Mayer Hawthorne on Parliament's "The Clones of Dr. Funkenstein" (1976)

By MaximumFun.org

Heat Rocks

03/01/19·44m 52s

The Album: Parliament: The Clones of Dr. Funkenstein (1976)

In the 1970s, no single artist was as influential in transforming the sound of funk as George Clinton. If the funk of the late '60s was embodied in the sparse, frenetic rhythms of James Brown, Clinton filled out and polished the sound across the '70s, with beefy banks of horns and raucous guitars. By the time The Clones of Dr. Funkenstein came out in the mid 1970s, the P-Funk sound was in full flower and that's when a young DJ from outside Detroit crossed paths with The P.

Mayer Hawthorne, back when, was still known as DJ Haircut but a move to Los Angeles in the 2000s lead to a transformation into the smooth crooner we know of him today. Besides the four solo studio albums he’s recorded, he’s also one-half of the retro boogie team known Tuxedo(alongside Jake One) as well as half of the post-punk n’ funk duo, Jaded Incorporated, (alongside 14KT). Fun fact: Jaded Inc’s 2014 album The Big Knock was released by Casablanca Records, long-long time home to Parliament’s recordings, including The Clones of Dr. Funkenstein.

More on The Clones of Dr. Funkenstein

"Masters of the Form" (Popmatters) Clones entry from "P-Funk Albums From Worst to Best" (Stereogum) Album review (Drowned In Sound)

Show Tracklisting (all songs from The Clones of Dr. Funkenstein unless indicated otherwise):

Prelude Parliament: Body Language Digital Underground: The Humpty Dance Dr. Funkenstein Ice Cube: Steady Mobbin Parliament: P-Funk (Wants to Get Funked Up) NWA: 1-900-2-COMPTON - Interlude Disco D: Ghettotronics Funkin for Fun OutKast: Funky Ride OutKast: Liberation The Parliaments: All Your Goodies Are Gone Parliament: All Your Goodies Are Gone Rose Williams and George Clinton: Whatever Makes My Baby Feel Good Parliament: Whatever Makes Baby Feel Good Gamin on Ya Dr. Funkenstein The Ohio Players: Funky Worm Mayer Hawthorne: Lingerie and Candlewax Do That Stuff Yo-Yo: Mackstress I've Been Watching You (Move Your Sexy Body) Getten To Know You Children of Production Funking for Fun

Here is the Spotify playlist of as many songs as we can find on there.

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