The Wire Explores Funkadelic’s Bold Artistry

In the October issue of The Wire, John Morrison takes an extensive look at the newly Org Music/Westbound Records reissues of Funkadelic classics Maggot Brain (1971) and Free Your Mind And Your Ass Will Follow (1970), making a compelling case for their enduring importance more than five decades after their release. Read the full review here, and get the albums on your air ASAP.

Morrison traces how George Clinton and company fused psychedelic rock, funk, gospel, Black radical politics, and countercultural experimentation into something entirely their own. He describes Free Your Mind as a bold artistic statement, highlighting Eddie Hazel’s wah-wah guitar work, the band’s unconventional studio techniques, and Clinton’s fascination with everything from underground comics to extraterrestrial theories.Turning to Maggot Brain, Morrison calls the album “one of the greatest psychedelic rock albums ever made” and the crown jewel of Clinton’s catalog. He reserves particular praise for Hazel’s legendary performance on the title track, describing it as “one of the greatest guitar performances ever captured on tape.” The review also examines the deceptively sunny harmonies of “Can You Get To That,” the Hendrix-inspired acid rock of “Hit It And Quit It,” and the chaotic, politically charged finale “Wars Of Armageddon.”