105-437: Parliament-Funkadelic (abbreviated as P-Funk ) is an American music collective of rotating musicians headed by George Clinton , primarily consisting of the funk bands Parliament and Funkadelic , both active since the 1960s. Their eclectic style has drawn on psychedelia , outlandish fashion, and surreal humor. They have released albums such as Maggot Brain (1971), Mothership Connection (1975), and One Nation Under
210-579: A Groove (1978) to critical praise, and scored charting hits with singles such as " Tear the Roof Off the Sucker " (1975) and " Flash Light " (1978). Overall, the collective achieved thirteen top ten hits in the American R&;B music charts between 1967 and 1983, including six number one hits. Their work has had an influential effect on subsequent funk, post-punk , hip-hop , and techno artists of
315-628: A North American distribution deal with the label in 1983) and Boston Ventures in June 1988 for $ 61 million. In 1989, Gordy sold the Motown Productions TV/film operations to Motown executive Suzanne de Passe , who renamed the company de Passe Entertainment and continues to run it as of 2018 . Gordy continued to retain the Jobete music publishing catalog, selling it separately to EMI Music Publishing in parts between 1997 and 2004. It
420-567: A certain level financially." By the 1970s, the Motown "hit factory" had become a target of a backlash from some fans of rock music. Record producer Pete Waterman recalls of this period: "I was a DJ for years and I worked for Motown – the press at the time, papers like NME , used to call it Toytown. When I DJ'd on the Poly circuit, the students wanted me to play Spooky Tooth and Velvet Underground . Things don't change. Nowadays, of course, Motown
525-768: A friendly rivalry with local doo wop group Sammy Campbell and the Del-Larks, who featured bass vocalist Raymond Davis. Thomas persuaded Davis to take over as bass vocalist in the Parliaments, which enabled Thomas to move to baritone. Thomas (along with Worrell) is responsible for the addition of drummer Jerome Brailey. After Thomas, Haskins, and Simon left P-Funk in 1977, Thomas formed his own band called The Shady Bunch. Word of Thomas's drummer, Dennis Chambers , and bassist Rodney "Skeet" Curtis got back to Clinton, and Chambers and Curtis were invited, and joined Parliament-Funkadelic. After Thomas' brief return to The P-Funk Allstars in
630-533: A gross income of $ 20 million by the end of 1966. Early Tamla/Motown artists included Mable John , Eddie Holland and Mary Wells . " Shop Around ", the Miracles' first number 1 R&B hit, peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1960. It was Tamla's first million-selling record. On April 14, 1960, Motown and Tamla Records merged into a new company called Motown Record Corporation. A year later,
735-555: A key role in the early days of Motown, leading the company's first session group, The Rayber Voices, and overseeing Jobete. The studio that Gordy purchased in 1959 would become Motown's Hitsville U.S.A. studio. The photography studio located in the back of the property was modified into a small recording studio, and the Gordys moved into the second-floor living quarters. Within seven years, Motown would occupy seven additional neighboring houses: Motown had hired over 450 employees and had
840-928: A later Friday morning meeting, as producer Norman Whitfield did with "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" and the Temptations' " Ain't Too Proud to Beg ". Many of Motown's best-known songs, including all the early hits for the Supremes , were written by the songwriting trio of Holland–Dozier–Holland ( Lamont Dozier and brothers Brian and Eddie Holland ). Other important Motown producers and songwriters included Norman Whitfield , William "Mickey" Stevenson , Smokey Robinson , Barrett Strong , Nickolas Ashford & Valerie Simpson , Frank Wilson , Pamela Sawyer & Gloria Jones , James Dean & William Weatherspoon , Johnny Bristol , Harvey Fuqua , Gil Askey , Stevie Wonder , and Gordy himself. The style created by
945-458: A mix of former Parliament-Funkadelic members as well as guests and new musicians. As the 1980s continued, P-Funk did not meet with great commercial success as the band continued to produce albums under the name of George Clinton as solo artist. P-Funk retired from touring from 1984 until 1989, except for extremely sporadic performances and TV appearances. It was at this time that hip hop music began to extensively sample P-Funk music, so remnants of
1050-528: A new band, Quazar , featuring his younger brother Kevin Goins. Shortly after his departure, Goins died from Hodgkin's lymphoma at age 24. Jerome "Bigfoot" Brailey (drums and percussion; born August 20, 1950). Brailey was the most prominent drummer in the Parliament-Funkadelic collective during their period of greatest success in the mid-to-late 1970s. Brailey (and bandmate Glenn Goins) left
1155-477: A peak-popular hit of 1958. Between 1957 and 1958, Gordy wrote or produced over a hundred sides for various artists, with his siblings Anna, Gwen and Robert, and other collaborators in varying combinations. In 1957, Gordy met Smokey Robinson , a local seventeen-year-old singer fronting a vocal harmony group called the Matadors. Gordy was interested in the doo-wop style that Robinson sang. In 1958, Gordy recorded
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#17328024672381260-512: A photography studio at 2648 West Grand Boulevard and converted the main floor into a recording studio and office space. Now, rather than shopping his songs to other artists or leasing his recordings to outside companies, Gordy began using the Tamla and Motown imprints to release songs that he wrote and produced. He incorporated Motown Records in April 1960. Smokey Robinson became the vice president of
1365-544: A producer for Erykah Badu, became the head of the label, and oversaw successful recordings from Badu, McKnight, Michael McDonald , and new Motown artist India.Arie . Diana Ross, Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder, and the Temptations had remained with the label since its early days, although all except Wonder recorded for other labels for several years. Ross left Motown for RCA Records from 1981 to 1988, but returned in 1989 and stayed until 2002, while Robinson left Motown in 1991 (although he did return to release one more album for
1470-532: A second label in 1960. The two labels featured the same writers, producers and artists. Many more subsidiary labels were established later under the umbrella of the Motown parent company, including Gordy Records, Soul Records and VIP Records; in reality the Motown Record Corporation controlled all of these labels. Most of the distinctions between Motown labels were largely arbitrary, with the same writers, producers and musicians working on all
1575-558: A similar arrangement, most significantly with United Artists . In 1958, Gordy wrote and produced " Come to Me " for Marv Johnson . Seeing that the song had great crossover potential, Gordy leased it to United Artists for national distribution but also released it locally on his own startup imprint. Needing $ 800 to cover his end of the deal, Gordy asked his family to borrow money from a cooperative family savings account. After some debate, his family agreed, and in January 1959 "Come to Me"
1680-562: A single "Parrty – Part I" (#71 pop singles) with Maceo & the Macks that year. In 1975, Parker and some of Brown's band members, including Fred Wesley, left to join George Clinton's band Parliament-Funkadelic. Walter "Junie" Morrison (keyboards, multi-instrumentalist, vocals, songwriter, arranger, producer; born June 28, 1954 – January 21, 2017 ). Junie Morrison joined P-Funk in early 1978 as musical director after having success in
1785-463: A smoother R&B-based funk ensemble that Clinton positioned as a counterpoint to the more rock-oriented Funkadelic. Parliament recorded Osmium for Invictus Records in 1970, and after a hiatus in which Clinton focused on Funkadelic, Parliament was signed to Casablanca Records and released its debut for that label Up for the Down Stroke in 1974. The two bands began to tour together under
1890-550: A songwriter and producer for Motown Records . The West End of Plainfield, New Jersey , was once home to the Silk Palace, a barbershop at 216 Plainfield Avenue owned in part by Clinton, staffed by various members of Parliament-Funkadelic and known as the "hangout for all the local singers and musicians" in Plainfield's 1950s and 1960s doo-wop, soul, rock and proto-funk music scene. By the late 1960s, Clinton had assembled
1995-584: A subsidiary of Capitol Records . In late 2018, Motown began celebrating its 60th anniversary by reissuing numerous albums from their catalog. Motown UK launched in September 2020 under Universal UK's EMI Records (formerly Virgin EMI Records ) division. Motown Records joined Interscope Capitol Labels Group in 2024. Motown specialized in a type of soul music it referred to with the trademark "The Motown sound". Crafted with an ear towards pop appeal,
2100-534: A touring band to back up the Parliaments, the first stable lineup of which included Billy Bass Nelson (bass), Eddie Hazel (lead guitarist), Tawl Ross (guitarist), Tiki Fulwood (drums), and Mickey Atkins (keyboards). After a contractual dispute in which Clinton temporarily lost the rights to the name "The Parliaments", Clinton brought the backing musicians forward. When the band relocated to Detroit, their guitar-based, raw funk sound, with its heavy psychedelic rock influences, inspired "Billy Bass" Nelson, who coined
2205-479: Is chronicled in the 2002 documentary film Standing in the Shadows of Motown , which publicised the fact that these musicians "played on more number-one records than The Beatles, Elvis, The Rolling Stones, and The Beach Boys combined". Ashford later played on Raphael Saadiq 's 2008 album The Way I See It , whose recording and production were modelled after the Motown sound. Much of the Motown sound came from
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#17328024672382310-416: Is currently owned by Sony Music Publishing (Sony/ATV until 2021) through the acquisition of EMI Music Publishing in 2012 (as a leader of the consortium and eventually assigned full ownership in 2018). During the 1990s, Motown was home to successful recording artists such as Boyz II Men and Johnny Gill , although the company itself remained in a state of turmoil. MCA appointed a series of executives to run
2415-551: Is hip." Despite losing Holland–Dozier–Holland, Norman Whitfield, and some of its other hitmakers by 1975, Motown still had a number of successful artists during the 1970s and 1980s, including Lionel Richie and the Commodores , Rick James , Teena Marie , the Dazz Band , Jose Feliciano and DeBarge . By the mid-1980s, Motown had started losing money, and Berry Gordy sold his ownership in Motown to MCA Records (which began
2520-737: The Capitol Tower . In 2018, Motown was inducted into Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame in a ceremony held at the Charles H. Wright Museum . In 2021, Motown separated from the Capitol Music Group to become a standalone label once again. On November 29, 2022, Ethiopia Habtemariam announced that she would be stepping down as chairwoman/CEO of Motown. As of 2023, acts signed to Motown include City Girls , Diddy , Migos , Lil Baby , Lil Yachty , Smino , Vince Staples , YoungBoy Never Broke Again , and several other artists in
2625-674: The Mothership . These concepts came to be known as the P-Funk mythology . By the late 1970s, several key members departed acrimoniously over disagreements with Clinton and his management style. Original Parliaments members Fuzzy Haskins, Calvin Simon, and Grady Thomas departed in 1977 after becoming disillusioned with the influx of new members, and later recorded an album under the name Funkadelic. Other members departed and formed new funk bands that detached themselves from P-Funk and even criticized
2730-477: The P-Funk All Stars , who went on to record Urban Dancefloor Guerillas in 1983. The P-Funk All Stars included many of the same members as the late-1970s version of the Parliament-Funkadelic collective, and was so named because of various legal issues concerning use of the names Parliament and Funkadelic after 1980. The name P-Funk All Stars is still in use to the current day, and group has included
2835-562: The hip hop and R&B genres. Berry Gordy 's interest in the record business began when he opened a record store called the 3D Record Mart, a shop where he hoped to "educate customers about the beauty of jazz", in Detroit , Michigan . Although the shop did not last very long, Gordy's interest in the music business did not fade. He frequented Detroit's downtown nightclubs, and in the Flame Show Bar he met bar manager Al Green (not
2940-466: The soul singer of the same name ), who owned a music publishing company called Pearl Music and represented Detroit-based musician Jackie Wilson . Gordy soon became part of a group of songwriters—with his sister Gwen Gordy and Billy Davis —who wrote songs for Wilson. In November 1957, " Reet Petite " was released and became their first major hit. During the next eighteen months, Gordy helped to write six more Wilson A-sides, including " Lonely Teardrops ",
3045-424: The " KISS principle " (keep it simple, stupid). The Motown production process has been described as factory-like. The Hitsville studios remained open and active 22 hours a day, and artists would often go on tour for weeks, come back to Detroit to record as many songs as possible, and then promptly go on tour again. Berry Gordy held quality control meetings every Friday morning, and used veto power to ensure that only
3150-470: The "50 Greatest Bands of All Time". Besides their innovation in the entire genre of funk music , George Clinton and P-Funk are still heard often today, especially in hip-hop sampling. The Red Hot Chili Peppers video for their 2006 single " Dani California " featured a tribute to Parliament-Funkadelic. Parliament-Funkadelic's musical influence can also be heard in rhythm and blues , soul , electronica , gospel , jazz , and new wave . Parliament-Funkadelic
3255-418: The 1960s, became its president in 1973. John McClain, an A&M Records executive, opined that Motown leaving its birth city marked a decline in the label's quality. "Something happened when [Motown] left Detroit and came to [Los Angeles]," he said. "They quit being innovators and started following trends. Before, Berry had a much more hands-on approach. And maybe you lose some of your desire after you get to
Parliament-Funkadelic - Misplaced Pages Continue
3360-486: The 1975–1979 period, both Parliament and Funkadelic achieved several high-charting albums and singles on both the R&;B and Pop charts. Many members of the collective began to branch out into side bands and solo projects under George Clinton's tutelage, including Bootsy's Rubber Band , Parlet , and The Brides of Funkenstein , while longtime members like Eddie Hazel recorded solo albums with songwriting and studio help from
3465-536: The 1980s and 1990s, while their collective mythology has helped pioneer Afrofuturism . The collective's origins date back to the doo-wop group the Parliaments , formed by Clinton during the late 1950s in suburban New Jersey . By the late 1960s, Clinton had gained experience as a producer-writer for Motown Records and, inspired by artists such as Jimi Hendrix , Sly Stone , and Frank Zappa , he relocated to Detroit and enlisted musicians from his New Jersey days in his own two sister bands Parliament and Funkadelic;
3570-519: The 2000s headquartered in New York City as a part of the UMG subsidiaries Universal Motown and Universal Motown Republic Group . From 2011 to 2014, it was a part of The Island Def Jam Music Group division of Universal Music. In 2014, however, UMG announced the dissolution of Island Def Jam, and Motown relocated back to Los Angeles to operate under the Capitol Music Group , now operating out of
3675-496: The Marvelettes scored Tamla's first US number-one hit, " Please Mr. Postman ". By the mid-1960s, the company, with the help of songwriters and producers such as Robinson, A&R chief William "Mickey" Stevenson , Brian Holland , Lamont Dozier , and Norman Whitfield , had become a major force in the music industry. From 1961 to 1971, Motown had 110 top 10 hits. Top artists on the Motown label during that period included
3780-606: The Marvelettes was one of four) and then Oriole American (" Fingertips " by Little Stevie Wonder was one of many). In 1963, Motown signed with EMI's Stateside label (" Where Did Our Love Go " by the Supremes and " My Guy " by Mary Wells were Motown's first British top-20 hits). Eventually, EMI created the Tamla Motown label (" Stop! In the Name of Love " by the Supremes was the first Tamla Motown release in March 1965). After
3885-787: The Motown musicians was a major influence on several non-Motown artists of the mid-1960s, such as Dusty Springfield and the Foundations . In the United Kingdom, the Motown sound became the basis of the northern soul movement. Smokey Robinson said the Motown sound had little to do with Detroit: People would listen to it, and they'd say, 'Aha, they use more bass. Or they use more drums.' Bullshit. When we were first successful with it, people were coming from Germany, France, Italy, Mobile, Alabama. From New York, Chicago, California. From everywhere . Just to record in Detroit. They figured it
3990-617: The Motown sound typically featured tambourines to accent the back beat , prominent and often melodic electric bass guitar lines, distinctive melodic and chord structures, and a call-and-response singing style that originated in gospel music . In 1971, Jon Landau wrote in Rolling Stone that the sound consisted of songs with simple structures but sophisticated melodies, along with a four-beat drum pattern, regular use of horns and strings, and "a trebly style of mixing that relied heavily on electronic limiting and equalizing (boosting
4095-541: The P-Funk All Stars for ten years. Cordell "Boogie" Mosson (bass, guitar, drums; October 16, 1952 – April 18, 2013). Mosson joined Funkadelic in 1972 along with his friend and previous United Soul bandmate Garry Shider. Mosson was the primary bassist for Funkadelic starting in 1972 and Parliament starting a few years after Bootsy Collins began to focus on his solo career. Since the late 1970s, Mosson most frequently played rhythm guitar and continued to tour with
4200-561: The P-Funk All Stars until his death. Ray "Stingray" Davis (vocals; March 29, 1940 – July 5, 2005). Davis was the bass singer and a member of The Parliaments. His distinctive voice can be heard on " Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof off the Sucker) " and on George Clinton's solo hit single " Atomic Dog ". Aside from Clinton, he was the only original member of the Parliaments not to leave in 1977. In
4305-415: The P-Funk All Stars, leaving the collective in 2015. Glenn Goins (vocals, guitar; January 2, 1954 – July 29, 1978). Glenn Goins was recruited into Parliament-Funkadelic in 1975 and was an important contributor, and like bandmate Garry Shider, was known for his "gospel" singing and guitar style. In 1978, Goins and bandmate Jerome Brailey departed acrimoniously, and immediately began recording and producing
Parliament-Funkadelic - Misplaced Pages Continue
4410-409: The P-Funk All Stars. In the early 1980s, George Clinton continued to record while battling with financial problems and well-publicized drug problems. The remaining members of Parliament-Funkadelic recorded the 1982 hit album Computer Games , which was released as a George Clinton solo album. Included on this release was the much-sampled #1 hit single " Atomic Dog ". The following year, Clinton formed
4515-446: The Parliament-Funkadelic collective. Eddie Hazel (guitar, vocals, songwriter; April 10, 1950 – December 23, 1992). Eddie Hazel was the original lead guitarist for Funkadelic and was a major force on the first several albums by that group. His Hendrix -inspired style has become very influential. After the early 1970s, he contributed sporadically to various Parliament-Funkadelic projects. A key early Funkadelic song that captured both
4620-703: The Sickest Kids , The Veer Union and Four Year Strong . Motown celebrated its 50th anniversary on January 12, 2009, and celebrated it in Detroit on November 20, 2009, in a black-tie Gala titled "Live It Again!" The event was hosted by Sinbad and included Stevie Wonder , Smokey Robinson , the Temptations , Aretha Franklin and Kid Rock . In mid-2011, Universal Motown reverted to the Motown brand after having been separated from Universal Motown Republic Group, hired Ethiopia Habtemariam as its Senior Vice President, and operated under The Island Def Jam Music Group . Artists from Universal Motown were transferred to
4725-713: The Supremes (initially including Diana Ross ), the Four Tops , and the Jackson 5 , while Stevie Wonder , Marvin Gaye , the Marvelettes , and the Miracles had hits on the Tamla label. The company operated several labels in addition to the Tamla and Motown imprints. A third label, which Gordy named after himself (though it was originally called "Miracle") featured the Temptations , the Contours , Edwin Starr , and Martha and
4830-610: The Supremes and the Temptations, Diana! with Diana Ross, and Goin' Back to Indiana with the Jackson 5 . The company loosened its production rules, allowing some of its longtime artists the opportunity to write and produce more of their own material. This resulted in the recordings of successful and critically acclaimed albums such as Marvin Gaye 's What's Going On (1971) and Let's Get it On (1973), and Stevie Wonder 's Music of My Mind (1972), Talking Book (1972), and Innervisions (1973). Motown had established branch offices in both New York City and Los Angeles during
4935-944: The Vandellas . A fourth, V.I.P. , released recordings by the Velvelettes , the Spinners , the Monitors , and Chris Clark . A fifth label, Soul , featured Jr. Walker & the All Stars , Jimmy Ruffin , Shorty Long , the Originals , and Gladys Knight & the Pips (who had found success before joining Motown, as "The Pips" on Vee-Jay ). Many more Motown-owned labels released recordings in other genres, including Workshop Jazz (jazz) Earl Washington Reflections and Earl Washington's All Stars, Mel-o-dy (country, although it
5040-635: The band in 1981, but continued to contribute to P-Funk studio albums and occasionally appear live with Parliament-Funkadelic as a special guest. William "Bootsy" Collins (bass guitar, vocals, drums, songwriter, producer; born October 26, 1951). Bootsy Collins was a major songwriter, rhythm arranger, and bassist for Parliament-Funkadelic during the 1970s and was a major influence in the band's sound during that time. His style of bass playing has become especially influential. Collins later focused his attention on his own Bootsy's Rubber Band but continues to make occasional contributions to studio albums by members of
5145-597: The band's unique sound and Hazel's talent was the ten-minute guitar solo " Maggot Brain " from the 1971 Funkadelic album of the same title . Maceo Parker (saxophone; born February 14, 1943). Maceo joined James Brown 's band with brother Melvin Parker in 1964. In 1970, Parker, his brother Melvin, and a few of Brown's band members left to establish the band Maceo & All the King's Men, which toured for two years. In January 1973, Parker rejoined with James Brown. He also charted
5250-580: The brand used outside the US) were the most prominent exponents of what became known as the Motown sound , a style of soul music with a mainstream pop -influenced sound and appeal. Motown was the most successful soul music label, with a net worth of $ 61 million. Between 1960 and 1969, Motown had 79 songs reach the top-ten of the Billboard Hot 100 . Following the events of the Detroit Riots of 1967 , and
5355-460: The children and grandchildren of the original members. In May 1997, George Clinton and 15 other members of Parliament-Funkadelic were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame , the largest band yet inducted. In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked Parliament-Funkadelic #56 on their list of the " 100 Greatest Artists of All Time ". In February 2002, Spin ranked Parliament-Funkadelic #6 on their list of
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#17328024672385460-533: The collective acrimoniously, forming his own band Mutiny , in which he criticized George Clinton's management style. Ramon "Tiki" Fulwood (drums, vocals; May 23, 1944 – October 29, 1979). Tiki Fulwood was the original drummer for Funkadelic. He originally quit the band in 1971 but reappeared on several Parliament-Funkadelic releases during the remainder of the 1970s. After also working briefly for Miles Davis , Fulwood died of cancer in 1979. "Billy Bass" Nelson (bass, guitar; born January 28, 1951). Billy Nelson
5565-463: The collective name "Parliament-Funkadelic". By this time, the original ten-member lineup of Parliament-Funkadelic had begun to splinter, but many others joined for various album releases by either band, leading to a collective with a fluid and rapidly expanding membership. Notable members to join during this period include keyboardist Bernie Worrell , bassist Bootsy Collins , guitarist Garry Shider , bassist Cordell Mosson , and The Horny Horns . In
5670-549: The collective's recorded output in the 1980s while Clinton and other members began solo careers, with Clinton also consolidating the collective's multiple projects and touring under names such as George Clinton and the P-Funk All-Stars . In the 1990s, their sound became the chief inspiration for the West Coast hip hop subgenre G-funk . Prominent collective members have included bassist Bootsy Collins (who formed
5775-401: The collective, such as Quazar (formed by guitarist Glenn Goins ) and Mutiny (formed by drummer Jerome Brailey ). Due to financial difficulties and the collapse of Casablanca Records (Parliament's label), Clinton dissolved Parliament and Funkadelic as separate entities. Many members of the collective continued to work for Clinton, first on his solo albums and later as Parliament-Funkadelic or
5880-470: The collective. The Parliament albums of this period had become concept albums with themes from science fiction and afro-futurism , elaborate political and sociological themes, and an evolving storyline with recurring fictional characters. Parliament-Funkadelic stage shows (particularly the P-Funk Earth Tour of 1976) were expanded to include imagery from science fiction and a stage prop known as
5985-418: The company (and later named his daughter "Tamla" and his son "Berry"). Several of Gordy's family members , including his father Berry Sr., brothers Robert and George, and sister Esther, were given key roles in the company. By the middle of the decade, Gwen and Anna Gordy had joined the label in administrative positions as well. Gordy's partner at the time (and wife from 1960 to 1964), Raynoma Liles , also played
6090-412: The company, beginning with Berry Gordy's immediate successor, Jheryl Busby . Busby quarreled with MCA, alleging that the company did not give Motown's product adequate attention or promotion. In 1991, Motown sued MCA to have its distribution deal with the company terminated, and began releasing its product through PolyGram . PolyGram purchased Motown from Boston Ventures three years later. In 1994, Busby
6195-542: The driving force behind the development of the P-Funk sound, having led the collective since forming The Parliaments as a doo-wop group in the late 1950s. The funk sound, socially conscious lyrics, and P-Funk mythology developed primarily by Clinton have been especially influential for later R&B, hip hop, and rock music. Bernie Worrell (keyboards, vocals, songwriter, arranger; producer; April 19, 1944 – June 24, 2016). Bernie Worrell officially joined Funkadelic after
6300-413: The early Ohio Players and as a solo artist. Though primarily a keyboardist, Junie composed or co-wrote several of the band's hits at the height of their popularity and served as a lead vocalist, producer, and arranger on many songs for the collective. Morrison stopped touring with the band after 1981, but contributed to many subsequent albums. During his time with P-funk, some of his work was credited under
6405-640: The eighties, Davis recorded and toured with George Clinton and the P-Funk Allstars in support of "Atomic Dog" and with Zapp in support of "I Can Make You Dance", but his vocal range made him an obvious choice as replacement bass vocalist for Melvin Franklin in the Temptations . Davis left the Temptations in 1995 (after being diagnosed with cancer), but continued to perform with former P-Funk members Fuzzy Haskins, Calvin Simon, and Grady Thomas under
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#17328024672386510-421: The film PCU . The 1996 album T.A.P.O.A.F.O.M. (The Awesome Power of a Fully Operational Mothership), released under the name George Clinton & the P-Funk All Stars, served as a reunion album featuring contributions from the band's most noteworthy songwriters from the earlier eras, such as Bootsy Collins, Bernie Worrell, and Junie Morrison . It would be ten years before another album would be released. In
6615-569: The first would go on to develop a commercially successful style of science fiction –inspired funk, while the second pursued a heavier sound which blended funk with psychedelic rock . The name "Parliament-Funkadelic" became the catch-all term for the dozens of related musicians recording and touring different projects in Clinton's orbit, including the female vocal spinoff groups the Brides of Funkenstein and Parlet . Financial and label issues slowed
6720-465: The group rehearsed in a barbershop in Plainfield, New Jersey co-owned by Clinton and entertained the customers. After having performed for almost ten years, the Parliaments had added a rhythm section in 1964 -- for tours and background work -- consisting of guitarist Frankie Boyce, his brother Richard on bass, and drummer Langston Booth; The Parliaments finally achieved a hit single in 1967 with " (I Wanna) Testify " while Clinton began commuting to Detroit as
6825-523: The group's song "Got a Job" (an answer song to " Get a Job " by the Silhouettes ), and released it as a single by leasing the record to a larger company outside Detroit called End Records , based in New York. The practice was common at the time for a small-time producer. "Got a Job" was the first single by Robinson's group, now called the Miracles . Gordy recorded a number of other records by forging
6930-400: The high range frequencies) to give the overall product a distinctive sound, particularly effective for broadcast over AM radio". Pop production techniques such as the use of orchestral string sections, charted horn sections, and carefully arranged background vocals were also used. Complex arrangements and elaborate, melismatic vocal riffs were avoided. Motown producers believed steadfastly in
7035-461: The impact because acts were going all over the world at that time. I recognized the bridges that we crossed, the racial problems and the barriers that we broke down with music. I recognized that because I lived it. I would come to the South in the early days of Motown and the audiences would be segregated. Then they started to get the Motown music and we would go back and the audiences were integrated and
7140-440: The intervening time, successive tours would slowly restore some of the broken ties between the original band members, together with an accumulation of new talent. On July 23, 1999, George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic, including noteworthy former members Bootsy and Catfish Collins and Bernie Worrell, performed on stage at Woodstock '99 . The collective continued to tour sporadically in to the 2000s, with participation from some of
7245-553: The kids were dancing together and holding hands. In 1967, Berry Gordy purchased what is now known as Motown Mansion in Detroit's Boston-Edison Historic District as his home, leaving his previous home to his sister Anna and her then-husband Marvin Gaye (where photos for the cover of his album What's Going On were taken). In 1968, Gordy purchased the Donovan building on the corner of Woodward Avenue and Interstate 75 , and moved Motown's Detroit offices there (the Donovan building
7350-623: The label in 1999). The Temptations left for Atlantic Records in 1977, but returned in 1980 and eventually left again in 2004. Wonder finally left the label in 2020. In 2005, Massenburg was replaced by Sylvia Rhone , former CEO of Elektra Records . Motown was merged with Universal Records to create the Universal Motown Records and placed under the newly created umbrella division of Universal Motown Republic Group . Notable artists on Universal Motown included Drake Bell , Ryan Leslie , Melanie Fiona , Kelly Rowland , Forever
7455-576: The less-than-dignified image commonly held of black musicians by white Americans in that era. Given that many of the talented young artists had been raised in housing projects and lacked the necessary social and dress experience, this Motown department was not only necessary, it created an elegant style of presentation long associated with the label. The artist development department specialized primarily in working with younger, less-experienced acts; experienced performers such as Jr. Walker and Marvin Gaye were exempt from artist-development classes. Many of
7560-648: The line-up. Collectives may exist in almost any genre of music, although they have been especially prominent in indie rock and hip hop . A musical collective is distinct from a musicians collective , such as the London Musicians Collective , which is an organization with more general aims and larger membership. Motown Records Motown is an American record label owned by the Universal Music Group . Founded by Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on January 12, 1959, it
7665-424: The loss of key songwriting/production team Holland–Dozier–Holland that year over royalty disputes, Gordy moved Motown to Los Angeles, California and it expanded into film and television production. It was an independent company until MCA Records bought it in 1988. PolyGram purchased the label from MCA in 1993, followed by MCA successor Universal Music Group, which acquired PolyGram in 1999. Motown spent much of
7770-498: The mid-1960s, and by 1969 had begun gradually moving more of its operations to Los Angeles. The company moved all of its operations to Los Angeles in June 1972, with a number of artists, among them Martha Reeves , the Four Tops, Gladys Knight & the Pips, and many of the Funk Brothers studio band, either staying behind in Detroit or leaving the company for other reasons. By re-locating, Motown aimed chiefly to branch out into
7875-535: The motion-picture industry, and Motown Productions got its start in film by turning out two hit-vehicles for Diana Ross : the Billie Holiday biographical film Lady Sings the Blues (1972), and Mahogany (1975). Other Motown films would include Scott Joplin (1977), Thank God It's Friday (1978), The Wiz (1978) and The Last Dragon (1985). Ewart Abner , who had been associated with Motown since
7980-540: The music were still heard regularly, now among fans of hip hop. By 1993, most of the Parliament and Funkadelic back catalog had been reissued. The same year saw the return of a reconstituted P-Funk All Stars, with the re-release of Urban Dancefloor Guerrillas under the title Hydraulic Funk , and a new hip hop influenced album Dope Dogs . In 1994, the group toured with the Lollapalooza festival and appeared in
8085-445: The name " Funkadelic ". Clinton signed Funkadelic to Westbound Records , and the five Parliaments singers were credited as "guests" while the five musicians were listed as the main group members. The debut album Funkadelic was released in 1970. Meanwhile, Clinton regained the rights to the name "The Parliaments" and initiated another new entity, now known as Parliament , with the same five singers and five musicians but this time as
8190-457: The name J.S. Theracon. Garry "Diaperman" Shider (vocals, guitar; July 24, 1953 – June 16, 2010). As a child, Garry Shider was a customer at the barbershop where The Parliaments rehearsed and performed, and after some time with his own group United Soul, he was recruited by George Clinton into Funkadelic in 1972. Shider became a frequent lead vocalist on several Parliament and Funkadelic albums and along with his "gospel" vocal and guitar style,
8295-476: The name Original P. Clarence "Fuzzy" Haskins (vocals, guitar, drums; June 8, 1941 - March 17, 2023). Haskins was a member and first tenor of The Parliaments. In addition to writing, playing drums and guitar, Haskins is known for his "gospel" singing style. He left P-Funk in 1977. In the 1990s, he formed Original P with the other Parliaments (Davis, Thomas and Simon), and retired in 2011. Calvin Simon (vocals, percussion; May 22, 1942 – January 6, 2022). Simon
8400-533: The newly revitalized Motown label. On January 25, 2012, it was announced that Ne-Yo would join the Motown label both as an artist as well as the new Senior Vice President of A&R. On April 1, 2014, it was announced that Island Def Jam would no longer be running following the resignation of CEO Barry Weiss. A press release sent out by Universal Music Group announced that the label would now be reorganizing Def Jam Recordings, Island Records and Motown Records all as separate entities. Motown would then begin serving as
8505-472: The nineties, Thomas cofounded Original P with original Parliaments (Davis, Haskins, and Simon). Thomas is the leader of Original P . Musical collective Musical collective is a phrase used to describe a group of musicians in which membership is flexible and creative control is shared. The concept is distinct from that of a traditional band in that musical collectives allow for flexibility in their rosters, and members are free to rotate in and out of
8610-491: The publishing firm Jobete in June 1959 (incorporated in Michigan). He applied for copyrights on more than seventy songs before the end of 1959, including material used for the Miracles and Frances Burnett records, which were leased to Chess and Coral Records . The Michigan Chronicle of Detroit called Gordy an "independent producer of records", as his contributions to the city were beginning to attract notice. By that time, he
8715-537: The release of their first album and became an integral member of the Parliament-Funkadelic collective thereafter. His classical training on piano and innovative use of synthesizers has proven to be extremely influential, particularly his pioneering use of the Moog synthesizer , which replaced the conventional electric bass on songs like " Flash Light " and " Aqua Boogie ". He was responsible for many P-Funk rhythm and (with trombonist Fred Wesley) horn arrangements. Worrell left
8820-811: The songwriting process of the writers and producers, one of the major factors in the widespread appeal of Motown's music was Gordy's practice of using a highly-select and tight-knit group of studio musicians, collectively known as the Funk Brothers , to record the instrumental or "band" tracks of a majority of Motown recordings. Among the studio musicians responsible for the "Motown sound" were keyboardists Earl Van Dyke , Johnny Griffith , and Joe Hunter ; guitarists Ray Monette , Joe Messina , Robert White , and Eddie Willis ; percussionists Eddie "Bongo" Brown and Jack Ashford ; drummers Benny Benjamin , Uriel Jones , and Richard "Pistol" Allen ; and bassists James Jamerson and Bob Babbitt . The band's career and work
8925-423: The songwriting trio Holland–Dozier–Holland left the label in 1967 over royalty-payment disputes, Norman Whitfield became the company's top producer, turning out hits for the Temptations, Marvin Gaye, Gladys Knight & the Pips and Rare Earth. In the meantime Berry Gordy established Motown Productions, a television subsidiary which produced TV specials for the Motown artists, including TCB , with Diana Ross &
9030-406: The spinoff group Bootsy's Rubber Band), keyboardist Bernie Worrell , guitarists Eddie "Maggot Brain" Hazel , Michael Hampton , and Garry "Diaper Man" Shider , and horn players Fred Wesley and Maceo Parker . Some former members of Parliament perform under the name " Original P ". Sixteen members of Parliament-Funkadelic were inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997. In 2019, the group
9135-477: The use of overdubbed and duplicated instrumentation. Motown songs regularly featured two drummers instead of one (either overdubbed or in unison), as well as three or four guitar lines. Bassist James Jamerson often played his instrument with only the index finger of his right hand, and created many of the basslines apparent on Motown songs such as " Up the Ladder to the Roof " by the Supremes. Artist development
9240-541: The very best material and performances would be released. The test was that every new release needed to fit into a sequence of the top five selling pop singles of the week. Several tracks that later became critical and commercial favorites were initially rejected by Gordy, the two most notable being the Marvin Gaye songs " I Heard It Through the Grapevine " and " What's Going On ". In several cases, producers would rework tracks in hopes of eventually getting them approved at
9345-445: The young artists participated in an annual package tour called the " Motortown Revue ", which was popular, first, on the " Chitlin' Circuit ", and, later, around the world. The tours gave the younger artists a chance to hone their performance and social skills and learn from the more experienced artists. In order to avoid accusations of payola should DJs play too many records from the original Tamla label, Gordy formed Motown Records as
9450-577: Was Barrett Strong's " Money (That's What I Want) ", written by Gordy and a secretary named Janie Bradford , and produced by Gordy. Many of the songs distributed locally by Anna and Tamla Records were nationally distributed by Chess Records (sometimes with Anna and Tamla imprints). Gordy's relationship with Chess fostered closer dealings with Harvey Fuqua , nephew of Charlie Fuqua of the Ink Spots . Harvey Fuqua later married Gwen Gordy in 1961. Gordy looked toward creative self-sufficiency and established
9555-425: Was a major part of Motown's operations instituted by Berry Gordy. The acts on the Motown label were fastidiously groomed, dressed and choreographed for live performances. Motown artists were advised that their breakthrough into the white popular music market made them ambassadors for other African-American artists seeking broad market acceptance, and that they should think, act, walk and talk like royalty, so as to alter
9660-450: Was a teenage employee at George Clinton's barbershop in the 1960s and was the first musician hired to back The Parliaments in the band that would eventually become Funkadelic. Nelson then brought his friend Eddie Hazel into the band and coined the name "Funkadelic" when Clinton moved the collective to Detroit. Nelson quit Funkadelic in 1971 but contributed to P-Funk releases sporadically for the next few years. Starting in 1994, he toured with
9765-424: Was acquired by Seagram , and Motown was absorbed into the Universal Music Group . Seagram had purchased Motown's former parent MCA in 1995, and Motown was in effect reunited with many of its MCA corporate siblings (Seagram had hoped to build a media empire around Universal, and started by purchasing PolyGram). Universal briefly considered shuttering the label, but instead decided to restructure it. Kedar Massenburg ,
9870-473: Was an original member of The Parliaments, before leaving in 1977. In the nineties, he formed Original P with the other Parliaments (Davis, Thomas and Haskins), and retired in 2005. He was the owner of a record label. "Shady Grady" Thomas (vocals; born January 5, 1941). In the late 1950s, Thomas started as bass vocalist for The Parliaments. When Parliament members moved from Newark to Plainfield, New Jersey to "conk" hair at The Silk Palace, The Parliaments began
9975-420: Was demolished in January 2006 to provide parking spaces for Super Bowl XL ). In the same year, Gordy purchased Golden World Records , and its recording studio became "Studio B" to Hitsville's "Studio A". In the United Kingdom, Motown's records were released on various labels: at first London (only the Miracles' "Shop Around"/" Who's Lovin' You " and "Ain't It Baby"), then Fontana ("Please Mr. Postman" by
10080-563: Was given the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award . The P-Funk story began in 1956 in Newark, New Jersey, with a doo-wop group formed by fifteen-year-old George Clinton . This was The Parliaments , a name inspired by Parliament cigarettes . By the early 1960s, the group had solidified into the five-man lineup of Clinton, Ray "Stingray" Davis , Clarence "Fuzzy" Haskins , Calvin Simon and Grady Thomas . Later,
10185-414: Was in outer space. I was a big fan of Star Trek , so we did a thing with a pimp sitting in a spaceship shaped like a Cadillac , and we did all these James Brown -type grooves, but with street talk and ghetto slang." Like Sun Ra , Clinton wanted to see black people in space. George Clinton (band leader, vocals, songwriter, producer; born July 22, 1941). George Clinton has been, since its inception,
10290-482: Was in the air, that if they came to Detroit and recorded on the freeway, they'd get the Motown sound. Listen, the Motown sound to me is not an audible sound. It's spiritual, and it comes from the people that make it happen. What other people didn't realize is that we just had one studio there, but we recorded in Chicago , Nashville , New York, L.A.—almost every big city. And we still got the sound. In addition to
10395-440: Was incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. Its name, a portmanteau of motor and town , has become a nickname for Detroit , where the label was originally headquartered. Motown played a vital role in the racial integration of popular music as an African American -owned label that achieved crossover success with white audiences. In the 1960s, Motown and its subsidiary labels (including Tamla-Motown ,
10500-670: Was inducted into the Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Hall of Fame in 2013. In December 2018, the Recording Academy announced that Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic would be given Lifetime Achievement Awards . The awards were presented on May 11, 2019. About the album Mothership Connection , Clinton said "We had put black people in situations nobody ever thought they would be in, like the White House . I figured another place you wouldn't think black people would be
10605-442: Was most recognized for wearing his trademark hotel-towel "diaper". Michael "Kidd Funkadelic" Hampton (guitar; born November 15, 1956). Mike Hampton has been the lead guitarist for P-Funk since 1973, when he was recruited at age 17 to replace Eddie Hazel, after an impromptu performance of Hazel's signature song "Maggot Brain". Hampton is known for his advancement of rock and heavy metal guitar used by Parliament-Funkadelic and later
10710-472: Was originally an R&B label), and Rare Earth , whose acts, including the eponymous band , explored blues-oriented and progressive rock styles. Under the slogan "The Sound of Young America", Motown's acts were enjoying widespread popularity among black and white audiences alike. Smokey Robinson said of Motown's cultural impact: Into the 1960s, I was still not of a frame of mind that we were not only making music, we were making history. But I did recognize
10815-515: Was released regionally on Gordy's new Tamla label. Gordy originally wanted to name the label Tammy Records, after the hit song popularized by Debbie Reynolds from the 1957 film Tammy and the Bachelor , in which Reynolds also starred. When he found the name was already in use, Berry decided on Tamla instead. In April 1959, Gordy and his sister Gwen founded Anna Records which released about two dozen singles between 1959 and 1960. The most popular
10920-459: Was replaced by Andre Harrell , the entrepreneur behind Uptown Records . Harrell served as Motown's CEO for just under two years, leaving the company after receiving bad publicity for being inefficient. Danny Goldberg, who ran PolyGram's Mercury Records group, assumed control of Motown, and George Jackson served as president. By 1998, Motown had added stars such as 702 , Brian McKnight , and Erykah Badu to its roster. In December 1998, PolyGram
11025-476: Was the president of Jobete, Tamla, and the music writing company Rayber. Gordy worked in various Detroit-based studios during this period to produce recordings and demos, but most prominently with United Sound Systems which was considered the best studio in town. However, producing at United Sound Systems was financially taxing and not appropriate for every job, so Gordy decided it would be more cost effective to maintain his own facility. In mid-1959, he purchased
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