George Clinton’s Parliament-Funkadelic collective (P-Funk) stands as one of the most iconic and important groups in popular music history, with an impressively large discography, enormous number of members, and long history. For the first time, this authorized reference provides the official P-Funk canon from 1956 to 2023: every project, album, collaboration, song, details of personnel for songs, and tidbits about each act and select songs, as well as dozens of rare photos and a color photospread.
No volume has ever attempted to provide such details from this collective and its many dozens of acts, collaborations, and offshoot projects from its inception in the 50s as The Parliaments to the present day. Daniel Bedrosian, keyboardist for P-Funk, accomplishes that in this volume, the culmination of nearly thirty years of careful research, interviews, and access to exclusive archival material. Song entries are organized under artist / group names and contain definitive listings of players for each song. Select entries shed light on the inner workings of the recording process, singles chartings, controversies, inside information about process, and more.
This authorized volume demystifies one of the most unique and influential popular musical groups in history.
Daniel Bedrosian has been the keyboardist for George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic for the past twenty years, making him the longest tenured keyboard player in the bands history. In addition to performing with Clinton and company, he has worked or performed with many musical icons such as Snoop Dogg, Chuck D and Flavor Flav, Ice Cube, Shavo Odadjian from System of A Down, Kendrick Lamar, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Erykah Badu, Queen Latifah, Mumford & Sons, RZA, Flying Lotus, Thundercat, Sheila E, Wu-Tang Clan, and many more. He has appeared on The BET 25th Anniversary Special, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The Carson Daly Show, Im With Rolling Stone, The Late Show with David Letterman, The Monique Show, MTV in several nations, and many more.
Introduction
Some Notes On Process
Special Thanks
Interview List
Information On The List
Criterion For Canon
Errata
Chapter One: Artists Starting In 1956 - 1966
Chapter Two: Artists Starting In 1967 - 1977
Chapter Three: Artists Starting In 1978 - 1988
Chapter Four: Artists Starting In 1989 - 1999
Chapter Five: Artists Starting In 2000 - 2010
Chapter Six: Artists Starting In 2011 - 2021
Chapter Seven: Artists Starting In 2022 - 2023
Chapter Eight: Live Releases
Index: Artist, Group, And Band Name
Index: Songs with Descriptions
Daniel Bedrosian has done a wonderful job of a seemingly impossible task of reconstructing this history—finding everybody whos been a part of, involved with, or in any way left their fingerprint on what has become the P-Funk. Im still trying to figure out when he had time to do this; he aint ever missed a show! — George Clinton
The mysteries have been uncovered for every funkateer who has ever been moved by P-Funk but baffled by who did what. Meticulously researched, the secrets are revealed straight from a P-Funk member, deep from the inner circle! — Flea, bassist and founding member, Red Hot Chili Peppers
George Clinton’s recorded output is amongst the very greatest achievements in musical history, and Im grateful for the knowledge of who sang and played on what song, which this book bestows. — John Frusciante, guitarist, Red Hot Chili Peppers
