Parliament: The Clones of Dr. Funkenstein [CASABLANCA]

Why you'll love it

This Casablanca reissue brings back a P-Funk peak. The album reached No. 3 on the Billboard R&B chart and No. 20 on the pop chart, and became Parliament's second gold record.

This edition

• Pressed in the Czech Republic

About the album

Every good franchise needs a sequel, and George Clinton had more mythology than most. After Mothership Connection, Parliament returned with the tale of Dr. Funkenstein, the disco-era mad scientist who stored the secrets of funk in the pyramids and cloned a nation of groovers to spread the word. It's every bit as daft and brilliant as it sounds.

The horns are the big story. Fred Wesley, fresh from James Brown's band, arranged four tracks, and he brought Maceo Parker plus Michael and Randy Brecker into the section, while Bernie Worrell handled the rest and laid down his trademark synth squiggles. "Dr. Funkenstein" is a slow, swaggering strut with Clinton as ringmaster, "Do That Stuff" bounces on a playground chant, "Gamin' On You" kicks off the funk proper, and Glenn Goins takes the lead on the soaring "Funkin' For Fun."

The record also gave the P-Funk stage show its favourite alter ego, and Dr. Funkenstein became one of Clinton's most famous characters. Ron Slenzak's cover photo keeps the sci-fi theatrics front and centre. We can't vouch for the cloning, but the stock of this one does seem to replenish itself.

Also at Kops: more Parliament on vinyl · browse 70s Soul On Up

Tracklist

Listen

On Casablanca / Mercury, a reissue of the 1976 album.