BLACK HISTORY MONTH SPOTLIGHT: Parliament, FUNKENTELECHY VS THE PLACEBO SYNDROME
Years before Steve Dahl kicked off his dubious "Disco Sucks" campaign, capped off by the infamous "Disco Demolition in Chicago over the summer of 1979, George Clinton and Parliament launched their own much holier war on the new computerized dance sound set to take over America.
It was November 28, 1977, when Parliament released Funkentelechy vs. the Placebo Syndrome, the LP that told the story of "Starchild" facing down new villain Sir Nose D'Voidoffunk (think the Darth Vader of anti-funk).
With a lineup that included Gary Shider on lead guitar, Glenn Goins on guitar and vocals, Cardell Mosson on bass, Fred Wesley and Maceo Parker on trombone and saxophone respectively, Jerome "Bigfoot" Brailey on drums, and Bernie Worrell on keyboards, the six-track LP hit black America like a funk bomb.
On the charts, it peaked at #2 on the Hot R&B chart for the week of January 28, 1978. The only album able to keep George Clinton and company from #1: Earth, Wind & Fire's All 'n' All. On the mainstream Billboard 200, it climbed to #13 in March 1978.
The album is best known for its massive crossover hit single, "Flash Light," which crashed the #1 spot of the Hot R&B Songs chart for the week of March 4, 1978. On the Hot 100, it broke through the top 20 to hit #16 in April 1978. "Bop Gun (Endangered Species)" was hot enough to go to #14 on the Hot R&B Songs chart in December 1977.
