I remember seeing this album cover before I ever knew who George Clinton or Funkadelic were, or even what funk was. It would show up at various garage sales when I was a kid, and every time, it sent chills through under-10-yo me. It still does kinda, but not in the same way.
The model is Barbara Cheeseborough, who was coming up in the fashion modeling world, and had also appeared on the cover of Funkadelic’s self-titled debut in 1970.
I discovered this late in life (only like 15 years ago about). I can’t decide if that was a great thing or a bad one. On one hand it’s incredible hearing a masterpiece randomly and not even knowing it, especially when you think you have heard most of the iconic stuff already. On the other I missed out on like 20 years of not knowing this existed. I knew a lot about the band and the members, but for some reason this album just never made it to my ears for some reason. I was blown away the first time I heard it.
There is an apocryphal story that the guitarist Eddie Hazel was told to play the first half of like he just got news his mother had died, and then the second half like he got news that she was still alive.
Overall just an incredible display of musical talent. Paul McCartney may have made his guitar weep, but Eddie Hazel made his scream in rage and agony and fear.
Let’s see if I can get it from memory, not looking it up:
Mother Earth is pregnant for the third time,
for y’all have knocked her up.
I have seen the maggots in the mind of the universe,
but I knew I had to rise above it all
or drown in my own shit.I’m addition to being album art porn, it’s also just one of the best songs ever.
If you enjoy this album, you might enjoy John frusciante’s " the empyrean as it’s highly influenced by this album.
P funk is the pinnacle result of an acid trip. Amazing album and the cover is so epic
