Customer Reviews

Standing on the Verge

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

After releasing the more commercial record "Cosmic Slop" in 1973 , Funkadelic returned with the amazing "Standing On The Verge Of Getting It On" a year later. The result was a more focused rock album that really packed a punch without any filler. George Clinton and genius guitar player Eddie Hazel wrote all of the compositions on this classic.

The album kicks off to a roaring start with "Red Hot Mama." After a humorous introduction by George himself, a fierce guitar lick by Eddie Hazel breaks the ice and smoothly intertwines with Bootsy's slap bass and the precise keyboard playing of Bernie Worrell to creative one of Funkadelic's most sophisticated grooves yet.

Next, the hard rocking "Alice Of My Fantasies" bursts into frame. This is one of Funkadelic's heaviest songs, with amazing solos and hard hitting percussion. Very similar to Led Zeppelin's early material. A Funkadelic Classic, essential for driving.

"I'll Stay" Slows things down a bit as it kicks in with an eerie bassline that, while not very original, is extremely catchy. This is a reworking of an old Parliaments song. Not my personal favorite on the album, but by no means is it filler.

Side one of the LP closes with the brilliantly executed "Sexy Ways,"
a more R & B number with an incredibly catchy melody. This song was one of the last of its kind that Funkadelic would play before they evolved to more uptempo funk and *gasp* disco styles.

Things start off with another bang on side two. The title track "Standing On The Verge of Getting It On," Is simply outstanding. A song that was originally a concert groove transformed into one Funkadelic's catchiest and most memorable songs. This song almost speaks for itself.

"Jimmy's Got A Little Bit Of Bitch In Him" follows. The song is a lighthearted look at one of George's gay friends. While the subject matter may be iffey to some people, the groove is solid enough to make anyone's head bob. I commend Funkadelic for being non homophobic and writing this song. If only the modern rap artists of today could try learning from the example that George and company set.

The final song is "Good Thoughts, Bad Thoughts" another instrumental song very similar to "Maggot Brain." This song demonstrates the immense talent of Eddie Hazel with a guitar solo that is unrivaled by many other soloists of the time.

"Standing On The Verge Of Getting It On" is not only a great funk album, it is a rock and roll classic. It should be up there with other 70's greats. There are only two Funkadelic albums that I would give 5 stars to: this album and "One Nation Under A Groove." This is a good album to start on if you are just getting into the funk of funkadelica. If you buy one Funkadelic album buy "One Nation Under A Groove," If you buy two, buy that and this fine album. I guarantee you will not be disappointed.

This album is most certainly the BOMB! Begins with the hilarity of the Red Hot Mamma spoken intro. before Eddie Hazel rips into one of my personal favorite Funkadelic songs. Never a weak moment in this CD and a lot of variety, showing the full range that Funkadelic has to offer. While you can hardly go wrong with any Funkadelic, "Standing on the Verge" rates up there with "Maggot Brain" on the top of my list. And remember, "Good thoughts bring forth good fruit...Bullsh*t thoughts rot your meat! Think right and you can fly. The kingdom of heaven is within. Free your mind and your a** will follow!"

AS IT IS WRITTEN HENCEFORTH...that on the Eighth Day, the Cosmic Strumpet of MOTHER NATURE was spawned to envelope this Third Planet in FUNKACIDAL VIBRATIONS. And She birthed Apostles Ra, Hendrix, Stone & CLINTON to preserve all funkiness of man unto eternity...But! Fraudulent forces of obnoxious JIVATION grew; Sun Ra strobed back to Saturn to await his Next Reincarnation, Jimi was forced back into basic atoms, Sly was co-opted into jester monolith and...only seedling GEORGE remained! As it came to be, he did indeed, begat STANDING ON THE VERGE OF GETTING IT ON to restore Order within The Universe.

By 1974, Funkadelic had divested themselves of their psychedelic influences, but had not embraced the pop hooks and radio-friendly dance beats of their later albums. The result may be their definitive masterpiece-they became nothing less than an R&B-oriented hard rock band, unleashing a sound as brutal as anything Led Zeppelin released at the time, but with more grooves. This is guitarist Eddie Hazel's finest hour-he comes on like a locomotive, thundering through the first 2 phenomenal tracks-"Red-Hot Momma" and "Alice In My Fantasies"-with unrestrained fury. If those 2 weren't enough, the album contains the hilarious, weird "Jimmy's Got A Little Bitch In Him" and "Sexy Ways", both displaying a classic R&B sound (albeit a rather twisted one). Not just the best Funkadelic album, but an all-time classic on par with "Physical Graffiti" or "Purple Rain."

Eddie Hazel who only played on "Cosmic Slop and Let's Make It last the on the previous release "Cosmic Slop',comes back after doing a year in jail for slapping a stewardess, and records the most hard- rock- punk -funk joint in the P- Funk catelouge.While Funkadelic had techincally better guitar players, no one played with Hazel's verstility, guile, and creativity. From the opening hard - rock number "Red Hot Mama" with Bernie Worrell's keyboard fills ala "I bet you" to the MC5- Stooges- like "Alice In My Fantasies" Hazel brings the noize on this proto - punk - rock jam with tasteful solos and slamming rhythm guitar and lead vocals by "Garry Shider" then the mob slows down for the classic soul of "I'll Stay" I can only say so much about an album that should be played on every classic rock and classic soul stations about an album that has influenced two generations of musicians in all genres. And check out Sir LLeb (Pedro Bell) artwork and commentary I wish that Westbound would release the artwork inside the CD packaging to show the world that Funkadelic was the total package looks, sound, and art.

1. Red Hot Mama - Funk- Rock jam 10/10
2. Alice in My Fantasies - Proto - Punk-Rock Jam 10/10
3. I'll Stay - nice soulfull number 9/10
4. Sexy Ways - Nice harmonizing by the Parliaments 10/10
5. Standing on the Verge - Great guitar, led vocal by Fuzzy Haskins 10/10
6. Jimmy's got a lil bit of Bitch In Him - A nice jazzy soul number about homosexuality 8/10
7. Good Thoughts, Bad, Thoughts - Great guitar work by Eddie Hazel and nice rap by George Clinton.

37 minutes of Punk- Funk - Bliss

If you are a novice to the world of P-Funk, this is a good place to get started. Althought the production values do not match current recordings, the album's groove and hard hitting funk place these musical geniuses twenty years ahead of their time. Inventive twisty grooves abound, and the music smacks you with a whallop. Perfect music for driving around too fast or the ultimate house party.

like some already said if you love hardcore jollies you'll be in with this one.
this album is a transition album between the "Maggot brain" (ROCK... funk) and the "one nation" (GROOVE-Funk).
personnaly, it's one of my best : psychedelic-funk at tis best.
"be prepared..."
a parliafunkadelia thang fan

Check out "Red Hot Mama" and "Alice In My Fantasies." Eddie Hazel on guitar is Smokin'! This is Funkadelic in its prime. Classic stuff that is just as good today as it was then!

"Standing on the Verge" is an excellent place to start with one of the best -- and most neglected and underrated -- bands ever. For the funk neophyte, also check out Funkadelic's "Maggot Brain," "Let's Take it to the Stage" and "Music for Your Mother," and also Parliament's "Mothership Connection" and "Funkentelechy vs. the Placebo Syndrome."

Make my funk the P-Funk

As far as aggressive & progressive guitar-driven funk-rock,
this was FUNKADELIC's zenith!!--It is definitely an underground
masterpiece, and so many rockers as well as funkers reference
this album over and over again as crucial in their musical journey!
As a kid, I remember dancing to "Standing On The Verge" and grooving
to "Red Hot Mama"...I had a lot of older cousins who were in their
late teens and early 20's during this time (1974), (some active musicians)
so I was exposed to all the great music of that time in earnest!
"I'll Stay" was another one that I remember them grooving to, but being
a kid, I didn't fully grasp the concept of what the songs were about.
I just knew that it felt & sounded really good to my earhole! (-:

A few years later, as a teenager and attending the P-Funk Earth Tour
of '77 and '78, as well as the early 1979 "Anti-Tour / Motor Booty Affair Tour",
I had grown into full understanding & devotion to the whole Parliafunkadelicment Thang,
so I went back on my own and bought a few of their earlier works...this being one.
Man!!--George Clinton & Co. were really out there in a good way! (-:
As far as the musical composing, the dominant figure of this album was the late
great and grossly unsung in his time, Eddie "Maggot Brain" Hazel!!
Of course he had been inspired by Hendrix, but then who wasn't?
But Eddie also very much had his own style as well, and this album is a sonic testimony!
Of course George Clinton, Bernie "Da Vinci" Worrell, and even
Clarence "Fuzzy" Haskins had a hand in the lyrical content, vocal arrangements,
and overall chordal ambience, but it was Eddie, Eddie, Eddie all over the place!

"Red Hot Mama" is still as funky as a steaming plate of chitlins fu yung!!
--And it still rocks like a mug! (-:

"Alice In My Fantasies" has a penetrative and hypnotic riff that
will drive you nuts!--Pure psychedelica!

"I'll Stay" is mellow funk with a nice vibe that has been sampled a
ga-jillion times by countless hip-hoppers!

"Sexy Ways" is an okay album filler...it would've rated as a C+ B-side back then.

"Standing On The Verge Of Getting It On" was not only a call to arms,
telling the unhip of the world of what was about to be unleashed on them
in just a year and a half, but it was danceable funk meets progressive rock
with soulful & churchy vocal chants over the top of it!
--This was truly rad stuff for 1974!

"Jimi's Got A Little Bit Of Bitch In Him" is George Clinton's clever lyrical
spin and lackadaisically rapped delivery over Bernie's ticklish, seemingly laughing
keyboards, supported by Eddie & The Boys' rock cops & feels.
A funny cut!--I always wondered who they were talking about. (Hmmmm??)

"Good Thoughts, Bad Thoughts" is George's lyrical/pharmecutically-influenced
take on metaphysicial theory, injected by the booming bass voice of the late
Raymond "Stingray" Davis, while a very airy acid rock track punctuated with
weird sound effects created by Bernie Worrell's analogue genius well-spring
of ideas which revolutionized the use of synthesizers in modern music, plays as accompaniment.

And all of the Funkadelic album artwork from 1973-1981...mostly created by the
brilliant Pedro Bell, should be reconstructed into large murals and exhibited
in the rock and roll hall of fame, because each was a unique work of art and
should be appreciated for generations to come!--WOW!!

Overall, "Standing On The Verge Of Getting It On" was a transitional album in the
amazing journey of Parliament / Funkadelic, and a perfect fusion of funk and rock
that continues to blow the minds of the younger generations of funkers, rockers &
alterno-headz from all over the globe who appreciate good original music that changed
the landscape of popular culture!--Be it acknowledged or not!