- George Clinton (musician)
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George Clinton 
George Clinton performing in 2007Background information Born July 22, 1941
Kannapolis, North Carolina,
United StatesOrigin Plainfield, New Jersey,
United StatesGenres Funk, soul, rock, funk rock, rhythm and blues Occupations Singer, songwriter, producer Instruments Vocals, synthesizers, keyboard Years active 1955–present Labels Capitol
Paisley Park/Warner Bros.
Sony 550 Music/Epic
The C Kunspyruhzy
ShanachieAssociated acts Parliament
Funkadelic
Bootsy's Rubber BandWebsite georgeclinton.com 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 launched a solo career in 1981. He has been cited as one of the foremost innovators of funk music, along with James Brown and Sly Stone. Clinton was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997 with fifteen other members of Parliament-Funkadelic.
Contents
Biography
Early life and Parliament-Funkadelic
This article is about Clinton's solo career after 1981. For more on his bands prior to that year, see 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.
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.
1990s to 2000s
George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic performing at Waterfront Park, in Louisville, Kentucky, July 4, 20081994 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; 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 and the Wu Tang Clan on "Wolves" 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 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.
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.[5]
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.
Discography
Studio albums
Clinton performing in Centerville, 2007Year Album information Peak chart positions US US
R&B1982 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:
163 17 1986 R&B Skeletons in the Closet - Released:
- Label: Capitol Records
- Format:
81 17 1989 The Cinderella Theory - Released:
- Label: Paisley Park Records
- Format:
192 75 1993 Hey Man, Smell My Finger - Released:
- Label: Paisley Park Records
- Format:
145 31 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. 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:
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 EPs
Year Album information 1988 Atomic Clinton! (EP) - Released:
- Label: Capitol Records
- Format:
1990 Atomic Dog (EP) - Released:
- Label: Capitol Records
- Format:
Solo singles
Year Title Peak chart positions Album US
R&BUS 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. Guest appearances
- 1981: "Work That Sucker To Death" (Xavier featuring George Clinton and Bootsy Collins; Point of Pleasure)
- 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: "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)
- 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)
- 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)
- 2011: "D-Funk (Funk With Us)" (from The Headhunters album Platinum)
References
- ^ a b http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p65136
- ^ Independent Music Awards - Past Judges
- ^ Graff, Gary (2008-06-27). "George Clinton Goes 'Gangster' On New Album". Billboard.com. http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003821950.
- ^ "BMI Honors George Clinton, T-Pain, Lil Wayne and Many More at Urban Awards in New York". Broadcast Music Incorporated. September 10, 2009. http://www.bmi.com/news/entry/539591. Retrieved September 7, 2010.
- ^ http://www.celebstoner.com/201002083745/news/celebstoner-news/deaths-in-the-p-funk-family.html
External links
- George Clinton's official web site
- Cox-Cordova, Jill (September 15, 2011). "Red Chair Interview: George Clinton". CNN.com. http://www.cnn.com/2011/09/15/living/george-clinton-red-chair/index.html.
- George Clinton -VH1
- Houston Press interview
- George Clinton at the Internet Movie Database
- George Clinton (musician) at Allmusic
- College Crier George Clinton Interview
- Trouser Press George Clinton Discography
- George Clinton Audio Interview, Feb. 08
- Promotional MP3 "Ain't That Peculiar" from George Clinton and His Gangsters of Love
- George Clinton's Psychadelic Paintings in SPIN's February '09 Issue
- George Clinton at WhoSampled
Categories:- 1941 births
- African American rock musicians
- American funk singers
- American funk keyboardists
- American male singers
- American rock singers
- American record producers
- American songwriters
- Living people
- Musicians from Detroit, Michigan
- Musicians from Michigan
- Musicians from New Jersey
- Participants in American reality television series
- Musicians from North Carolina
- People from Detroit, Michigan
- People from Kannapolis, North Carolina
- People from North Plainfield, New Jersey
- People from Tallahassee, Florida
- P-Funk members
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