Osmium (album)
Encyclopedia
Osmium is the debut album of American funk
band Parliament
, led by George Clinton
. The album has a psychedelic soul
sound with a spirit of experimentation that is more similar to early Funkadelic
than the later R&B
-inspired Parliament albums. It was originally released in July 1970 on Invictus Records
. The original vinyl release contained a glossy lyric sheet.
Since its re-release in 1990, Osmium has been distributed numerous times by various labels in the U.S., Europe
and Japan
, sometimes under alternate titles that have included Rhenium and First Thangs. A number of these reissues have featured material that was not included on the original album, such as unreleased tracks and singles that were recorded around the same time as Osmium.
The personnel for this album included the five Parliaments singers and the five backing musicians known as Funkadelic. The same personnel also recorded as Funkadelic, releasing that act's self-titled debut album
also in 1970. After the release of Osmium, contractual difficulties prevented further recording under the name Parliament until 1974, when Clinton signed that act to Casablanca Records
and positioned it as an R&B-inspired counterpoint to the more rock-oriented Funkadelic.
The yodeling
that arguably uniquely identifies one of De La Soul
's early hits, "Potholes in My Lawn
" (which eventually appeared on De La Soul's 3 Feet High and Rising
), comes from Osmiums "Little Ole Country Boy".
Note: Personnel as listed in the album credits. Note that some songs also featured session personnel. Garry Shider
(guitar), Bernie Worrell
(keyboards), and Tyrone Lampkin (drums) also appeared on some non-album tracks that were included in later CD reissues of the album.
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
band Parliament
Parliament (band)
Parliament was a funk band most prominent during the 1970s. It and its sister act Funkadelic, both led by George Clinton, began the funk music culture of that decade.-History:...
, led by George Clinton
George Clinton (funk musician)
George Clinton is an American singer, songwriter, bandleader, and music producer and the principal architect of P-Funk. He was the mastermind of the bands Parliament and Funkadelic during the 1970s and early 1980s, and launched a solo career in 1981. He has been cited as one of the foremost...
. The album has a psychedelic soul
Psychedelic soul
Psychedelic soul, sometimes called black rock, is a sub-genre of soul music, which mixes the characteristics of soul with psychedelic rock...
sound with a spirit of experimentation that is more similar to early Funkadelic
Funkadelic
Funkadelic was an American band most prominent during the 1970s. The band and its sister act Parliament, both led by George Clinton, began the funk music culture of that decade.-History:...
than the later R&B
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
-inspired Parliament albums. It was originally released in July 1970 on Invictus Records
Invictus Records
Invictus Records was an American record label based in Detroit, Michigan created by Edward Holland, Jr., Lamont Dozier and Brian Holland...
. The original vinyl release contained a glossy lyric sheet.
Since its re-release in 1990, Osmium has been distributed numerous times by various labels in the U.S., Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, sometimes under alternate titles that have included Rhenium and First Thangs. A number of these reissues have featured material that was not included on the original album, such as unreleased tracks and singles that were recorded around the same time as Osmium.
The personnel for this album included the five Parliaments singers and the five backing musicians known as Funkadelic. The same personnel also recorded as Funkadelic, releasing that act's self-titled debut album
Funkadelic (album)
Funkadelic was the debut album by the American funk band Funkadelic, released in 1970 on Westbound Records. The album showcased a strong bass and rhythm section, as well as lengthy jam sessions, future trademarks of the band...
also in 1970. After the release of Osmium, contractual difficulties prevented further recording under the name Parliament until 1974, when Clinton signed that act to Casablanca Records
Casablanca Records
Casablanca Records was an American record label started by Neil Bogart, who partnered with Cecil Holmes, Larry Harris, and Buck Reingold in 1973, and based in Los Angeles. The label was formed after all of them had left Buddah Records and secured financing by Warner Bros. Records to start the venture...
and positioned it as an R&B-inspired counterpoint to the more rock-oriented Funkadelic.
The yodeling
Yodeling
Yodeling is a form of singing that involves singing an extended note which rapidly and repeatedly changes in pitch from the vocal or chest register to the falsetto/head register; making a high-low-high-low sound.The English word yodel is derived from a German word jodeln meaning "to...
that arguably uniquely identifies one of De La Soul
De La Soul
De La Soul is an American hip hop trio formed in 1987 on Long Island, New York. The band is best known for their eclectic sampling, quirky lyrics, and their contributions to the evolution of the jazz rap and alternative hip hop subgenres...
's early hits, "Potholes in My Lawn
Potholes in My Lawn
"Jenifa " is the second single by hip hop group De La Soul, released in 1988 from their album 3 Feet High and Rising. The songs were mastered by record mixer and engineer Herb Powers Jr...
" (which eventually appeared on De La Soul's 3 Feet High and Rising
3 Feet High and Rising
3 Feet High and Rising is the debut album from American hip hop trio De La Soul, released in 1989.The album marked the first of three full-length collaborations with producer Prince Paul, which would become the critical and commercial peak of both parties. It is consistently placed on 'greatest...
), comes from Osmiums "Little Ole Country Boy".
Track listing
- "I Call My Baby Pussycat" (George ClintonGeorge Clinton (funk musician)George Clinton is an American singer, songwriter, bandleader, and music producer and the principal architect of P-Funk. He was the mastermind of the bands Parliament and Funkadelic during the 1970s and early 1980s, and launched a solo career in 1981. He has been cited as one of the foremost...
, Eddie HazelEddie HazelEdward Earl "Eddie" Hazel was a guitarist in early funk music in the United States who played lead guitar with Parliament-Funkadelic...
, Billy "Bass" Nelson) – 4:24 (released as a single-Invictus 9077 under the name "A Parliament Thang") - "Put Love in Your Life" (Clinton, Vivian Lewis) – 5:07
- "Little Ole Country Boy" (Ruth CopelandRuth CopelandRuth Copeland is an English singer known for her involvement with George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic.- Early career :Copeland was born in Consett, County Durham, in the north-east of England. She initially pursued her music career as a blues and folk singer, however she gained her first break...
) – 3:58 - "Moonshine Heather" (Clinton) – 4:05
- "Oh Lord, Why Lord/Prayer" (Copeland, P. Trim, based on Pachelbel's Canon) – 5:00
- "My Automobile" (Clinton, Clarence "Fuzzy" Haskins) – 4:45
- "Nothing Before Me But Thang" (Clinton, Bobby Harris, Hazel, Bernie WorrellBernie WorrellGeorge Bernard "Bernie" Worrell, Jr. is an American keyboardist and composer best known as a founding member of Parliament-Funkadelic and for his work with Talking Heads. He is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, inducted in 1997 with fifteen other members of Parliament-Funkadelic...
) – 3:56 - "Funky Woman" (Clinton, Worrell) – 2:56
- "Livin' the Life" (Clinton, Nelson, Worrell) – 5:57
- "The Silent Boatman" (Copeland) – 5:45
Track listing for First Thangs
- Red Hot Mama
- Come In Out of the Rain
- Fantasy Is Reality
- Breakdown
- Loose Booty
- Unfinished Instrumental
- I Call My Baby Pussycat
- Put Love In Your Life
- Little Old Country Boy
- Moonshine Heather (Takin' Care of Business)
- Oh Lord, Why Lord/Prayer
- My Automobile
- There Is Nothing Before Me But Thang
- Funky Woman
- Livin' The Life
- The Silent Boatmen
Track listing for Rhenium
- Breakdown
- I Call My Baby Pussycat
- Put Love In Your Life
- Little Ole Country Boy
- Moonshine Heather
- Oh Lord, Why Lord/Prayer
- Red Hot Mama 2:36
- My Automobile
- Nothing Before Me But Thang
- Funky Woman
- Livin' The Life
- Come In Out of the Rain
- The Silent Boatman
Personnel
- The ParliamentsThe ParliamentsThe Parliaments were a doo-wop quintet from Plainfield, New Jersey, formed in the back room of a barbershop in the late 1950s and named after the cigarette brand. After some early personnel changes their lineup solidified with George Clinton, Ray Davis, Fuzzy Haskins, Calvin Simon, and Grady Thomas...
(George ClintonGeorge Clinton (funk musician)George Clinton is an American singer, songwriter, bandleader, and music producer and the principal architect of P-Funk. He was the mastermind of the bands Parliament and Funkadelic during the 1970s and early 1980s, and launched a solo career in 1981. He has been cited as one of the foremost...
, Fuzzy HaskinsFuzzy HaskinsClarence Eugene "Fuzzy" Haskins is a former singer with 1950s and 1960s doo-wop group, The Parliaments. He is a founding member of the groundbreaking and influential 1970s funk bands Parliament and Funkadelic, also known as Parliament-Funkadelic. He left Parliament-Funkadelic in 1977 to pursue a...
, Calvin SimonCalvin SimonCalvin Eugene Simon is a former member of the bands Parliament and Funkadelic. He is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, inducted in 1997 with fifteen other members of Parliament-Funkadelic....
, Grady ThomasGrady ThomasGrady Thomas is a former member of the bands Parliament and Funkadelic. He is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, inducted in 1997 with fifteen other members of Parliament-Funkadelic...
, Ray DavisRay Davis (musician)Raymond "Ray" Davis was the original bass singer and one of the founding members of The Parliaments, Parliament, and Funkadelic. His regular nickname while he was with those groups was "Sting Ray Davis". Aside from George Clinton, he was the only original member of the Parliaments not to leave the...
): vocals - Eddie HazelEddie HazelEdward Earl "Eddie" Hazel was a guitarist in early funk music in the United States who played lead guitar with Parliament-Funkadelic...
: guitar - Tawl RossTawl RossLucius "Tawl" Ross was the rhythm guitarist for Funkadelic from 1968 to 1971 and played on their first three albums. He left the band in 1971 soon after a debilitating experience with LSD. He moved back to North Carolina and dropped out of the music scene, but resurfaced in 1995 after a nearly...
: guitar - Billy Bass NelsonBilly Bass NelsonWilliam "Billy Bass" Nelson is a U.S. musician, who was the original bassist for Funkadelic. He is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, inducted in 1997 with fifteen other members of Parliament-Funkadelic....
: bass - Mickey Atkins: organ
- Tiki FulwoodTiki FulwoodRamon "Tiki" Fulwood was a drummer for the funk bands Parliament and Funkadelic...
: drums
Note: Personnel as listed in the album credits. Note that some songs also featured session personnel. Garry Shider
Garry Shider
Garry Marshall Shider was an American musician and guitarist. He was musical director of the P-Funk All-Stars for much of their history. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997, with fifteen other members of Parliament-Funkadelic.-Early life:Shider was born in Plainfield, New...
(guitar), Bernie Worrell
Bernie Worrell
George Bernard "Bernie" Worrell, Jr. is an American keyboardist and composer best known as a founding member of Parliament-Funkadelic and for his work with Talking Heads. He is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, inducted in 1997 with fifteen other members of Parliament-Funkadelic...
(keyboards), and Tyrone Lampkin (drums) also appeared on some non-album tracks that were included in later CD reissues of the album.
External links
- The Motherpage
- Osmium at DiscogsDiscogsDiscogs, short for discographies, is a website and database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. The Discogs servers, currently hosted under the domain name discogs.com, are owned by Zink Media, Inc., and are...
- Rhenium at Discogs