Catch Sevendust at Brewster's The Roc Bar on November 23 with Nonpoint!

Photo by Danny Clinch

Aaron Lewis will be at Mavericks on November 16!

Photo by Danny Clinch
 

Eddie Vedder hits the stage at the Times-Union Center 
November 24 & 25!

An Interview with George Clinton

By Carter Roush

It takes a large amount of talent and craftiness for a musician to last as long as George Clinton has, but after 40 years of being in the middle of the music scene he’s still going strong as ever. Clinton began his career with the 1960’s group the Parliaments, a doo-wop group who released the single “(I Wanna) Testify” which brought them commercial success. After a dispute with several record companies, Clinton and the rest of the band would later form the group Funkadelic, which would one day become one of the greatest pioneering forces in funk music.

In the 1970’s, Funkadelic found success by incorporating a mix between R&B and Jazz, spaced out guitar sounds, wild synthesizers, to create the organized jumble of sounds that would influence generations of musicians for years after. Their legendary performances blew the crowds of yesterday back into oblivion with their innovative style and animated showmanship. After spending several years with Funkadelic, Clinton decided to pursue a solo career which he found great success with his first album, Computer Games, in 1981. Clinton also went on to help produce recordings for other musicians, including the early Red Hot Chili Peppers’ album Freaky Styley, which combined elements of funk and punk rock to launch off the career of one of the most popular bands in the past 20 years. Aside from his music career, George Clinton has also been a leading voice in the fight for recording artist’s rights against a corporate dominated music industry, which continuously refuses to acknowledge the ownership rights of songs to their artists.

BUZZ: What do you have planned for the day of the concert?

George Clinton: That’s real close to home so we’re going to get down. We’re going to tear the roof down. Bring two booties cause one bootie ain’t gonna be enough.

BUZZ: Are you going to be playing some of your new or older material?

GC: We’ll be doing new stuff and old stuff. Long as we’re going play, we’re going to do everything

BUZZ: Will there be any guest appearances?

GC: You never know whose close by. So far it’s just going to be the Funkadelic band but you never know who’s going to stop by.

BUZZ: I also have some questions about your fight for recording artist’s rights and your struggle with that, if you want to talk about it.

GC: The whole thing is with BMI (Bridgeport Music Inc.) and Universal Music. There’s a conspiracy there and we’ve been talking to congress. That’s going to come out though. That’s all I got to tell you about that.

BUZZ: What are the changes in the music industry over your career that has been notable to you?

GC: It’s going more towards the internet now, for new music to be streaming. That internet, like YouTube, is going to a place forward for new people to breakthrough with fresh stuff that the people pick.

BUZZ: Do you like the direction that it is going in?

GC: Yes I do.

BUZZ: Are there any future projects that you want the readers to know about?

GC: There’s a new Funkadelic album coming out.

After surviving 40 years in one of the most unforgiving atmospheres of the modern age, George Clinton is still running strong at 70 years old and taking no prisoners along the way. Come check him and Funkadelic out at the Ponte Vedra Concert Hall this Thursday, October 18 for a great blast from the past.