FUNKADELIC PART One: Tasting Maggots

{spoken}

Mother Earth is pregnant for the third time
For y'all have knocked her up.
I have tasted the maggots in the mind of the universe
I was not offended
For I knew I had to rise above it all
Or drown in my own shit.

This post wad created by accident.  I had a copy of Maggot Brain in my car.  I had every intent to a Funkadelic post, but could not figure out what album of theirs to do first.  Their music is amazing.  Should I start with the album I love the most, or the more popular album.  Should I focus on what made them so popular and loved, or should go a little deeper in their catalog.  I like everything they did and more.  Wanting to get that time machine again and be there when it came out and even when Maggot Brain was recorded would be a highlight.  Anyway, back to the car story.  I put on the title song and I was at a traffic light.  The windows rolled down.  The person next me heard the spoken opening lines.  He yells over to me and said, "best opening lines ever recorded."  A laugh from me, and the idea was born.

Those are the opening words by George Clinton on the second album by Funkadelic. This could only have been utterly bizarre back in 1971 and it's no less so decades later; though the Mothership was well on its way already, Maggot Brain really helped it take off. The solo by Eddie Hazel is probably the most Mind Melting thing you will ever hear. Some people try to top it, but they cannot reach the soul of Eddie's guitar lick. As allmusic.com put it; he is playing what Clinton told him to play, "play like your momma just died." and it worked so well for the song. It is still one of my favorite songs of all time.

Funkadelic was a band that once I heard them I knew for a fact that no one else could play like them or could copy them. I loved them from day one. I was only 16 years old and I knew that they were something that just needed to be listened to again and again. The album is great for showing off your musical loves and gives valid cause for your friends to fall in love like I did. I remember my best friend lived in NYC and when I was staying with him for a while we decided to do a street shopping crawl. We were on the way meet up with friend for eats and we stopped by one guy who had a good collection of unusual books. I asked him if he had some soul or funk tapes and he told me he had a buddy that was five blocks to the south that I should check out.

We got their and all he had was Soul, R&B, Funk, Rap and stuff I never heard of. The tapes were cheap, and without hearing them I bought four Funkadelic albums and put them in my pocket. Even my best friend said to me he never heard of them. He heard of Parliament and loved them, but not sure why he did not like their previous band. After our dinner with friends we went back to where I was staying I put on the tapes. Our jaws just dropped and we were in love with the Funkadelic.

When you see this album their should not be any hesitancy. I do suggest the re-issue though. If you can find it has a few bonus gems that make it all the more better. The sound also is improved which makes it even better to hear Bernie Worrell's keyboard playing to Eddie Hazel's master guitar playing. The best bonus is the Maggot Brain alternative mix. It is a true look at a song that was damn good for it's time and is really great and timeless today.

It truly is an album that has a lot of soul and great funky beats. Still amazing how it can change anybody's mind about good music and put it up there where it rightly deserves. I am proud to be a fan of Funkadelic and fan of everybody who played in this band. Just remember to play it loud and play it with authority. Enjoy this classic and make sure you turn it on to your friends. Enjoy!!