About —
A Cappella Books welcomes photographer, director, and writer Seth Neblett to Commune in honor of his book, “Mothership Connected: The Women of Parliament-Funkadelic.” Neblett will appear in conversation with AJC cultural reporter Christopher Daniel, followed by a set of music from Parliament Funkadelic’s catalogue.
This event is free and open to the public. Copies of the book will be available for purchase.
About the Book
Parliament-Funkadelic is perhaps the greatest funk band ever assembled. Yet at the time of the group’s induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, none of the women who helped create the sound and performed in P-Funk were invited to the ceremony and their contributions have been largely overlooked.
“Mothership Connected” tells the story of Mallia Franklin, Lynn Mabry, Dawn Silva, Debbie Wright, and Shirley Hayden, all of whom were instrumental in making Parliament-Funkadelic, as well as the spin-off groups Parlet and the Brides of Funkenstein, into the legends they are today. Assembled by Seth Neblett, son of the “Queen of Funk” Mallia Franklin, and filled with the voices of funk icons like George Clinton, Sly Stone, Bootsy Collins, and the women themselves, this oral history makes clear why these “architects” at the “core” of P-Funk were both essential—and erased. From Franklin introducing Bootsy Collins to Clinton, to the Brides’ top-10 hit “Disco to Go,” to the drugs that helped destroy the group, this book reveals the hidden lives and uncomfortable truths of life in P-Funk. More than sex, drugs, and rock and roll, “Mothership Connected” is about Black women navigating a tumultuous era and industry to become musical pioneers. Now, after decades in the shadows, these genre-defining women are finally telling their story.
About the Author
Seth Neblett is a photographer, director, and writer. He is the son of Mallia “Queen of Funk” Franklin of Parliament-Funkadelic and Nathaniel "Nate" Neblett of New Birth. Neblett has directed videos for iconic musicians, including Chaka Khan's “I Love Myself.”
About the Conversation Partner
Christopher A. Daniel is a Black Culture reporter for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He is an Atlanta-based, award-winning journalist, cultural critic and ethnomusicologist. The Spartanburg, South Carolina native previously held teaching stints with Morehouse College, Clark Atlanta University and Georgia State University: creating each universities' music, entertainment, and lifestyle journalism courses.