The Red Hot Chili Peppers have invited George Clinton to their induction during the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony at the Cleveland Auditorium in Ohio on April 14th, 2012.
RHCP want Funk Legend George Clinton to Celebrate Hall of Fame Induction with them
Speaking to the Daily Star Newspaper in a new article published on Apr 10th, 2012, Chad Smith said, “We invited George to come. When he shows up it’s always a jam and always a party. We really want him there because he was such a big part of the band, certainly in the early days. Not only producing our records but what he stands for…
He deserves the love too because he’s so under appreciated. George is an encyclopedia of rock ’n’ roll and funk, can you imagine a George biopic?”
Clinton was also inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1997, along with fifteen other members of the Parliament-Funkadelic collective. As fans of his, the Red Hot Chili Peppers recruited George Clinton to produce their second album, Freaky Styley – released in 1985. Speaking of the album in his autobiography, Anthony Kiedis said, “It so surpassed anything we thought we could have done that we were thinking we were on the road to enormity.”
In this rare video below, George Clinton is directing Anthony Kiedis, Flea, Hillel Slovak and Cliff Martinez on their recording of American Ghost Dance, a track from Freaky Styley. Before the session begins, Flea asks, “What is Funk George?” to which he responds, “Perfect Funk is Jazz, and we ain’t playin’ Jazz.” The band then go on to record an undoubtedly brilliant performance of the song, all the time under the guidance Clinton’s Funky energy….
The Red Hot Chili Peppers have been heavily influenced by Clinton and have covered a number of George Clinton/Parliament/Funkadelic songs during their live performances. Here’s two particularly funky renditions of What Is Soul? and Bullet Proof…
What Is Soul? – Off The Map DVD
Bullet Proof – Amsterdam, 1989
Speaking of their influences in 1988, Flea said…
“George is just like the baddest motherfucker. The way that he combined hard rock music with funk, like that thing we were just listening to Comin’ Round The Mountain – The groove on that is like what Aerosmith wished they could do like maybe one day. It’s like a hard rock, funk groove man, and I feel very akin to it as well, because it’s like they’re not paying attention to anything except themselves. They’re not paying attention to anything except, you know, their funk. It’s obvious that shit didn’t get radio play… gimme a break, no one played that on the radio. It’s the same kind of thing we fall into, because we play shit that’s too funked out to get on white radio and too rocked out to get on black radio, and that’s the same thing with that.”
Clinton has also performed with the Chilis on many occasions. At the 36th Grammy Awards in 1993, the band, along with George Clinton & the P.Funk All-Stars and Weapon of Choice performed Give It Away, a song which won RHCP their first Grammy later that evening.
Let The Good Times Roll…
During their hiatus in 2008, the Chilis worked with George Clinton on a song for his new album George Clinton and His Gangsters of Love. The band recorded a cover of Shirley and Lee’s classic “Let the Good Times Roll”. It was the last song John Frusciante recorded as a member of the band, and, when listened to in light of this, conjures the feeling of a closing chapter for the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
George Clinton and His Gangsters of Love – Let The Good Times Roll
The Hall of Fame Ceremony
The Red Hot Chili Peppers will perform three songs during the Hall of Fame induction ceremony at the Cleveland Public Auditorium on April 14th. Past RHCP Drummers Cliff Martinez and Jack Irons will also perform with the band on one song, which Chad says will most likely be Give It Away.
John Frusciante will not be attending the ceremony, as revealed by Chad Smith during an interview with Billboard, published on March 6th, 2012. “He didn’t feel comfortable coming, which we totally respect,” Smith says. “We asked him… He said, ‘I’m just not really comfortable with that, but good luck and thanks for inviting me.’ It was all good. He’s the kind of guy, I think, that once he’s finished with something he’s just on to the next phase of his life. The Chili Peppers are not really on his radar right now.”
On April 4th, a Red Hot Chili Peppers Plaque, along with other plaques for the Hall of Fame’s 2012 inductees were unveiled on the Rock Hall’s new Walk of Fame outside the Cleveland Auditorium. Read more…
Daily Star Newspaper Interview with Chad Smith
Published April 10th 2012 – By Kim Dawson for Kim Dawson’s Playlist Music Blog
http://www.dailystar.co.uk/playlist/view/245126
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