On The One

Everyone has a favorite genre of music. I like "Funk. George once said that Funk is it's own reward." And George Duke once said, "that once you're funky you're always funky." Those who enjoy the music know that there's something about it, something that you feel that you can't explain.

Many believe that Funk began with George Clinton, but it was actually James Brown. The God Father of Soul was actually the king of funk. It was Brown who introduced the heavy syncopated rhythm guitar riffs that propelled songs like Papa's Got A Brand New Bag to hit status in 1965. Brown's music was raw and rhythmic, with a melodic bass line that was woven into the fabric of his tunes and punctuated by horn stabs. His sound would serve as a guide for bands like the Meters and Sly and the Family Stone who would go on to add their own contributions to the genre.

In 1969, disagreements between Brown and members of his band, involving money, caused them to go off in different directions. Around this time, George Clinton was having problems with his label and his band, The Parliaments. He had recently formed another band called the Funkadelic. A year later he reformed the Parliaments as simply, Parliament to avoid hassles with his record label. He recruited members, Maceo Parker and Fred Wesley of Brown's old band. Meanwhile, Brown formed a new band with William Boosty Collins and his brother Phelps as members.

The Collins brothers toured with Brown for three years before they too joined Clinton as part of Parliament, whose members were also in the Funkadelic. By 1974, Clinton and crew had managed to put there own spin on the James Brown sound. The result was a slightly slower, more laid back groove that maintained all of the rhythm, but with fewer drum beats. this served to offset the syncopation, and if possible, made the music even funkier. Clinton would later describe his take as simply, every thing is on the one. This meant that in 4/4 time all of the instruments would play on the first beat of every measure.

In 1976, fed up with the rising tide of "Disco," Clinton's Parliament released "Mothership Connection." The album was a solid Funk smash whose lead, track, P-Funk featured long sections that had music, but no beat at all. The trick was to get on the one and you would always know the countby just following the rhythm. This served to prove that the every count bass beat of "Disco," was not necessary in order to dance, and that there was a huge difference between Funk and "Disco." In fact, Funk ceased to be played in clubs after 1977.

As a genre, in my view, Funk is like Rock, R&B, Jazz, Blues, and Country. Each has a very clear and definitive sound. Each can be used to add flavor to any of the others. And whether you accept this or not, just grab any hit album from the spring of 1974 to the spring of 1979, and listen to it. You just might find the one lurking in the most unexpected places.