CLINTON AND FUNKADELIC
Kentish Town Forum

I DON’T know whether he does it for a bet, whether there is something clinically wrong with him or it just makes him happy but George Clinton (left), you may have already noticed, crams the word ‘funk’ into as many conversations as possible.
One day he got up and said it more than 1,000 times. The next day he got up and smashed that record by saying it repeatedly: “Funk, funk, funk…”
That’s a made-up story but I can imagine it happening.
Maybe, if Doctor Funkenstein, that’s his preferred funk-related nickname, says the word ‘funk’ enough times then we can all be convinced that he gave birth to a new sound way back when.
I’m not so sure. When it comes to George Clinton, I often feel I am the victim of a ‘funk’ conspiracy.
It’s one of those self-perpetuating music conspiracies where everybody says what great records he made and how vital he is to the development of popular music.
Sorry Funkenschnitzel, I just don’t get it.
The odd track has been interesting.
Early Funkadelic anthems like I Wanna Know if it’s Good to You, Funky Dollar Bill and Music For My Mother still rock the house. Equally, you can’t ignore epics like Knee Deep and Mothership Connection when digging through the second-hand vinyl crates, but let’s get things into perspective.
Clinton and his over-staffed Parliament are competent but not so ground-breaking that they should immediately qualify for a legend’s passport.
The live show was always better than the recorded material but if you get to the Forum on Saturday, don’t just clap if you see an old man with sunglasses and ribbons in his hair – clap if they genuinely cut the mustard. Don’t believe the hype, it’s time to get real.