The Best of 70’s Funk Music

The best of 70’s funk music brought to you by the leading authority on funk, George Clinton. Clinton’s unique brand of funkadelic sounds influenced a generation of music lovers.

The Birth of Funk

Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-1960s. It combines elements of rhythm and blues, jazz, and soul music. Funkadelic and Parliament-Funkadelic are considered the pioneers of the funk genre. George Clinton and his band Parliament-Funkadelic helped to popularize the style with their unique blend of R&B, rock, and psychedelic sounds.

James Brown and the Birth of Funk

In the early 1970s, James Brown was looking for a new sound. He’d already been hugely successful with a string of hits like “I Got You (I Feel Good)” and “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag,” but he was interested in something more than just soul music. He wanted to create a sound that was harder, faster, and more danceable than anything that had come before.

Enter the JBs. Led by composer/arranger/trumpet player Fred Wesley, the JBs were a group of incredibly talented musicians who were more than up to the task of creating the new sound that James Brown was looking for. Together, they created a style of music that came to be known as funk.

Funk is a style of music that is built around a strong groove. The rhythm section (the bass, drums, and guitar) lay down a solid foundation while the horns add flavor and texture. The result is a sound that is both driving and funky.

While James Brown may have been the creator of funk, it was George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic who took the style to new heights in the 1970s. With their outrageous stage shows and mind-bending psychedelic Funkadelic albums like ” Maggot Brain” and “One Nation Under A Groove,” they brought funk to a whole new audience.

Funk continued to evolve in the 1980s and 1990s with artists like Prince, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Fishbone, Lenny Kravitz, and Living Colour keeping the spirit of funk alive and well into the 21st century.

Sly and the Family Stone

Sly and the Family Stone was an American musical group from San Francisco, California, active from 1966 to 1983. The band was pivotal in the development of funk music and helped to pioneer the genre with their innovative fusion of R&B, soul, pop, and rock.

The band’s most well-known members were Sly Stone (lead vocals, keyboards, percussion), Jerry Martini (saxophone), and Cynthia Robinson (trumpet). Other notable members includedtenor saxophonist Rosie Stone, trombonist Freddie Stone, guitarist Norman West, bassist Larry Graham, drummer Gregg Errico, and bassist/vocalist/keyboardist Doug Rauch.

The band released a number of hit singles during their active years, including “Dance to the Music” (1968), “Everyday People” (1968), “I Want to Take You Higher” (1969),and “Family Affair” (1971). They were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1993.

Parliament-Funkadelic

The 1960s saw the birth of a new style of music called funk. Funk is a style of music that is based on a strong groove and often has a repetitive, danceable rhythm. Funk music often has a “fuzzy” or “dirty” sound, and it often uses dissonance and unusual harmonic progressions.

Funk originated in the African-American community, and many of the early pioneers of funk were black musicians who were influenced by jazz, soul, and R&B. George Clinton is one of the most important figures in funk history, and his bands Parliament and Funkadelic were hugely influential in the development of the genre. Clinton’s bands combined elements of soul, R&B, gospel, blues, and even rock to create a unique sound that was both danceable and politically charged.

Funk became popular in the 1970s, and many funk artists achieved mainstream success. Parliament’s “Flash Light” and Funkadelic’s “One Nation Under a Groove” are two of the most iconic funk songs of all time. Other popular funk artists include James Brown, Sly and the Family Stone, Bootsy Collins, Bootsy’s Rubber Band, Curtis Mayfield, The Meters, Kool & The Gang, Earth Wind & Fire, and Chic.

Funk has had a significant influence on subsequent genres of music, including hip-hop, disco, house, techno, and even pop music. Many of today’s top pop artists have sampled classic funk tracks or collaborated with funk musicians. Justin Timberlake’s hit song “Suit & Tie” features a sample from Sly Stone’s “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin),” while Bruno Mars’ “Uptown Funk” borrows heavily from Parliament’s “Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof Off the Sucker).”

The Golden Age of Funk

Funk music emerged in the late 1960s as a style of African American music that was influenced by soul, jazz, and rhythm and blues. Funk is defined by a percussive groove that is created by the interplay of the bass, drums, and guitar. The best funk songs of the 1970s are a mix of all these elements.

George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic

George Clinton is the undisputed king of funk. He’s been making music since the 50s, first as part of doo-wop and R&B groups like The Parliaments and The Funkadelics, and later as a solo artist. Clinton’s music is funky, soulful, and always danceable. He’s been sampled by everyone from Hip-Hop artists to EDM producers, and his influence can be heard in contemporary R&B, Soul, and Funk music.

George Clinton’s contributions to music are too numerous to list here, but some of his most iconic songs include “One Nation Under a Groove,” “Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof Off the Sucker),” and “Flash Light.” If you’re a fan of funk music, you owe it to yourself to check out George Clinton’s discography. You won’t be disappointed.

Bootsy’s Rubber Band

Bootsy’s Rubber Band was a funk band formed in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States, in 1976 by Bootsy Collins. The band’s style was a mixture of Bootsy’s “Space Bass” sound with James Brown’s grooves and the psychedelic soul of George Clinton’s Parliament-Funkadelic. The Rubber Band was originally assembled to record a single, “Stretchin’ Out”, which was released on Collins’ label, Booty Records. The single became a Hit, and the band began touring to support it.

The Meters

The Meters were a funk band from New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, active from 1965 to 1977. The band played a pioneering role in the development of funk and served as the house band for Allen Toussaint and Productions. The original five members were George Porter Jr. (bass guitar), Leo Nocentelli (guitar), Zigaboo Modeliste (drums), Art Neville (keyboards), and Cyril Neville (percussion). The group found success with theirtight, rhythmic sound that drew on both traditional cajun music and New Orleans R&B.

The Meters are often cited as one of the progenitors of funk, along with James Brown and Sly & the Family Stone. Their first album, Look-Ka Py Py, was released in 1969 and is considered by many to be one of the best funk albums ever made. Other well-known tracks include “Cissy Strut” and “People Say”.

The group disbanded in 1977 but reunited in 1989 for a series of live performances and tours. In 1996, they released an album entitled Fire on the Bayou which was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Traditional R&B Performance. The Meters were inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame in 2009.

The Legacy of Funk

Funk music emerged in the late 1960s as a result of the African American struggle for Civil Rights. The genre was created by Black musicians who blended together elements of Soul, R&B, and Jazz to create a new sound. Funk music is often characterized by its groove-oriented, danceable beats and its use of syncopated bass lines. The best funk songs of the 1970s are a testament to the genre’s lasting impact on popular music.

George Clinton’s Influence

George Clinton is considered one of the most influential figures in funk music, and his work with Parliament-Funkadelic spanned several decades. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997, and his work has been sampled by numerous artists, including rap pioneers like Ice Cube, Public Enemy, and De La Soul. Clinton’s unique brand of funk helped to shape the sound of R&B and hip-hop, and his influence can still be heard in today’s music.

Bootsy Collins’ Influence

Bootsy Collins is a living legend and one of the most influential bass players of all time. His impact on funk music is immeasurable, and his style has been copied by bassists for generations.

Collins began his career as a member of James Brown’s band in the early 1970s. He quickly established himself as a master of the funk groove, and his bass playing was an essential part of Brown’s classic hits. Collins’ style was built on the foundations laid by Brown’s previous bassists, but he added his own unique flavor to the mix.

After leaving Brown’s band, Collins formed Parliament-Funkadelic with George Clinton. This group took funk music to new heights, combining irresistible grooves with mind-bending psychedelic visuals. Bootsy’s bass playing was once again at the center of it all, and he helped to create some of the most iconic funk songs of all time.

In recent years, Collins has continued to perform and record with a who’s who of music legends. He remains an active force in the world of funk, and his influence can be heard in the work of today’s generation of bass players.

The Meters’ Influence

The Meters were one of the most influential funk bands of the 1970’s. Their sound was unique and their style was unmatched. They were a driving force in the development of funk music and their influence can still be felt today.

The Meters were born out of the New Orleans R&B scene of the late 1960’s. They were a tight-knit group of musicians who honed their craft by playing together in clubs and on the streets. Their sound was a unique blend of R&B, soul, and funk that was unlike anything else being played at the time.

The Meters’ popularity rapidly grew in the early 1970’s as they began releasing a series of legendary albums. These albums featured some of the most infectious grooves and catchy basslines that had ever been heard. The band’s live performances were also renowned for their high energy and intensity.

The Meters’ influence can still be heard in modern funk music. Their groove-laden style has been adopted by many modern funk bands, and their timeless tunes continue to be played by DJs and dancers all over the world.