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{{Short description|Fictional space vehicle used by musician George Clinton}}
{{Multiple issues|unreferenced =October 2007|context =December 2009}}
[[File:P-Funk mothership at NMAAHC.jpg|thumb|300px|right|P-Funk Mothership at the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C.]]
[[Image:PFunkMothership.jpg|thumb|300px|right|''Dr. Funkenstein emerging from the Mothership, c1975.''– 1975 album art]]▼
 
The '''P Funk [[Mothership]]''', also known as '''The Mothership''' or '''The Holy Mothership''', is a space vehicle model belonging to [[Dr. Funkenstein]], an [[alter ego]] of [[funk]] musician [[George Clinton (funk musician)|George Clinton]]. An integral part of the [[P-Funk mythology]], the Mothership existed conceptually as a fictional vehicle of funk deliverance and as a physical prop central to [[Parliament-Funkadelic]] concerts during the 1970s and 1990s.
▲[[Image:PFunkMothership.jpg|thumb|300px|right|''Dr Funkenstein emerging from the Mothership, c1975.'']]
 
==Origins==
The '''P Funk [[Mothership]]''', otherwise known as '''The Holy Mothership''' is the arcane space vehicle of [[Dr. Funkenstein]] aka [[George Clinton (funk musician)|George Clinton]] and his agents of '''Supergroovalisticprosifunkstication'''. An integral part of the [[P-Funk mythology|P Funk mythology]], the Mothership existed both conceptually as a fictional vehicle of [[funk]] deliverance, and as a physical prop central to P Funk concerts. Powered by unknown means, presumably The Funk and simple [[stagecraft]], the Mothership appeared over the [[Earth|Planet Earth]] many times during the second half of the Twentieth century, and was even seen to physically land at a number of live music venues in the United States during the 1970s in order to disgorge its Funk to the people.
During their heyday in the mid to late 1970s, following the success of their platinum-selling [[album]], 1975's ''[[Mothership Connection]]'', George Clinton and his band [[Parliament Funkadelic]] - the [[Funk Mob]] - engaged in a series of high profile, no-expenses-spared stadium tours around the United States, culminating in the famous [[P Funk Earth Tour]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=Harriston|first=Keith|date=2017-10-02|title=Forty years later, George Clinton’s Mothership is still landing|url=https://andscape.com/features/forty-years-later-george-clintons-mothership-is-still-landing/|access-date=2021-07-19|website=[[Andscape]]|language=en-US}}</ref>
 
At these gigs, and starting in October 1976,<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|date=2015-03-23|title=Where in the World is Parliament-Funkadelic’s Mothership?|url=https://www.portablepress.com/blog/2015/03/where-in-the-world-is-parliament-funkadelics-mothership/|access-date=2021-07-19|website=Portable Press|language=en-US}}</ref> the much referenced Mothership was seen to land on stage amongst the [[Band (music)|band]] and before a baying and expectant [[crowd]]. The Mothership was summoned down by the vocal tones of P Funk singer/guitarists [[Glenn Goins]] and later [[Garry Shider]], and was represented in the form of a full-scale model complete with light and sound effects as well as [[pyrotechnics]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=On This Day, The ‘Mothership’ Landed On Us Forty Years Ago|url=http://hifimagazine.net/blog/?p=11102|access-date=2021-07-19|website=hifimagazine.net|language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":0" /> At this point in the show [[George Clinton (funk musician)|George Clinton]] would emerge from the Mothership in the form of [[Dr. Funkenstein]], the "cool ghoul with the bump transplant," in order to better "administer funk" to the audience.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Indianapolis Recorder 26 March 1977 — Hoosier State Chronicles: Indiana's Digital Historic Newspaper Program|url=https://newspapers.library.in.gov/?a=d&d=INR19770326-01.1.10&e=-------en-20--1--txt-txIN-------|access-date=2021-07-19|website=newspapers.library.in.gov}}</ref>
==Landings Of The Holy Mothership==
During their heyday in the mid to late 1970s, following the success of their platinum-selling [[album]], 1975's ''[[Mothership Connection]]'', George Clinton and his band [[Parliament Funkadelic]] - the [[Funk Mob]] - engaged on a series of high profile, no-expenses-spared stadium tours around the United States, culminating in the famous [[P Funk Earth Tour]]. At these [[Gig (musical performance)|gig]]s, the much referenced Mothership was seen to land on stage amongst the [[Band (music)|band]] and before a baying and expectant [[crowd]]. The Mothership was summoned down by the vocal tones of P Funk singers/guitarists [[Glenn Goins]] and later [[Garry Shider]], and was represented in the form of a full-scale model complete with light and sound effects as well as [[pyrotechnics]]. At this point in the show [[George Clinton (funk musician)|George Clinton]] would emerge from the Mothership in the form of [[Dr. Funkenstein]], the "cool ghoul with the funk transplant", in order to better administer funk to the audience.
 
==Later years and retirement==
==Where is the Mothership now?==
For many years, the landing of the Mothership was only alluded to at live concerts, due to the prohibitive cost of maintaining the elaborate stage-show. After the band had to deal with mounting debt, the Mothership was discarded and sold for cash in 1982 or 1983.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Fawcett|first=Kirstin|title=Watch George Clinton's P-Funk Mothership Get Reassembled For Its Museum Debut|url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/watch-george-clintons-mothership-get-reassembled-for-its-museum-debut-180951685/|access-date=2021-07-19|website=Smithsonian Magazine|language=en}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite news|last=Richards|first=Chris|date=2011-05-18|title=Smithsonian acquires Parliament-Funkadelic Mothership|language=en-US|work=Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/smithsonian-acquires-parliament-funkadelic-mothership/2011/05/18/AFHMvj6G_story.html|access-date=2021-07-19|issn=0190-8286}}</ref> Sources say the [[Washington, D.C.]] management company sold it to a scrap metal yard in [[Prince George's County, Maryland|Prince George's County]] in [[Maryland]].<ref name=":2" />
For many years, the landing of the Mothership was only alluded to at live concerts, due to the prohibitive cost of maintaining the elaborate stage-show. In fact, the Mothership itself had been discarded. In 1996, following the release of ''[[T.A.P.O.A.F.O.M.]]'' (''The Awesome Power of a Fully Operational Mothership''), George Clinton launched the "Mothership Reconnection Tour" with [[Bootsy Collins]], [[Bernie Worrell]], and the latest incarnation of [[P Funk]], the "P Funk All Stars". The Mothership Reconnection Tour, which began in [[New York City|New York's]] [[Central Park]], required a reconstruction of the 1970s Mothership, and the concerts included the landing of the Mothership, albeit on a smaller scale.
 
ForIn 1996, following the release of ''[[T.A.P.O.A.F.O.M.]]'' (''The Awesome Power of a fewFully Operational Mothership''), George yearsClinton afterlaunched the "Mothership Reconnection Tour" with [[Bootsy Collins]], [[Bernie Worrell]], and the Mothershiplatest wouldincarnation landof periodically[[P atFunk]], the "P Funk All Stars". concertsThe Mothership Reconnection Tour, particularlywhich thosebegan atin larger[[New venues.York OneCity|New ofYork's]] the[[Central lastPark]], appearancesrequired a reconstruction of the Mothership, wasand atthe [[Woodstockconcerts 1999]]. Since 1999,included the landing of the Mothership, hasalbeit beenon a smaller scale. strictlyClinton metaphoric;claims the exactmid-1990s locationre-build of the Mothership1,200 pound aluminum spacecraft is unknownan indistinguishable replica.<ref name=":2" />
 
For a few years after the Mothership Reconnection Tour, the Mothership would land periodically at the P Funk All Stars concerts, particularly those at larger venues. One of the last appearances of the Mothership was at [[Woodstock 1999]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Basham|first=David|date=July 23, 1999|title=Parliament/Funkadelic Lands The Mothership At Woodstock|url=https://www.mtv.com/news/1427162/parliamentfunkadelic-lands-the-mothership-at-woodstock/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140718105656/http://www.mtv.com/news/1427162/parliamentfunkadelic-lands-the-mothership-at-woodstock/|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 18, 2014|access-date=2021-07-19|website=MTV News|language=en}}</ref> The Mothership made a few other appearances during this time, such as Eugene Oregon, before being retired.
 
The replica Mothership found a new home in 2011 when the [[Smithsonian Institution]] acquired it by moving it from Clinton's recording studio in [[Tallahassee, Florida|Tallahassee]], [[Florida]], after the original could not be located.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/smithsonian-acquires-parliament-funkadelic-mothership/2011/05/18/AFHMvj6G_story.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130416033709/http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2011-05-18/lifestyle/35232787_1_smithsonian-george-clinton-african-american-history |url-status=live |archive-date=April 16, 2013 |title=Smithsonian acquires Parliament-Funkadelic Mothership |first=Chris |last=Richards |date=May 18, 2011 |work=[[The Washington Post]] |access-date=December 14, 2013 }}</ref> The concert prop started as a symbol of "what could be" and is now located in the Smithsonian's [[National Museum of African American History and Culture]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Mothership|url=https://nmaahc.si.edu/object/nmaahc_2011.83.1.1-.9|access-date=2021-07-19|website=National Museum of African American History and Culture|language=en}}</ref><ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web|title=Well, All Right, Starchild, The Mothership Is Back|url=https://www.npr.org/2014/06/04/318544801/well-all-right-starchild-the-mothership-is-back|access-date=2021-07-19|website=NPR.org|language=en}}</ref>
 
== Replicas ==
In 2021, the [[Oakland Museum of California]]<ref>{{Cite web|last=Bravo|first=Tony|last2=|first2=|last3=|last4=|first4=|date=May 19, 2021|title=Oakland Museum announces reopening just in time for summer|url=https://datebook.sfchronicle.com/art-exhibits/oakland-museum-announces-reopening-just-in-time-for-summer|access-date=2021-07-19|website=Datebook {{!}} San Francisco Arts & Entertainment Guide|language=en-US}}</ref> constructed a replica of the spacecraft as part of its exhibition, ''Mothership: Voyage Into Afrofuturism''.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|title=Mothership: Voyage Into Afrofuturism {{!}} Oakland Museum of California|url=https://museumca.org/exhibit/mothership-voyage-afrofuturism|access-date=2021-07-19|website=museumca.org}}</ref> In its announcement of the exhibit, running from August 7, 2021 to February 27, 2022,<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-06-14|title=Sponsored: Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) is Re-Opening!|url=https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2021/06/14/sponsored-oakland-museum-of-california-omca-is-re-opening|access-date=2021-07-19|website=East Bay Times|language=en-US}}</ref> the museum said, "Experience a replica of the Mothership itself— musician George Clinton of Parliament Funkadelic’s Afrofuturistic vessel—to relax in an otherworldly video installation, a curated playlist by DJ Spooky, and more."<ref name=":3" />
 
==See also==
* [[P -Funk]]
* [[Parliament Funkadelic]]
* [[P-Funk mythology]]
 
==References==
{{reflist}}
 
==Further reaadingreading==
*{{cite web |url=http://www.washingtonpostsmithsonianmag.com/wpsmithsonian-dyninstitution/contentwatch-george-clintons-mothership-get-reassembled-for-its-museum-debut-180951685/article/2010/04/11/AR2010041103996.html |title=In Maryland,Watch George Clinton,'s ParliamentP-FunkadelicFunk andMothership aGet MissingReassembled MothershipFor Its Museum Debut |lastfirst=RichardsKirstin |firstlast=ChrisFawcett |date=AprilJune 1210, 20102014 |workpublisher=[[TheSmithsonian Washington Post(magazine)|Smithsonian.com]] }}
*{{cite web |url=httphttps://blogwww.washingtonpost.com/clicktrackwp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/b-sides_george_clinton_bernie11/AR2010041103996.html?sid=ST2010041200169 |title=GeorgeIn ClintonMaryland, BernieGeorge WorrellClinton, Garry ShiderParliament-Funkadelic and Others on the Search fora theMissing Mothership |last=Richards |first=Chris |date=April 12, 2010 |work=[[The Washington Post]] }}
*{{cite web |url=http://blog.washingtonpost.com/clicktrack/2010/04/b-sides_george_clinton_bernie.html?sid=ST2010041200169 |title=George Clinton, Bernie Worrell, Garry Shider and Others on the Search for the Mothership |last=Richards |first=Chris |date=April 12, 2010 |work=[[The Washington Post]] }}
 
==External links==
* [http://www.georgeclinton.com/ George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic (Band Website)]
* [http://www.myspace.com/gclinton George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic (Myspace)]
* [http://wwwmother.dukepfunkarchive.educom/~tmcmotherpage/pfunkdiscog-top.html The Motherpage (Monumental P Funk Resource Site)]
* [http://www.surefunk.com/funkblog/p-funk-crew/ The P Funk Mothership Crew]
* [http://www.myspace.com/childrenofproduction Children Of Production (Myspace)]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070310140809/http://www.childrenofproduction.net/ Children Of Production (Band Website)]
* [http://www.myspace.com/divadelick Divadelic (Kendra Foster & Sativa Diva)]
 
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[[Category:P-Funk]]
[[Category:Fictional spacecraft]]
[[Category:Fictional motherships]]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-Funk_Mothership"