Editing Parliament-Funkadelic (section)

=== Funkadelic and Parliament ===
{{for|more details on this phase of the collective's career|Funkadelic|Parliament (band)}}

By the late 1960s, Clinton had assembled a touring band to back up the Parliaments, the first stable lineup of which included [[Billy Bass Nelson]] (bass), [[Eddie Hazel]] (lead guitarist), [[Tawl Ross]] (guitarist), [[Tiki Fulwood]] (drums), and Mickey Atkins (keyboards). After a contractual dispute in which Clinton temporarily lost the rights to the name "The Parliaments", Clinton brought the backing musicians forward. When the band relocated to Detroit, their guitar-based, raw funk sound, with its heavy [[psychedelic rock]] influences, inspired "Billy Bass" Nelson, who coined the name "[[Funkadelic]]".<ref>John, Bush. [{{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p4323/biography|pure_url=yes}} Funkadelic: Biography]. ''[[AllMusic]]''.</ref> Clinton signed Funkadelic to [[Westbound Records]], and the five Parliaments singers were credited as "guests" while the five musicians were listed as the main group members. The debut album ''[[Funkadelic (album)|Funkadelic]]'' was released in 1970.

Meanwhile, Clinton regained the rights to the name "The Parliaments" and initiated another new entity, now known as [[Parliament (band)|Parliament]], with the same five singers and five musicians but this time as a smoother R&B-based funk ensemble that Clinton positioned as a counterpoint to the more rock-oriented Funkadelic. Parliament recorded ''[[Osmium (album)|Osmium]]'' for [[Invictus Records]] in 1970, and after a hiatus in which Clinton focused on Funkadelic, Parliament was signed to [[Casablanca Records]] and released its debut for that label ''[[Up for the Down Stroke]]'' in 1974. The two bands began to tour together under the collective name "Parliament-Funkadelic".

By this time, the original ten-member lineup of Parliament-Funkadelic had begun to splinter, but many others joined for various album releases by either band, leading to a collective with a fluid and rapidly expanding membership. Notable members to join during this period include keyboardist [[Bernie Worrell]], bassist [[Bootsy Collins]], guitarist [[Garry Shider]], bassist [[Cordell Mosson]], and [[The Horny Horns]].

[[Image:Bootsy Collins.jpg|thumb|left|Bootsy Collins]] 
In the 1975–1979 period, both Parliament and Funkadelic achieved several high-charting albums and singles on both the R&B and Pop charts. Many members of the collective began to branch out into side bands and solo projects under George Clinton's tutelage, including [[Bootsy's Rubber Band]], [[Parlet]], and [[The Brides of Funkenstein]], while longtime members like [[Eddie Hazel]] recorded solo albums with songwriting and studio help from the collective. The Parliament albums of this period had become [[concept album]]s with themes from science fiction and [[afro-futurism]], elaborate political and sociological themes, and an evolving storyline with recurring fictional characters. Parliament-Funkadelic stage shows (particularly the [[P-Funk Earth Tour]] of 1976) were expanded to include imagery from science fiction and a stage prop known as the [[P-Funk_Mothership|Mothership]]. These concepts came to be known as the [[P-Funk mythology]].

By the late 1970s, several key members departed acrimoniously over disagreements with Clinton and his management style. Original Parliaments members Fuzzy Haskins, Calvin Simon, and Grady Thomas departed in 1977 after becoming disillusioned with the influx of new members, and later recorded an album under the name Funkadelic. Other members departed and formed new funk bands that detached themselves from P-Funk and even criticized the collective, such as [[Quazar (album)|Quazar]] (formed by guitarist [[Glenn Goins]]) and [[Jerome Brailey|Mutiny]] (formed by drummer [[Jerome Brailey]]). Due to financial difficulties and the collapse of Casablanca Records (Parliament's label), Clinton dissolved Parliament and Funkadelic as separate entities. Many members of the collective continued to work for Clinton, first on his solo albums and later as Parliament-Funkadelic or the P-Funk All Stars.