George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic

It's safe to assume that nobody needs an introduction to the Atomic Dog, aka Dr. Funkenstein, aka Uncle Jam. George Clinton's influence on pop, rock and hip-hop is far too profound to detail here. But you know that, right? You might also have realized his music is as scathingly political...

By Jonathan Zwickel

May 11, 2006

[
        {
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Inline Content - Mobile Display Size",
          "component": "12017618",
          "insertPoint": "2",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "2"
        },{
          "name": "Editor Picks",
          "component": "17242653",
          "insertPoint": "4",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "1"
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18838239",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17261320",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18838239",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - Leaderboard Tower - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17261321",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        }
      ]

It's safe to assume that nobody needs an introduction to the Atomic Dog, aka Dr. Funkenstein, aka Uncle Jam. George Clinton's influence on pop, rock and hip-hop is far too profound to detail here. But you know that, right? You might also have realized his music is as scathingly political as it is roof-raisingly raunchy. Those are the bare facts. But maybe you've never seen the Mothership Connection live and direct, and you're not sure what to expect. So, for your edification, an inventory: Grown men in diapers. Nuns on trampolines. Wedding-gowned drummers. An army of guitarists. Half-naked Sir Nose getting kinky with his exaggerated shnoz, giving a whole new meaning to the term "nose job." A burly, rainbow-dreadlocked man wearing a bedsheet. Twenty-minute space-bass solos. Forty-some people on stage at once, only a quarter actually playing instruments. Ceaseless demands to "give up the funk," "turn this mutha out," and "GET OFF YOUR ASS AND JAM!" And so on. This will continue uninterrupted for a minimum of three hours. It will be, without question, the ultimate night of your life.

KEEP WESTWORD FREE... Since we started Westword, it has been defined as the free, independent voice of Denver, and we'd like to keep it that way. Your membership allows us to continue offering readers access to our incisive coverage of local news, food, and culture with no paywalls. You can support us by joining as a member for as little as $1.