Funkadelic - Maggot Brain

Westbound Records

Maggot Brain, a legendary album and sure shot classic of the funk sphere, turns 50. It's the third album from George Clinton's Funkadelic crew and last to feature the original band lineup.

Maggot Brain is seven tracks in total, five shorter tracks sandwiched/book-ended by extended cuts. Super Stupid is exactly what the title would lead you to believe. Not stupid in the 'dumb' sense but stupid in the sense that it's stupid good. As in how can an act make having a great time sound so raw yet presentable in the same breathe.

Eddie Hazel puts in a standout performance on the opening track and of course the rest of the funk inflicted records runtime. Album opener 'Maggot Brain' and its 10 minute duration consists of a spoken word intro and update on 'Mother Earth's' condition, mellowed out guitar patterns and Eddie Hazel's once in a lifetime performance which rips reality to shreds. Legend has it that George Clinton told Hazel to play as if he had just heard the news of his Mother's passing. It translates into a piece of music that bears an unrepeatable and of the moment quality. Absolute grief and agony radiate from the tones and timbres produced at the hands of Eddie Hazel. If extra terrestrial life forms came to earth and asked 'What is the single greatest piece of guitar ever recorded?' the answer wouldn't stray too far from Maggot Brain and Hazel's emotive wizardry.

Closing track 'Wars of Armageddon' has Hip-Hop written all over it. Not necessarily in a beats and rhymes kind of way, more like a feel and flow type of deal. Notorious B.I.G.'s 'Ready to Die' intro spiritually resides within the walls of the track. Dr. Dre, The Bomb Squad, Del the Funky Homosapien and The Pharcyde all take inspiration from the collage-like way in which the track progresses. For 1971 Maggot Brain is very of its time but manages to remain timeless through influence of further generations.

Redman would emulate the cover art for his 1994 record 'Dare Iz a Darkside'.

July 12th, 1971.