George Clinton: Gangster of Love
the original funkmaster goes back to the future for the new new sound
2008-11-20
By Mark Ruffin
While America’s political landscape is changing with a look to the future, the Godfather of Funk, George Clinton says the next phase of 21st century black music will be reverting further into the past. The man who almost single handedly shifted the course of r&b, soul and pop music in the 70’s predicts that as with many of the new challenges in politics, this new sound will come from abroad.
“It’s called Northern Soul and it’s been around in England for years. Black folks started it, but it went to England and now it’s coming back,” Clinton explained. “The same thing happened with rock and roll. We started it in the 40’s and 50’s then it came back to the U.S. in the 1960’s as the Beatles and the Rolling Stones.”
Clinton believes he is out in front of the wave with his new group concept and CD, George Clinton and His Gangsters of Love. It is a star-studded affair that features icons of the 70’s like Sly Stone and Carlos Santana plus purveyors of 21st century rock from the groups Red Hot Chilli Peppers and System of a Down. The gospel sensation Kim Burrell and neo-soul star El DeBarge are also part of the amalgamation of genre busters that play what Clinton calls “loud Motown music.”
“That’s what the P-Funk show has basically been all the time,” the scraggly voiced 68-year-old icon said with a laugh. “Funkadelic is loud Motown music so there’s little difference adding these doo-wop songs. I now just have to keep the band from sounding too much like the Funkadelic.”
On the other hand, despite the music’s roots, Clinton insists that this is not a nostalgia trip.
“I think I’ve found a way not to make the music sound too doo-wop to that extent. I don’t want to end up sounding like Sha-Na-Na. It’s not going to be something nostalgic, it’s something brand new. This music is basically dictating its own existence.”
What sets Gangsters of Love apart from Parliament, Funkadelic, Brides of Funkenstein, Bootsy’s Rubber Band, Parlet, the Horny Horns and any other group with Clinton’s stamp is that for the first time in P-Funk history, the leader is the featured vocalist. Barry White’s "Never Gonna Give You Up," Curtis Mayfield’s "Gypsy Woman," Ruby & the Romantics’ "Our Day Will Come" and other classics from the 60’s and 70’s are given an update with Clinton crooning instead of just clowning.
Dr. Funkenstein, Sir Nose de Void of Funk, the Lollipop Man and all of those other musical alter-egos created by Clinton have been exorcised by his original musical id: lead singer of the 50’s singing group, the Parliaments.
“There was a singing group on every corner in Newark,” Clinton said of growing up in his hometown. “Once I started doing that it was about getting to the Apollo Theatre and meeting all those great groups. Then once I got there it was all about those screaming girls and sex.”
Doo-wop was actually fading out and replaced by the Motown sound and regional soul music from Chicago, Philadelphia, Memphis and other places. Clinton, whose history shows him to be one of the savviest music businessmen ever, saw the right move to make early on.
“The Spaniels and the El Dorados from Chicago were my favorite groups but then I got serious about the business when Motown came in. Doo-wop for me ended there and Motown started a new kind of doo-wop with Smokey Robinson and the Temptations.”
Clinton, a barber by trade, got a job as a Motown staff writer in 1962 and commuted from the New Jersey barber shop where he worked to Berry Gordy’s famous house of music in Michigan called Hitsville. Clinton also worked for other Detroit record companies before scoring a hit with the Parliaments called "(I Just Wanna) Testify." In the late 60’s, after losing a legal battle for the name of his group he infused his music with rock and the burgeoning funk movement and rechristened his act Funkadelic. The rest became history, particularly after he re-launched Parliament in the 70’s with the historic albums Chocolate City and Mothership Connection.
Ironically Clinton feels that Gangsters of Love could generate the biggest hit of his career with Carlos Santana’s soaring guitar on "Gypsy Woman." He raved about the work of Sly Stone and said the two legends had so much fun and laughed so much they could make a great reality show. He added that DeBarge is one of the hardest working musicians he’s ever played with.
“With Santana and the Chili Peppers we could actually go places where the industry couldn’t stop us,” Clinton concluded. “The Gangsters of Love can only be stopped if we’re just looked at as just an r&b act.”
Mark Ruffin is "Real Jazz" Program Director for XM Radio. He eats, drinks and breathes music from New York.
Watch George Clinton's "Soul Influencer" interview from the Ebony Jet Showcase!
