P-FUNK Discussion 1: Systemic Mistreatment of Female Members, Systemic Limitation of Post Group Income, Who from P-Funk are in the RRHOF?

INTRO:

The following discussion, took place recently, (between P-Funk Experts/Historians; Corey Washington, Mike Thesis, Judie Worrell (widow of Bernie) and myself) in a public forum….(pay close attention, your historical perception on this group may be altered!)

Corey Washington

Were any of the FEMALE members of P-Funk included in the RR HOF induction? Not just getting on stage, but going into the Hall as members?

Bob Davis

Corey Washington (everyone else) Take a close look at this list…

INDUCTED MEMBERS OF PARLIMENT-FUNKADELIC: Jerome “Bigfoot” Brailey, George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, Raymond Davis, Ramon “Tiki” Fulwood, Glen Goins, Michael “Mickey” Hampton, Clarence “Fuzzy” Haskins, Eddie Hazel, Walter “Junie” Morrison, Cordell “Boogie” Mosson, Billy “Bass” Nelson, Garry Shider, Calvin Simon, Grady Thomas and Bernie Worrell

I will now attempt to do something I haven’t done in a LONG time, explain how this process actually works in reality. ( know waaay too much about this process…..lol)

1. Contrary to popular belief, the RRHOF Induction Committee does NOT select individual group members for induction. This is done by the “OWNERS” of the group.

2. Based on this list it appears to me that the “OWNERS” of Parliament-Funkadelic decided to “limit” the inductees to the ORIGINAL members of the Parliament vocal group and the INSTRUMENTAL PLAYERS FROM THE FIRST FUNKADELIC ALBUM, plus a few “BONUS PICKS.”

3. Based on that criteria here is who should have been inducted:

– ORIGINAL members of the Parliament vocal group – Raymond Davis, Calvin Simon, Grady Thomas, Clarence “Fuzzy” Haskins, George Clinton.

– INSTRUMENTAL PLAYERS FROM THE FIRST FUNKADELIC ALBUM – Fulwood, Hazel, Nelson, Ross, Worrell.

– BONUS PICKS – Garry Shider, Michael “Mickey” Hampton, Walter “Junie” Morrison, Cordell “Boogie” Mosson, Bootsy Collins, Glen Goins, Jerome “Bigfoot” Brailey

If this was the criteria used by the “group owners,” then the “group owners of Parliament-Funkadelic,” inducted the right members IMHO.

4. The REAL QUESTION is if this is a fair criterion, for such a large group, containing many members who have been a part of it for decades? Well the answer to that question is actually pretty simple. Although a legit case can be made for many individual members to have been included (ex: the P-Funk female members) the way it works is that ONLY THE GROUP OWNER decides (and no one else.)

5. I have personally been involved in two cases (O’Jays & Dells) where the RRHOF Induction Committee disagreed with the choices of the GROUP OWNERS and in both cases the GROUP OWNERS won. The O’Jays wanted fewer members inducted (& got their way) and the Dells wanted more members inducted (& got their way.)

(Hopefully this will be the last time I have to explain how this process actually works, feel free to copy and paste….LOL)

Corey Washington

Bob Davis Owners- In this case, does that mean that GEORGE CLINTON decided who was going in?

Bob Davis

Corey Washington Now you may find this hard to believe, but someone else will have to provide you with the answer to that question. I’m not really sure who the “OWNER” of Parliament-Funkadelic is. That has been the subject of much speculation over the years, and quite frankly I don’t know the correct answer. Someone else might? I suspect that the correct answer to that question is buried deep inside of many legal documents, court briefings, contracts, etc.

Judie Worrell

Corey Washington yes!!!

And that’s also why you saw the travesty of a Bernie Worrell being relegated all the way in the back and someone named “Clip” in the front with  some little look-alike keyboard. It was ridiculous. George also attempted to keep Jerome Brailey out of something there, I don’t remember what, but I remember talking to Bernie about it and Bernie went to go talk to George.

Mike Theiss

Bob Davis What’s interesting in this case is that George seemed to want nothing to do with Jerome at the time of induction. Jerome seemed to think that he was there against George‘s wishes based on this interview:

Just saying that others must have had some influence, even if the decision was ultimately his. I think the decisions were pretty solid overall. Certainly, other amazingly talented musicians affiliated with the group were not included (Maceo Parker?) but you have to limit in some way otherwise they would have had 100+ inductees.

Bob Davis

Mike Theiss Well…..IMHO Jerome Bigfoot Brailey belongs regardless, given his often-forgotten contributions to the success of the Five Stairsteps and Chambers Brothers as well. But notwithstanding bro John Ellison’s great interview, my points in this posting are: 1. Whose in vs. whose not isn’t really up to the RRHOF Induction committee, it’s really up to the artist being inducted (or the artist “owners.”) 2. With respect to P-Funk, I could really care less which members have been inducted into the RRHOF. What I care about is the sustained inability for these AWESOME musicians to earn a sustained living in the music business as SOLO ARTITS! As a music fan that saddens me. In her awesome new book, THE FUNK QUEEN, Dawn Silva details EXACTLY how talented members of Parliament-Funkadelic were systematically prevented from having lucrative solo careers. It’s a story worth telling and re-telling IMHO. This is going to be one of our topics during our 5/18 LIVE BROADCAST with Dawn on Soul-Patrol.

Mike Theiss

Totally agreed Bob! Dawn’s book and story is amazing, can’t wait for the live session!

http://soul-patrol.com/webinars/soul-patrol-spotlight-conversations-with-dawn-silva/

Bob Davis

Corey Washington BTW, one more thing I’d like to say on the topic you brought up….the REAL SHAME IMHO isn’t who is either in or out of the RRHOF from Parliament-Funkadelic. IMHO the REAL SHAME is the sheer number of GREAT ARTISTS, who were members of the group, that weren’t permitted to go on to have LUCRATIVE SOLO CAREERS. In reality, most of the members (yup. I’m talking 30-40 people) of Parliament-Funkadelic should be multi-millionaires many times over. (Instead, none of them are) THESE PEOPLE WERE JUST THAT TALENTED. To me that is far more important than “who is a member of the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame.”

Judie Worrell

Bob Davis absolutely right, Bob, and hopefully my lawsuit against George Clinton will help some of these people. In her book, Dawn Silva speaks about how George attempted many times to interfere in her career. He did exactly the same thing to Bernie and the details will be in Bernie’s upcoming bio, currently being written by Cedric Hendrix.

Bob Davis

Judie Worrell Thanks (as always) for chiming in here.

Judie Worrell

Bob Davis truth is truth and just as his “brother from another mother” Donald Trump, cannot tell the truth, neither can George Clinton.

Bob Davis

Judie Worrell Best line I’ve heard all week (I may quote you on that one) 🙂

Judie Worrell

Bob Davis be my guest😉. I’m waiting on our CyberWOO to have a minute to put something up on Bernie‘s website. And what that will be is the PDF of the  transcript of the trial we just won in Michigan. As soon as he tells me it’s ready, I will mention it on Facebook so you’ll know when to go check out the site.

Bob Davis

Please don’t forget to register for LIVE BROADCAST, w/Dawn Silva, the ladies of P-Funk (including Jessica Cleaves,) Mistreatment/Limitation of the group members post group income, the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame, and everything you just read in this thread, are sure to be on the agenda as they are in Dawns book. Remember, although it’s free, you won’t be able to attend if you don’t register. I realize that 5/18 seems like its a long way off. But it will be here before you know it, and if you do it now, not only will you get a reminder the day & 1 hour beforehand about the event, you won’t be one of the people emailing, texting and/or calling me the day of the event, asking me how they can participate, ask questions, etc 🙂http://soul-patrol.com/webinars/soul-patrol-spotlight-conversations-with-dawn-silva/