, but more record company legal problems led him to get rid of both the Parliament and Funkadelic monikers. He set off on a solo career that earned him success with hits such as "Atomic Dog." Bootsy Collins also became a successful solo artist, and Bernie Worrell brought his keyboard prowess to the Talking Heads. Occasionally, George Clinton brings his old bandmates together and tours as P-Funk Mob.

The influence of Parliament has never been stronger. Hip-hop has borrowed extensively from the band, sampling an array of songs in countless hip-hop cuts. Dr. Dre used a good deal of samples from Mothership Connection in his hit “Dre Day,” and other artists include the incredibly funky and original sound of Parliament in their music.