Funkadelic – Maggot Brain – Westbound 2LP

Funkadelic’s third album, released in 1971, gets the HIQLP treatment to celebrate its 50th anniversary!

1971 and Black America was luxuriating in the soft soul of the O’Jays, the Temptations had just left behind their flirtation with psychedelia, James Brown was explaining Soul Power, Sly & the Family Stone were having a Family Affair, and Marvin Gaye was asking ‘What’s Going On’. In their own inimitable way, Funkadelic were laying down their own statement about the ecology of the planet in the opening of lead and title track ‘Maggot Brain’, turning it into an elegy for the Earth in the ensuing heart-wrenching extended Eddie Hazel guitar solo – one of the most radical records of the period. The album also spawned two Top 50 singles with the usual Funkadelic wry observational humour of ‘You And Your Folks, Me And My Folks’ and ‘Can You Get To That’. And just in case you think things have normalised, the set closes with nine minutes of the chaotic sound collage ‘Wars Of Armageddon’.

This 50th anniversary edition includes a second 12” with two versions of the title track. Side A features the live version from Meadowbrook from the same year that the studio album came out. Jump forward 46 years to the “Reworked by Detroiters” release and side B has the BMG Dub, showing the enduring quality of one of the great guitar records of all time.
This issue is mastered from fresh transfers of the tape, comes with facsimile gatefold sleeve and coloured vinyl (Disc 1 – Blue & Splatter Red / Disc 2 – Clear).

tracklist:
SIDE ONE
1. MAGGOT BRAIN
2. CAN YOU GET TO THAT
3. HIT IT AND QUIT IT
4. YOU AND YOUR FOLKS, ME AND MY FOLKS
SIDE TWO
1. SUPER STUPID
2. BACK IN OUR MINDS
3. WARS OF ARMAGEDDON
SIDE THREE
1. MAGGOT BRAIN (Live 1971)
SIDE FOUR
1. MAGGOT BRAIN (BMG Dub)