With Eddie Hazel & Garry Shider gone, Michael Hampton is THE only P-Funk lead guitarist left that I know of by name.
I believe Garry had been grooming RonKat Spearman(a.k.a. Katdelic) to take over his rhythm guitar parts, and he is indeed a very capable guitarist and well suited for Funkadelic. RonKat has been on stage with them that I've known of for the past several years, and I feel comfortable with him being a key member of the lineup.
Michael (Kid Funkadelic) Hampton doesn't even come on stage until "halftime", to play "Maggot Brain", and then sits in intermittentlythrough the rest of the show. I think Michael has been focused on his own thing for a while now, although he is one of the last semi-original members of the band left.
Luckily, George Clinton has never stopped growing the P-Funk Family.
Thank God for that. BECAUSE of George, P-Funk will carry on. I'm sure the new members are respecting the legacies of Garry, Eddie, Ray, and the rest who perished.
When cancer metastasizes to the brain, the chance of survival is quite low. I honestly did not expect him to live past this year, but that doesn't diminish the feelings of sadness and loss. I have little doubt that Garry will be welcomed with open arms into the heavenly pantheon of all things funky.
When cancer metastasizes to the brain, the chance of survival is quite low. I honestly did not expect him to live past this year, but that doesn't diminish the feelings of sadness and loss. I have little doubt that Garry will be welcomed with open arms into the heavenly pantheon of all things funky.
I kinda knew this day would come anyway, but he was far too young.
Alright my family, friends, and fans. I've come to the end of my funky journey, and it was a hell of a ride!! No tears, just continue to spread the grooveallegiance around the world so that we live on!! Love you guys!! Think of me when u look up at the stars!! Starchild 19 minutes ago
Alright my family, friends, and fans. I've come to the end of my funky journey, and it was a hell of a ride!! No tears, just continue to spread the grooveallegiance around the world so that we live on!! Love you guys!! Think of me when u look up at the stars!! Starchild 19 minutes ago
Aw man! And he even said goodbye?!? Damn! Sorry Garry, but my tears continue to flow. Bye Starchild
"There's Nothing That The Proper Attitude Won't Render Funkable!"
Ohh purple joy oh purple bliss oh purple rapture!
REAL MUSIC by REAL MUSICIANS - Prince
"I kind of wish there was a reason for Prince to make the site crash more" ~~ Ben
Alright my family, friends, and fans. I've come to the end of my funky journey, and it was a hell of a ride!! No tears, just continue to spread the grooveallegiance around the world so that we live on!! Love you guys!! Think of me when u look up at the stars!! Starchild 19 minutes ago
Aw man! And he even said goodbye?!? Damn! Sorry Garry, but my tears continue to flow. Bye Starchild
Losing Garry has hit me harder than I expected, I think because I've been so strongly connected to this band since my very early teens, and their music has rescued me from some very troubling times in my life - LITERALLY. So I already know; losing George, Bootsy, or Prince is going to hit me even harder. This news has really thrown me off my center - this is not a good night for me.
I'm due to attend a P-Funk concert in July. That's going to be a very strange experience. Having seen Parliament/Funkadelic perform several dozen times over the past 30 years or so (3 times in these past 12 months alone), not seeing Garry on stage in his diaper might be enough to keep me home. But then again, I know Garry would want to party to continue. Being around other Funkateers might be the best medicine for me. I'm so happy I showed Garry MAD LOVE while he was still with us.
What a sad day. What a sad night, can't wait for the sun to rise.
It's a sad time indeed, I danced onstage with Garry and the guys in '05.
For those of us who came up in that era Pfunk was the gold standard and soundtrack of our lives. I'm glad I was able to donate...I guess now it will help lay him to rest.
Starchild will live forever in my heart and my prayers go out to his wife and the entire Pfunk fam.
Prince, in you I found a kindred spirit...Rest In Paradise.
All of us in Parliament - Funkadelic want to express our most heartfelt grief and sorrow at the loss of one of our own, and one of the greatest human beings to grace the presence of this earth: Mr. Garry Shider.
Aside from being the core of the group, the main conduit between George and the band, as well as one of the greatest guitarists, vocalists, and songwriters to have ever lived, Garry was the heart of the group, a perpetual family man, with a propensity for laughter, love, and happiness everywhere he went.
Garry was a powerful figure in the music world at large; Everyone who worked with him knows quite well, whether in the studio or on the stage, anywhere in the world, Garry was always about making the whole ship better, and finding new ways to make it consistently run. It is important to note that Garry is responsible for many of us coming into this group, and coming into our own once we were here.
Almost more importantly, Garry was one of the most kindhearted individuals when it came to sharing everything he had with his friends and family, never selfish, always giving all his talents and input, not to mention his unique team dynamic.
No creature on this world or any other can replace Garry Shider. He is virtually un-clone-able. We will all miss Garry more than any words or songs can say, and we wish his incredible, undeniable soul all our love as he passes into the next world. We send all of our sincerest condolences to Linda and the entire Shider family.
We love you Garry always and forever.
"There's Nothing That The Proper Attitude Won't Render Funkable!"
All of us in Parliament - Funkadelic want to express our most heartfelt grief and sorrow at the loss of one of our own, and one of the greatest human beings to grace the presence of this earth: Mr. Garry Shider.
Aside from being the core of the group, the main conduit between George and the band, as well as one of the greatest guitarists, vocalists, and songwriters to have ever lived, Garry was the heart of the group, a perpetual family man, with a propensity for laughter, love, and happiness everywhere he went.
Garry was a powerful figure in the music world at large; Everyone who worked with him knows quite well, whether in the studio or on the stage, anywhere in the world, Garry was always about making the whole ship better, and finding new ways to make it consistently run. It is important to note that Garry is responsible for many of us coming into this group, and coming into our own once we were here.
Almost more importantly, Garry was one of the most kindhearted individuals when it came to sharing everything he had with his friends and family, never selfish, always giving all his talents and input, not to mention his unique team dynamic.
No creature on this world or any other can replace Garry Shider. He is virtually un-clone-able. We will all miss Garry more than any words or songs can say, and we wish his incredible, undeniable soul all our love as he passes into the next world. We send all of our sincerest condolences to Linda and the entire Shider family.
P-Funk opens the show with what at first appears to be a sloppy version of "Cosmic Slop." Garry Shider's mic is barely audible, the Capitol Centre was having electrical problems, and Michael Hampton's solo on the backside of the song was cut short because one of his tubes died. But when things are down is when P-Funk is seemingly at its best, with Garry coming through with a rare and impressive improvised solo (filling in for Michael) that turns what could have been a bad start into a great and unique version of "Cosmic Slop."