No One To Love Clinton, along with the great J.J Barnes fully realized the soul potential found in the Beatles "Day Tripper" when this groundbreaking record was released in late '65, and they cut a VERY hard driving version to wax in '66. J.J's career, which begain in 1960, never achieved the fame that this exceptionally talented singer (and songwriter) so deserved.
As we heard in a pre
vious post, 'Our Love Is In The Pocket' was delivered very competently by Darrell Banks for its original '66 release. No doubt realizing the hit potential of the record, it was re-cut in '68 with an even more spirited vocal from J.J Barnes, who, in my opinion, delivers his penultimate performance on this disc. I don't like choosing personal favorites, but I can think of no records that are better than this one; it rests in the upper echelon of music where it simply doesn't get any better. So many famed Detoit soul elements are in place here- honking baritone sax, vibrant backing vocals, piston-firing drums... I can't say how much I love this record.
By 1968, the concept of Funkadelic was firmly in place, although the namesake group was not put into true realization until 1969. While the records Clinton was cutting were getting freakier and freakier (as heard on The Holidays' 1968 "All That Is Required Is You") Clinton became embroiled in a bitter lawsuit with Revilot Records' LeBaron Taylor (which ultimately caused Clinton to use the name The Parliaments for several years). The Holidays backing track was cut by Clinton and finished by LeBaron while the legal problems began. Clinton did not receive the production credit he deserved, and it's not surprising that the backing track sounds as though it stepped directly off of funkadelic's debut LP, while the vocals are rooted in the mid-60's harmony sound, making for a very cool track.
In keeping with Clinton's tradition of re-working favorite tracks, "Good Old Music" was put to wax three times. first by The Parliaments, then twice with the same backing track. The first release of the master was from The Magictones in 1969, one of the exceptional, underappreciated Detroit harmony groups who add their slick but soulful vocals to this raw and trippy track. The same musical backing was used for Funkadelic's version, released on their debut LP in 1970. The two versions are VERY similar, but Funkadelic's manages to be even more acid-fried and unhinged.
Another
amazing cut taken from the Clinton-LeBaron feud was J.J Barnes intense 'So Called Friends'. Once again, the backing track (undoubtedly cut by Clinton) sounds as it was recorded at the same session that yielded "All That Is Required (Is You)", and the musicians somehow stand right on the verge of completing freaking out into chaos but maintain a solid groove that plain and simply SLAMS. Clinton later reworked this song into the super-freakout "Friday Night August 14th" for Funkadelic's 2nd LP, Free Your Mind And Your Ass Will Follow.
The final puzzle piece is the weirdly wonderful Rose Williams/ George Clinton and The Funkadelics 45, released in 1969, shortly before the first Funkadelic 45 release. While this record was not produced by Clinton (Detroit soul production Mike Terry is behind the desk), this track marks the first use of the name Funkadelic, both as backing band and, for one release only, record label. This song was reworked as 1973's 'Can't Stand The Strain" in a slightly more coherent version. The track had no hit potential, but it's yet another great meeting of Clinton's doo-wop, soul, rock, and psychedelic influences; namely, all the pieces that make George Clinton one of the most ground breaking and influential of all American musical figures.
By 1968, the concept of Funkadelic was firmly in place, although the namesake group was not put into true realization until 1969. While the records Clinton was cutting were getting freakier and freakier (as heard on The Holidays' 1968 "All That Is Required Is You") Clinton became embroiled in a bitter lawsuit with Revilot Records' LeBaron Taylor (which ultimately caused Clinton to use the name The Parliaments for several years). The Holidays backing track was cut by Clinton and finished by LeBaron while the legal problems began. Clinton did not receive the production credit he deserved, and it's not surprising that the backing track sounds as though it stepped directly off of funkadelic's debut LP, while the vocals are rooted in the mid-60's harmony sound, making for a very cool track.
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