Free Your Mind and Your Ass Will POLL: The P-Funk Nominations and Voting Thread

There's nothing harder to stop than an idea whose time has come to pass! Let's do this.

Some voting rules:
- Ballots can contain up to 100 tracks
- Points will be allotted per usual rules (no. 1 gets 100 pts, no. 100 gets 1 pt, etc.)
- I'm going to allow any track that features the appearance of at least 2 P-Funk members. This way things like George Clinton's appearance on Primal Scream's "Give Out But Don't Give Up" is not eligible, but Chairmen of the Board's "Skin I'm In" tracks are.
- Officially released live tracks are eligible (ie, from the Funkadelic Live at Rochester 1971 set, altho I wouldn't really expect anyone to vote for that, or the P-Funk Earth Tour album, or the P-Funk All-Stars Live at the Beverly Center double album etc.)
- Ballots are due on FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21st, 5pm PST. E-mail your ballots to audiobot at yahoo dotcom.

Below is a list of the core of the P-Funk canon as a starting point, in chronological order and cut off at George Clinton's last pre-Paisley Park solo album.

Funkadelic "Toys" (1968-1971)
Funkadelic "Funkadelic" (1969)
Funkadelic "Free Your Mind And Your Ass Will Follow" (1970)
Parliament "Osmium" (1970) (aka "Rhenium" or "First Thangs")
Funkadelic "Maggot Brain" (1971)
Funkadelic "America Eats Its Young" (1972)
Funkadelic "U.S. (United Soul) Music With Funkadelic" (1972)
Funkadelic "Cosmic Slop" (1973)
Funkadelic "Standing on the Verge of Getting It On" (1974)
Parliament "Up For the Down Stroke" (1974)
Funkadelic "Let's Take It To the Stage" (1975)
Parliament "Chocolate City" (1975)
Parliament "Mothership Connection" (1975)
Bootsy's Rubber Band "Stretchin' Out in a Rubber Band" (1976)
Funkadelic "Hardcore Jollies" (1976)
Funkadelic "Tales of Kidd Funkadelic" (1976)
Fuzzy Haskins "A Whole 'Nother Thang" (1976)
Parliament "The Clones of Dr. Funkenstein" (1976)
Bootsy's Rubber Band "Ahhh... the Name's Bootsy Baby!" (1977)
Eddie Hazel "Games, Dames and Guitar Thangs" (1977)
Fred Wesley & the Horny Horns "A Blow For Me and a Toot For You" (1977)
Parliament "Funkentelechy vs. the Placebo Syndrome" (1977)
Bernie Worrell "All the Woo in the World" (1978)
Bootsy's Rubber Band "Bootsy? Player of the Year" (1978)
The Brides of Funkenstein "Funk or Walk" (1978)
Funkadelic "One Nation Under a Groove" (1978)
Fuzzy Haskins "Radio Active" (1978)
Parlet "Pleasure Principle" (1978)
Parliament "Motor Booty Affair" (1978)
Bootsy's Rubber Band "This Boot is Made for Fonkin'"(1979)
Funkadelic "Uncle Jam Wants You" (1979)
Parlet "Invasion of the Booty Snatchers" (1979)
The Brides of Funkenstein "Never Buy Texas From a Cowboy" (1979)
Parliament "Gloryhallastoopid (Or Pin the Tail on the Funky") (1979)
Mutiny "Mutiny on the Mamaship" (1979)
Fred Wesley and the Horny Horns "Say Blow By Blow Backwards" (1979)
Parliament "Trombipulation" (1980)
Parlet "Play Me or Trade Me" (1980)
Zapp & Roger "Zapp" (1980) --> (special note: this is the album that broke the P-Funk empire/multi-record label contract setup)
Mutiny "Funk Plus the One" (1980)
Sweat Band "Sweat Band" (1980)
Bootsy Collins "Ultra Wave" (1980)
Funkadelic "The Electric Spanking of War Babies" (1981)
Zapp & Roger "The Many Facets of Roger" (1981)
Zapp & Roger "Zapp II" (1982)
George Clinton "Computer Games" (1982)
Bootsy Collins "The One Giveth, The Count Taketh Away" (1982)
The P-Funk All Stars "Urban Dancefloor Guerillas" (1983)
George Clinton "You Shouldn't-Nuf Bit Fish" (1983)
George Clinton "Some Of My Best Jokes Are Friends" (1985)
George Clinton "R&B Skeletons In The Closet" (1986)

do that stuff
http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/dd/ed/75/dded75f6108efd1d5033cc92001cc726.jpg

also I'm not bothering with any side polls (albums, worst ofs, covers, etc.). While it's tempting the track ballots will be a big enough headache

FROM THE OCEAN COMES A NOTION...

fuuuuuuuuuuuuck yeah

This is a monster

oh man

So, I guess I'm gonna have to make this month a Funkadelic listening month for me, 'cause I know the Parliament stuff wayyyy better and don't want it to be a really lopsided ballot. I know Maggot Brain is a big deal and I've enjoyed it whenever it's been on, but where else should I go first? I guess I have One Nation, Uncle Jam, and Electric Spanking of War Babies, but they're all kinda scratchy shitty copies and I never put 'em on.

America Eats Its Young is the bomb, love it

also really like Standing On The Verge

can somebody give me a S/D of the first four albums?

is any/all of this on Spotify?

I know Maggot Brain is a big deal and I've enjoyed it whenever it's been on, but where else should I go first?

Standing on the Verge has consistently polled highly around here. imo it's the apex of the mid-period approach that splits the difference between the wild gloppiness of the early albums and the harder, more refined approach of the later records.

can somebody give me a S/D of the first four albums?

Toys is a compilation only recently released. The first s/t has a lot of classic breaks that have been sampled to death, has a great space-y acoustic vibe to a lot of it. Free Your Mind and Your Ass Will Follow is a totally unique album, the production is completely fucked up; it was my entry point into the band and kind of re-wrote how I thought about record production. Parliament's first album is really all over the place, closest maybe to America Eats Its Young in the multitude of genre excercises attempted, although I think the latter has better songwriting and lyric ideas.

(ie, from the Funkadelic Live at Rochester 1971 set, altho I wouldn't really expect anyone to vote for that

This record made me mad. Like, shouting-at-the-stereo mad. I was so excited to hear it, and was baffled by its suckiness.

it has its moments but... man, that drummer

it was a v odd choice to release. It's apparent that there are not really that many recorded shows from that period (unlike from '75 on or so) so I guess they just went with what they had and cashed in.

it is sort of like listening to a musical fistfight between Nelson and Lampkin. Crazy that a) the band was not informed they were being recorded for a potential release and b) it was Lampkin's FIRST NIGHT with the band, totally unrehearsed, and they still went through with the recording.

Some archival releases might have a disclaimer on the outside like, "While these recordings are of historical importance, they were not recorded under optimal conditions, and are mainly for collectors" or something. This should've said, "It's the drummer's first show with the band, and possibly his first show with drums."

But yeah, live remote recording was not cheap in 1971; weird that they went ahead with it anyway.

Crazy that a) the band was not informed they were being recorded for a potential release

True, but given some of the other shit Westbound pulled (including, but not limited to, forging Clinton's signature on contracts signing his publishing over to them), not telling them about the recording is pretty far down the list.

haha yeah

I'm pretty partial to The Electric Spanking of War Babies. I wish the Sly collab were better known.

I wish they had been able to do the double-album Clinton had intended (I assume the other stuff from those sessions has seen release over the years?) That is a funny record.

I'm leaving Zapp off because they were never really part of the P-Funk family... not that that makes it much easier!

Clinton and Bootsy are all over that first record

"George Clinton just happened to step into the studio this night and he really liked this one part that we had already re-did on 'Funky Bounce'. He advised us to loop that section and put the other talk-box parts over it. At that time, this was considered a genius act, because you had to actually cut the tape and make the right cut, line it up and loop it. So let us not forget that Dr. Funkenstein was way ahead of his time as well."
—Bootsy Collins

Roger's also on Electric Spanking of War Babies

Yeah, well, still very much a separate entity, Roger not one to take instruction I think.

Let's Take It To The Stage is a real good record.

moving on to neglected deep cuts:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFVfRCkq2PU

song starts out as kinda dreamy but not particularly remarkable disco and then gradually morphs into something almost completely different/goes *insanely* hard on the break at 4:58

Been raving about that track for years, to anyone who would listen (i.e. hardly anyone), miles better than "Knee Deep" imo.

weeeellll I dunno if I'd go THAT far

Oh fucking hell, I thought that putting together a ballot for the XTC poll was difficult... this just takes the cake! I will be participating, of course!

another much loved (around here afaict) deep cut:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SJZz-zkkcg

Cosmic Slop is great, listened to it yesterday. The title track should be in everybody's top 10.

NYRB pointed out in their review of the recent Clinton autobio that that song doesn't go where you would expect lyrically, it doesn't go for the easy moral of a hardworking mother it goes to this darker/stranger place with the "and the devil said..." bit

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UatXfWIIv7A

^ Fucking love this one.

Prefer Biological Speculation myself, jam of the record imo

well that and Loose Booty

will definitely vote for "If you Don't Like The Effect, Don't Produce The Cause"

Yeah, 'Loose Booty' is definitely a contender for my ballot. The P-Funk album I've been listening to the most recently is probably Motor Booty Affair, so much great stuff on that record: 'Rumpofsteelskin', 'Aqua Boogie', 'Liquid Sunshine', the title track (excellent bassline) amongst others!

the bassline in Liquid Sunshine is nuts

will be interesting if any ballads make it anywhere in the results - Wizard of Finance probably the only serious contender I would guess

btw if anyone wants to volunteer to help with/host images for the results that'd be great, I don't have anywhere to host stuff myself. Hideous Lump did a bang up job on the XTC poll, feel like P-Funk at least deserves as much

Hmm, ballads-wise, yeah 'Wizard of Finance' definitely a contender for me. Probably 'Everybody's Going To Make It This Time' and 'Baby I Owe You Something Good' too. Good to see Cosmic Slop getting some love, I've always been particularly fond of 'March To The Witch's Castle' from that one.

Thanks to "Jimmy's Got a Little Bit of Bitch in Him," Funkadelic answered my question: what act did I want writing songs about gays from an unexpected/ironic pov?

Honestly, even though there's so much stuff to take into account here, I'm genuinely quite excited to be listening to all these records again for the purposes of this poll. What an incredible run of music here!

why frown? even the sun goes down

Reality can be stiff sometimes, but then again it can be flexible
Depending on the angle of the dangle, increased by the heat of the meat

I'm going to try and resist the temptation for vote for every track on Standing On The Verge Of Getting It On, but it's going to be difficult not to!

You have 100 spots, fit them all in, I know I will

Ranking the songs off the record is the hard part for me

Yeah, shouldn't be hard for me to do a 100 track ballot for this, so much stuff is springing to mind already without even trying to get a ballot together, but as you said, ranking them is going to be a difficult task.

I guess Shakey already mentioned this in passing, but this is great timing for the P-Funk poll as George Clinton just dropped his autobiography (written with Ben Greenman, who also did the terrific Questlove memoir). I have been waiting half my life for it. It's well worth the read.

Here's a link to that NYRB piece: http://www.nybooks.com/blogs/nyrblog/2014/oct/22/lessons-of-dr-funk/

Also, P-Funk is such an album band that it'd be a shame if we didn't poll the LPs. I'd be happy to run an albums poll once the tracks poll results roll out.

another slept-on classic:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxf5edWBGLA

Can I vote for "Who Says A Funk Band Can't Play Rock?" 100 times?

yes but it will only be allotted 1 point apiece

I know it's late to ask, Shakes, but can I send you a ballot tomorrow? I have been completing doctoral examinations this week and have had no time to put a serious effort into assembling a ballot even though I've been awaiting this poll for at least 2 years.

My ballot's in. Disco-funk forever.

Is there still time to submit a ballot? I somehow missed this.

*sigh* yes just send your ballots jokers

ok I just threw 25 contenders your way. Thanks for running it a little long

Silent Boatman also not their finest hour haha

I'm not really into the Ruth Copeland stuff

― Οὖτις, Friday, October 31, 2014 11:19 AM (3 weeks ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

ok I'm holding balloting open until Thanksgiving in case there's any other stragglers out there. only 17 ballots in so far

Oh cool. I got stuck in the company of some real Sir & Madam Nose D'Voidoffunks this weekend, so my listening was limited. I was album to get my copy of Osmium out of storage, so there's a impending vote for "My Automobile".

Forgot 'Alice In My Fantasies'...Pissed

wait... did you get an e-mail from me that I received your ballot? cuz I don't think I saw your username in any of the ballots I've received so far.

only 17 ballots in so far

Only? That's pretty good is it not? Don't know what the average is though.

XTC poll had almost 40

Producers poll had 38

can't find my VU/solo poll results but that was also around 40 ballots iirc

Pretty sure I participated in a poll which didn't make double figures ... Abba maybe?

feel like we should at least have more poll participants than band members lol

So you're looking at three figures then?

Stevie Wonder had roughly 20 or 30 I think.

XTC poll had almost 40

Oh ILXpaws

Yes sorry I sent it...from Lee

Already said on the Funkadelic album thread, but the new Funkadelic album is out on itunes now. Three goddamn CDs, 3 1/2 hours. Features twice as much new Sly Stone material as Sly's own botched comeback album from a couple years ago. Just purchased it - verdict still pending.

curious to hear what you think of it

I guess the only remaining holdout is Grisso...? once his ballot is in I'll get the results goin

I've got a bunch of work today, but I have done most of my listening already, so I should have a ballot ready tonight or in the morning at the latest.

Great, we've been standing on the verge of getting this poll on for long enough!

Hey I sent a ballot but didn't get an email back- not sure if I followed procedure correctly.

doesn't look like I got it - can you send it again?

OK,I resent to the address posted upthread.

SENT!

Not participating (as usual) but this will be my favourite rollout since the classic rock poll. And can I just use this space to tell the dream I had last night, in which Sly Stone and Bootsy Collins were at my parents' old house, attending my dad's Grey Cup (the Super Bowl of Canadian football) party? Nobody but me knew who they were, dunno who invited them, they just sat beside each other at a far end of the couch. Sly was looking pretty thin and greybearded. I went to my old bedroom to find some albums for them to autograph, and got irritated that my Sly and Funkadelic albums were all messed up, with Tower of Power and Frank Zappa and Ted Nugent vinyl in the sleeves instead. Eventually I realized that I could sort the vinyl out later, but by the time I carried the sleeves downstairs, the game was over and everyone was leaving. Sly and Bootsy had already left. (I hate football anyways.)

ok results today...

there was a funkadelic poll?

for future reference:

ILM Ballot Polls for 2014 and beyond -- order, timing, "I would have voted if I'd known about it," etc

Where there confirmation emails?

jesus christ

if anyone still wants to vote get your ballot in now goddammit

19 ballots so far

mine was in at the beginning

only 19 is a poor show for ilm

like wtf people

i blame shakey for not using Shit Godamn Get Off Your Ass and vote as a title

LOL, I didn't think 19 was too bad but apparently it is :(

ilm only likes old music made by white people

I think the turnout is embarrassing

the greatest band ever and only 19 ballots is a disgrace. fuck you ilm.
shakey you done good when you starting the roll out so we can see the excuses?

People seem to have been daunted by the size of the discography, like you have to have heard everything or something.

that's silly. You vote for what you have heard and liked. Nobody has heard every classic rock song ever but people still voted.

plus it's all on spotify if you want to hear it

Well I'm not on Spotify (though I have heard most of it anyway... and I voted... so I'll shut up).

I filled out an entire 100 vote ballot!

Hoping that others would too so we got a top 100 roll out