Customer Reviews

The Mothership Connection Live 1976

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Since this is the only professionally produced live visual concert document of "The P-Funk Mob" at it's absolute peak, I feel compelled to give it a full 5 stars even though the program is relatively brief (85 minutes) and the disc contains no additional features of any kind. The footage looks quite good for 1976, relatively clear and the sound quality (while monaural) is failry clear with only a mild complaint regarding the EQ of various instruments (notably, Gary Shider's virtually silent guitar on "Cosmic Slop")... However, this DVD is bigger than its flaws. It is about seeing a legendary and important musical happening at its prime moment of full realization. The DVD offers a wonderful chance to hear and see live the brilliant Glenn Goins in all of his captivating vocal brilliance (just pay attention to "Funkin' For Fun" and "Mothership Connection", where he calls in the Mothership) ... it is a crime how anonymous this master vocalist is today since his untimely death at 23 from cancer, he sounds amazing here. The band is tight and they play with marvelous precision. The boundless energy and enthusiasm of the ensemble is clear when watching this. The original Parliament singers (Calvin Thomas, Fuzzy Haskins, Ray Davis-- though I don't spot Grady anywhere), Gary Shider complete with signature diaper and pacifier, Mike Hampton in his gigantic green Sombrero, Bernie Worrell with a hat that I can't even describe, and the sexy duo of Debbie Wright and Jeanette Washington... Cordell "Boogie" Mosson (unseen) and Jerome "Big Foot" Brailey... they are all here along with Fred and Maceo and the best horn section around... for fans of Parliament/Funkadelic, this is essential stuff... and for casual observers, this is a time capsule to an important group at it's peak

This is it. The real thing. The band starts and folk come from everywhere out of teepees, and when Dr Funkenstein and his 'ladies' arrive in the Funkmobile, and the energy is high, the Funkmobile gets stripped. The Mothership arrives and things get even funkier. This is for the true Funkaholic. If you saw the Mothership about this time (1976 - 1979) then it behooves you to pick this up. If you never saw it, and you want to see what real entertainment is, pick this up. If you heare any noise........

This is Shout Factory's Reissue of the previously oop Parliament-Funkadelic Live at the Houston Summit 1976 DVD. There are no extra bonuses. So far, while there are lots of bootleg Funkadelic shows to be found, this is the only official release. If you own it already, you may wish to skip. If not, what are you waiting for at this price?

This video seems to have been switched "live" as it was happening by a television crew on site. The director (or producer, maybe) should have been fired. During this entire concert video, which seems like a great show, there is a TOTAL of approximately 5 minutes of footage of anyone playing an actual instrument. All the shots are close ups of people singing. Time for an awesome instrumental break? Here, watch some people dancing. It is SO frustrating, the band is on fire, but they aren't show except for the handful of cut-aways, of which each of these basically just tease the viewer, as they last about 3 seconds apiece. Disappointing. SHOW THE BAND

In 1976 the full on rock and roll spectacle was new. The full on funk and roll spectacle was almost unheard of at least until the Mothership landed. George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic were only five dates into the P-Funk Earth Tour when the Mothership Connection rolled into the Houston Summit on Halloween night in 1976.

This DVD is a record of that show. Although the video quality is a little muddy one can imagine Funkadelic at its best. The music, the costumes, and the Mothership are all present. Clinton acts as a ringmaster for a group that sometines numbers in the dozens. Highlights include Glen Goins calling of the Mothership and Swing Down Sweet Chariot, George in an edited Dr. Funkenstein, Bring the Funk and a finale of the Funkin for Fun featuring Bootsy Collins and the Sly Stone Band.

If you are looking for a document of where the funk began check this one out.

As the years roll by, it becomes more and more apparent: Funkadelic was one of the most influential bands of the 20th century. It's almost impossible to find an area of contemporary music that's not touched by them. And in "Mothership Connection Live", you've got Funkadelic captured live at its peak.

When has more talent stood on a stage? Cordell Mosson, Jerome Brailey, the original Parliaments, Gary Shider, the inimitable Glenn Goins, Maceo and the Horns, Michael Hampton, Bootsy, George.... the whole gang is here. Is the quality great? No, but it's good enough. Does it matter? Not even a little. This is a historic document, a window into the past, so you take what you get.

The whole thing is uniformly great, but the standouts for me are Gary Shider's goosebumps-inducing lead vocal on "Cosmic Slop" and Fuzzy Haskin's freakout on "Standing on the Verge of Gettin' It On". And of course, Glen Goins' calling in The Mothership. If I'm down, if I'm blue, this one makes me smile. Every time.

The only thing wrong with this DVD is that you spend the entire time while you're watching it wishing you were there. This is funk at its finest and in its prime. The highlight being the late Glen Goins putting down some of the best vocals ever in my opinion on Mothership Connection/Swing Down. Well worth the low price if you want to experience pure funkadelia.

It was February 22nd, 1977....the place, Jacksonville, FL...
at the old Jacksonville Coliseum...I was 12 going on 13,
and this was the second concert that I'd ever attended up to
that point with some older cousins and neighborhood freinds.
I had been aware of Parliament/Funkadelic since 1974 with Funkadelic's
"Standing On The Verge Of Getting It On" and
Parliament's 1975 offering "Chocolate City"...
both very groundbreaking lps in their time.
Then of course there were the subsequent releases
after those like "Let's Take It To The Stage",
"Tales Of Kidd Funkadelic" and "Hardcore Jollies" (Funkadelic),
as well as Parliament's breakthrough releases
"Mothership Connection" and "The Clones Of Dr. Funkenstein",
which both reached Platinum & Gold status and
were bringing the big time spotlight to George Clinton & The Gang's
PARLIAFUNKADELICMENT THANG!!--Which now included
Bootsy's Rubber Band (the opening act of this tour)
and their scorching releases "Stretchin' Out" and
"Ahh, The Name Is Bootsy Baby!!" all of which were
saturating black radio and selling out in record stores
and concert arenas all over the US!!

**As a side note: but the second act to tear up the stage that night was
none other than the ultra-funky Graham Central Station!! (-:

P-Funk was like it's own underground cult with it's own slanguage,
style of dress, symbols, mythos and ideology!!--
"Free Your Mind & Your Azz Will Follow!!",
"If You Ain't Gonna Get It On, Take Your Dead Azz Home!!",
"Think, It Ain't Illegal Yet!!",
"Don't Fake The Funk Or Your Nose Gotz To Grow!!"
"No Head, No Backstage Pass!!", "We're Gonna Turn This Mutha Out!!"
just to name a few, were just some of the slogans
the young "Funkateers", "Rubber-Fans" and
"United Maggots Of Funkadelica" were all chanting
and embodying in the audience!
I recieved my first contact high from all the weed smoke
that was so prevalent in the audience, and boy, did it help
enhance the experience of the spectacle that my young &
impressionable eyes were about to witness!---
WOW!!--It was really something to behold!!
The outrageous costumes, 10-inch platform boots, the onstage theatrics,
the over-sized, props, the 60 Ft. Silver Spaceship that landed
centerstage during the height of the show!--Brought down by one of
the great unsung singers of Funk/R&B/Soul ever!
The late great Glen Goins, whose churchified powerful
tenor could turn a funk concert into a gospel revival!
The music itself, was like a religion, played by some
of the baddest/funkiest kats around at that time:
the late Eddie "Maggot Brain" Hazel, Michael "Kidd Funkadelic" Hampton, and the late Garry Shider
shreddin' on guitars, Jerome "Big Foot" Brailey representin' big time on drums with power & feeling,
Bernie "Da Vinci" Worrell creating whole new soundscapes on analogue keyboards and synths,
and all referreed by the mastermind, George Clinton,
aka Dr. Funkenstein, Starchild, The Long-Haired Sucka!!
George Clinton is to R&B / Soul / Funk what the late Frank Zappa is to rock!!
A complete original, maverick & renegade artist who was alternative 20 yrs before that
was even a musical genre in itself!---Like Hendrix, Clinton and Zappa float suspended in their own universe!

This was the 70's!!--A wild, free, decadent & innocent time of
originality and creativity which the world is in dire need of today!
A time before everybody wasn't so jaded, so cold, so indifferent,
thought they'd seen and done it all!
A time before AIDS, of pure sexual exploration and ambiguity,
when cocaine was thought of as a recreational accompaniment
to a night of boogie-ing and getting it on!
"Ain't nothin' but a party baby!" was a saying you heard alot back then.

There was no MTV, VH-1 or BET...the talent was not created
in a corporate boardroom, so it was REAL, PROFOUND,
DIVERSE & ORGANIC!!---What I witnessed on that fabled night is
only half captured on this DVD of that Halloween 1976 Houston
concert when the P-Funk Mob was bringin' "da' bomb" to their
fans in their prime, selling millions of records and
influencing future artists (myself included)
from every genre of music!
Though they don't get nearly enough credit for it,
their musical influence was undeniable!!
To those who came into knowledge of the P-Funk Thang much
later on in other generations, this DVD is an invaluable insight
into what they were all about. Though not as polished as the
show that I first saw in February 1977, GC & the gang where
still working out all the kinks of the show at this point.
It gave you all the glam, glitz, glitter and rock-n-roll
anti-establishment attitude that white acts of the time
like Alice Cooper, KISS, David Bowie, Pink Floyd, etc.
were giving you, but with much more funkiness and sci-fi!!
W O W!!----W O W!!---W O W!!--was all I could say as I
and 20,000 other P-Funk fans took the journey aboard the HOLY MOTHERSHIP
that night and it forever changed and opened me up in ways I will never forget!
The P-FUNK EARTH TOUR of '77 and '78 was one the first concerts to break my
musical "cherry" (I recieved by first guitar and keyboard that summer; inspired
by the late great Eddie "Maggot Brain" Hazel, as well as keyboard wizard Bernie Worrell.)
It showed me what the true live musical experience could and should be!---Buy This DVD!!

It was so cool to see the P-funk in action once again. I went to every concert they had around NC back in the day. This DVD brought back GREAT memories. A gotta have!!

If you are buying this DVD, it's safe to say you're going to love the Funkadelic magic you see on it. Descending motherships, diaper dances, all the usual awesomeness. Only trouble is the age of the video makes for some lower quality footage, but that's to be expected from a 1976 performance.