DR.FUNKENSTEIN

IN HIS OWN ORBIT

Recording as both Parliament and Funkadelic, George Clinton revolutionized R&B in the 1970s — twisting soul into funk with help from Hendrix, Zappa and Sly Stone. Forty-plus R&B hits, three #1s, three platinum LPs, and a 50-strong collective that ruled Black music for a decade and became the soundtrack of every era that followed.
George Clinton was straightening hair in a Plainfield barbershop when he started a doo-wop group called The Parliaments. Modeled on Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers, the group formed in 1955 and put out two singles in ten years — while George kept commuting to Detroit to write and produce on the side.

In 1967, "(I Wanna) Testify" broke on Revilot Records. When the label collapsed, George refused to follow the contract upstream; instead he reorganized the same musicians under a new name, Funkadelic, and by 1970 had won Parliament back. From that point forward there were two bands and one thesis: funk wasn't a genre, it was a vehicle.

He proved it across forty-plus R&B hits, three #1s, three platinum albums and the most extravagant live show in the business. From 1978's "One Nation Under A Groove" to 1979's "Knee Deep" to 1982's "Atomic Dog" — four weeks at #1 R&B — Clinton blended jazz, rock, pop, classical and gospel into a single, unmistakable thing. P-Funk.
The Crew

A Timeline,
One Nation Deep

  • 1955The Plainfield Years

    Inspired by Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers, George forms The Parliaments — rehearsing in the back room of a New Jersey barbershop where he straightens hair by day.

  • 1967(I Wanna) Testify

    The Parliaments finally land a hit on Detroit-based Revilot Records. The label runs into trouble; rather than wait it out, George keeps the band and changes the name.

  • 1968Funkadelic

    Founded as a smoke screen for the same musicians, Funkadelic becomes its own thing — psychedelic rock with gospel chords and Sly-Stone harmonies.

  • 1970Two Bands, One Mind

    George wins the Parliament name back and signs the entire Funkadelic lineup to Invictus as Parliament. ‘Osmium’ drops; ‘The Breakdown’ hits #30 R&B in 1971.

  • 1978One Nation Under A Groove

    Funkadelic's title track spends six weeks atop the R&B charts. Both ‘One Nation’ and Parliament's ‘Funkentelechy Vs. The Placebo Syndrome’ go platinum.

  • 1978Knee Deep

    ‘(Not Just) Knee Deep’ hits #1; ‘Uncle Jam Wants You’ goes platinum. The most-extravagant live show in the business is also the best-selling.

  • 1982Atomic Dog

    PolyGram's acquisition of Casablanca jettisons the Parliament/Funkadelic names. George goes solo with ‘Computer Games’; ‘Atomic Dog’ holds #1 R&B for four weeks.

  • 1990sThe Sample Era

    Digital Underground, Dr. Dre, Warren G., MC Hammer, LL Cool J and Snoop reach back. Clinton becomes the soundtrack for the rap movement.

  • 1997Hall of Fame

    Parliament-Funkadelic — sixteen members deep — is inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in a single ceremony.

  • 2012Doctor of Music

    February 16: Berklee College of Music awards George Clinton an Honorary Doctorate of Music. The doctor in Dr. Funkenstein, finally official.
Explore the Discography
The Crew

For the record

1997
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
Parliament-Funkadelic · 16 members inducted
2012
Berklee Honorary Doctorate
Doctorate of Music · February 16, 2012
40+
R&B Hit Singles
Three #1s · three platinum LPs across Parliament & Funkadelic
#1
“Atomic Dog” · 4 weeks
Billboard R&B, 1982 · plus Grammy, Dove, MTV, BMI & NAACP Image awards
The Crew

The P-funk Family