From Parade
Billy Bass, born William Nelson, Jr., and the founding bassist of Parliament–Funkadelic, died on Saturday, February 1, at 75.
Nelson was instrumental in transitioning the Parliaments from a doo-wop vocal group into a funk powerhouse, contributing both basslines and vocals to some of the band’s most iconic recordings.
Born on January 28, 1951, Nelson joined the circle of musicians Clinton met while working at a Plainfield, New Jersey, barbershop. Together, they formed the Parliaments and set their sights on a Motown recording contract.
As noted in Dave Thompson’s book Funk, Nelson proposed that the band bring in a dedicated rhythm section to avoid relying on house bands while on tour.
Starting out on guitar, Nelson saw potential in Eddie Hazel and urged the band to bring him in — a decision that led to Hazel’s unforgettable “Maggot Brain” solo.
Encouraged by Motown great James Jamerson, Nelson switched to bass and learned the instrument on the road. Clinton praised his playing for combining “the Motown flavor with the aggressive rock attitude,” according to Premier Guitar.
When Revilot claimed ownership of the Parliaments in 1967, the group had to find a new label and a new identity. They briefly adopted the name Funkadelic, which Nelson claimed to have coined, before later dropping the “s.”
On Funkadelic’s first three albums, Funkadelic (1970), Free Your Mind … and Your A** Will Follow (1970) and Maggot Brain (1971), Nelson played bass and sang lead on at least one track per album. He also contributed bass to Parliament’s debut, Osmium (1970), and guitar to their 1974 release, Up for the Down Stroke.
According to Clinton’s website, Nelson left the band over a financial dispute — a situation that would later mirror similar exits by other P-Funk members.
After a stint with the Temptations, Nelson rejoined the group for the session of “Better by the Pound,” featured on Let’s Take It to the Stage (1975). He earned the credit “Blackbelt Thumpasauric Bass” on Tales of Kidd Funkadelic (1976) and continued recording with Parliament and Funkadelic through the decade.
Following another departure from P-Funk, Nelson performed with artists including the Commodores, Fishbone, Jermaine Jackson, Lionel Richie and Smokey Robinson.
He also contributed to solo projects by fellow P-Funk members such as Hazel, Ruth Copeland, and Bernie Worrell.
During the 1990s, Nelson fronted O.G. Funk, which released the single “I Wanna Know” in 1991 and the album Out of the Dark in 1994.
Nelson returned to P-Funk that same year and was later inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with the collective in 1997.
1 comment:
Rest in funk. The 70's wouldn't have been the same without you.
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