Funk rock
Encyclopedia
Funk rock is a music genre that fuses
funk
and rock
elements. Its earliest incarnation was heard in the late 1960s through the mid-1970s by acts such as the Jimi Hendrix Experience
(last two albums), Eric Burdon and War, Trapeze
, Parliament-Funkadelic
, Betty Davis
and Mother's Finest
. The 1990s were known for acts such as Red Hot Chili Peppers
and Rage Against the Machine
. After over a period of time where the genre had died down in popularity, Audioslave
revived the genre with the release of their 2006 album Revelations.
or drum
beat and electric guitar
s. The bass and drum rhythms are influenced by funk music but with more intensity, while the guitar can be funk-or-rock-influenced, usually with distortion
, which is similar to overdrive or fuzz.
was the first well-known recording artist to combine the rhythms and riffs of early funk
to his rock
sound. Perhaps the earliest example is his song "Little Miss Lover" (1967). His live album Band of Gypsys
features funky riffs and rhythms throughout (especially the songs "Who Knows" and "Power of Soul") and his unfinished album
also included a couple of funk-rock songs such as "Freedom", "Izabella" and "Straight Ahead".
George Clinton
has been considered the godfather of this genre since 1970. Clinton created the name "P-Funk
" for the innovative new concepts of funk that he culled from former members of James Brown's band (such as Maceo Parker
and Bootsy Collins
) and new young players like the guitar hero that rivaled Hendrix named Eddie Hazel
. His groups, Funkadelic
and Parliament
, practically defined funk since the release of the influential funk rock Funkadelic classic, Maggot Brain (1971). Later funk rock albums by the group include Cosmic Slop
, Standing on the Verge of Getting It On
, Hardcore Jollies
and Let's Take It to the Stage
. Later albums such as One Nation Under a Groove
and Electric Spanking of War Babies had a bit more radio-friendly sound but still preserved much of group's funk rock approach. This work served as the primary influence on an entire generation of funk and hip hop artists from the Red Hot Chili Peppers to Snoop Dogg.
Other pioneers of funk-rock evolved in the 1970s in the music of the British
rock-band Trapeze
and American groups Shotgun, Mother's Finest
and Black Nasty. Also singer-model Betty Davis
recorded important funk rock albums. The funk rock acts were not favoured by R&B recording companies. For example guitarists of Chic
wanted initially to record funk rock but they eventually became a disco act after being turned down by recording companies. Despite of its considerable influence to latter popular music, funk rock was not very visible phenomenon during the 1970s. Only few funk rock acts could be seen on record charts.
, Iggy Pop
in his LP The Idiot
, The Big Boys, Xavion (an Afro-American group whose Asylum/Mirage LP in 1984 predated the formation of Living Colour
) & Rick James
along with New Wave
mainstays Blondie
and Talking Heads
created their own sound mix of punk funk. One famous funk rock song of the period was "Another One Bites the Dust
" by British rock icons Queen
. Also in the 1980s, a fusion genre probably best described as synth-funk (a combination of synthpop and funk) was prominent in some synthpop
bands such as Scritti Politti
, a notable album being Cupid & Psyche 85
and also the british group Level 42
.
The genre's representatives from the 1980s to present day include Jane's Addiction
, Fishbone
, Mr. Bungle
, Primus
, Living Colour
, Spin Doctors
, as well as Prince
leading the way with spinoffs, The Time
, and one hit wonders, Mazarati
, who all have created, expanded and defined the funk rock style.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
's second
and third
albums (which were released 1985 and 1987 respectively, and featured guitarist Hillel Slovak
) are seen by many fans as the more funk-oriented albums of their collection. This is often characterized by a driving bass-line which is played over a sparse guitar track occasionally punctuated by metal-like riffs and solos (such as the solo in the middle of "Backwoods
").
", where the emphasis is in using much heavier distorted guitar sounds in the mix. Funk rock employs more of a lighter, "crunchier" distorted guitar sound, and the musical emphasis tends to be more beat-driven with prominent bass
lines; more rhythmic in the R&B sense. One of the best examples of the fusion can be heard on the critically acclaimed Blood Sugar Sex Magik
album, released in 1991 by the Red Hot Chili Peppers
. Other notable 1990's artists in the funk-rock genre, although not widely-known in North America, include guitarist Stevie Salas
and funk-metal bassist TM Stevens. The latter's 1995 album Boom! is an excellent example of bass-heavy songs mixed with rhythmic guitar riffs.
Lenny Kravitz
is one of the most prominent musicians today in the fusion of rock riffs and funk rhythms, as exampled in tracks such as "Tunnel Vision," "Always on the Run
," and "American Woman
." Incubus
has dabbled in the genre as well with albums such as Fungus Amongus
and S.C.I.E.N.C.E.
During the making of his acclaimed studio album Voodoo (2000), neo soul
musician D'Angelo
was influenced by the funk rock sound of P-Funk
, Jimi Hendrix
and other such artists, while his hit single "Untitled (How Does It Feel)
" has been noted by critics for containing elements of and similarity to the "Maggot Brain
" sound of Funkadelic
. Jane's Addiction
have included many funk based routines in tracks. Furthermore, Slipknot
had a funk rock sound in their early days, with tracks like "Bitchslap" and "Confessions" (both from Mate. Feed. Kill. Repeat.); Korn
and Limp Bizkit
also have a funk metal sound, as well. Irish band Republic of Loose
are also noted for their funk rock sound which has earned them several awards and critical acclaim.
Audioslave
's third and final album Revelations released in September of 2006, is a landmark in the time line of funk rock in the modern era. The songs Original Fire
and Jewel of the Summertime are noted as having a heavy funk and soul sound. The album itself is described by guitarist Tom Morello
as "Earth, Wind and Fire meets Led Zeppelin". As of 2011, the album has been certified gold by the RIAA, selling over 500,000 copies in the U.S. alone. In 2009, The Supergroup Street Sweeper Social Club
released their debut album of the same name that infused the sound of mid-1990's Heavy funk rock with a brand of modern rapping, which created a unique sound. In 2010, the band released The Ghetto Blaster EP
that also retained a great influence of funk rock in sound and in the feel of the EP in general; with most notably the group's hit single Promenade
.
Fusion (music)
A fusion genre is music that combines two or more styles. For example, rock and roll originally developed as a fusion of blues, gospel and country music. The main characteristics of fusion genres are variations in tempo, rhythm, i a sometimes the use of long musical "journeys" that can be divided...
funk
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...
and rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
elements. Its earliest incarnation was heard in the late 1960s through the mid-1970s by acts such as the Jimi Hendrix Experience
The Jimi Hendrix Experience
The Jimi Hendrix Experience were an English-American psychedelic rock band that formed in London in October 1966. Comprising eponymous singer-songwriter and guitarist Jimi Hendrix, bassist and backing vocalist Noel Redding and drummer Mitch Mitchell, the band was active until June 1969, in which...
(last two albums), Eric Burdon and War, Trapeze
Trapeze (band)
Trapeze were an English rock band formed in March 1969, by vocalist John Jones and guitarist/keyboardist Terry Rowley , with guitarist Mel Galley, singer/bassist Glenn Hughes, and drummer Dave Holland...
, Parliament-Funkadelic
Parliament-Funkadelic
Parliament-Funkadelic is a funk, soul and rock music collective headed by George Clinton. Their style has been dubbed P-Funk. Collectively the group has existed under various names since the 1960s and has been known for top-notch musicianship, politically charged lyrics, outlandish concept albums...
, Betty Davis
Betty Davis
Betty Davis is an American funk, rock and soul singer. She was also Miles Davis's second wife.- Background :She worked as a model, appearing in photo spreads in Seventeen, Ebony and Glamour...
and Mother's Finest
Mother's Finest
Mother's Finest is a funk rock band founded in Atlanta, Georgia by Joyce Kennedy and Glenn Murdock in the early 1970s. The group charted with the singles "Fire" , "Baby Love" , "Don't Wanna Come Back" , "Love Changes" , and "Piece Of The Rock" in the mid to late 1970s.-History:Mother's Finest...
. The 1990s were known for acts such as Red Hot Chili Peppers
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Red Hot Chili Peppers is an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles in 1983. The group's musical style primarily consists of rock with an emphasis on funk, as well as elements from other genres such as punk, hip hop and psychedelic rock...
and Rage Against the Machine
Rage Against the Machine
Rage Against the Machine is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1991, the group's line-up consists of vocalist Zack de la Rocha, bassist and backing vocalist Tim Commerford, guitarist Tom Morello and drummer Brad Wilk...
. After over a period of time where the genre had died down in popularity, Audioslave
Audioslave
Audioslave was an American rock supergroup that formed in Los Angeles, California in 2001. It consisted of former Soundgarden lead singer/rhythm guitarist Chris Cornell and the former instrumentalists of Rage Against the Machine: Tom Morello , Tim Commerford and Brad Wilk...
revived the genre with the release of their 2006 album Revelations.
Characteristics
Funk rock is a fusion of funk and rock. Many instruments may be incorporated into the music, but the overall sound is defined by a definitive bassBass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
or drum
Drum
The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
beat and electric guitar
Electric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
s. The bass and drum rhythms are influenced by funk music but with more intensity, while the guitar can be funk-or-rock-influenced, usually with distortion
Distortion (guitar)
Distortion effects create "warm", "dirty" and "fuzzy" sounds by compressing the peaks of a musical instrument's sound wave and adding overtones. The three principal types of distortion effects are overdrive, distortion and fuzz. Distortion effects are sometimes called “gain” effects, as distorted...
, which is similar to overdrive or fuzz.
Funk rock acts of 1970s
Jimi HendrixJimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
was the first well-known recording artist to combine the rhythms and riffs of early funk
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...
to his rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
sound. Perhaps the earliest example is his song "Little Miss Lover" (1967). His live album Band of Gypsys
Band of Gypsys
Band of Gypsys was a blues rock band led by Jimi Hendrix and backed by Billy Cox and Buddy Miles. Hendrix formed the band after the dissolution of The Jimi Hendrix Experience. Band of Gypsys is also the band's eponymous live album recorded on two separate nights, 31 December 1969 and 1 January...
features funky riffs and rhythms throughout (especially the songs "Who Knows" and "Power of Soul") and his unfinished album
First Rays of the New Rising Sun
First Rays of the New Rising Sun is a "concept compilation" attempting to recreate the album Jimi Hendrix was working on at the time of his death in 1970, as closely as is feasible to how he would have wanted it...
also included a couple of funk-rock songs such as "Freedom", "Izabella" and "Straight Ahead".
George Clinton
George Clinton (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...
has been considered the godfather of this genre since 1970. Clinton created the name "P-Funk
P-Funk
P-Funk is a shorthand term for the repertoire and performers associated with George Clinton and the Parliament-Funkadelic collective and the distinctive style of funk music they performed...
" for the innovative new concepts of funk that he culled from former members of James Brown's band (such as Maceo Parker
Maceo Parker
Maceo Parker is an American funk and soul jazz saxophonist, best known for his work with James Brown in the 1960s, as well as Parliament-Funkadelic in the 1970s. Parker was a prominent soloist on many of Brown's hit recordings, and a key part of his band, playing alto, tenor and baritone saxophones...
and Bootsy Collins
Bootsy Collins
William Earl "Bootsy" Collins is an American funk bassist, singer, and songwriter.Rising to prominence with James Brown in the late 1960s, and with Parliament-Funkadelic in the '70s, Collins's driving bass guitar and humorous vocals established him as one of the leading names in funk...
) and new young players like the guitar hero that rivaled Hendrix named Eddie Hazel
Eddie Hazel
Edward Earl "Eddie" Hazel was a guitarist in early funk music in the United States who played lead guitar with Parliament-Funkadelic...
. His groups, 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:...
and 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:...
, practically defined funk since the release of the influential funk rock Funkadelic classic, Maggot Brain (1971). Later funk rock albums by the group include Cosmic Slop
Cosmic Slop
Cosmic Slop is the fifth studio album by Funkadelic, released in 1973 on Westbound Records. While it has been favorably reevaluated by critics long after its original release, the album was a commercial failure, producing no charting singles, and making only #112 on the Billboard albums...
, Standing on the Verge of Getting It On
Standing on the Verge of Getting It On
Standing on the Verge of Getting It On is the sixth studio album by Funkadelic, released on Westbound Records, released in 1974.On this album, the lyrics generally take a backseat to the music and the jamming. It is one of the most popular Funkadelic albums among fans, and considered an essential...
, Hardcore Jollies
Hardcore Jollies
Hardcore Jollies is the ninth studio album by the funk band Funkadelic, released on October 29, 1976 by Warner Bros. Records, their first album to be issued on a major label...
and Let's Take It to the Stage
Let's Take It to the Stage
Let's Take It to the Stage is the seventh album by American funk/soul/rock band Funkadelic. It was released in April 1975 on Westbound Records . Compared to most of the group's albums it features more short and to-the-point songs and fewer extended jam sessions. The "G...
. Later albums such as One Nation Under a Groove
One Nation Under a Groove
In Europe, the Bonus-EP was replaced by a bonus 12" 45rpm mini-album containing the 3 EP tracks on one side and an extended version of "One Nation Under a Groove" on the other.-Personnel:Funkadelic Main Invasion Force :...
and Electric Spanking of War Babies had a bit more radio-friendly sound but still preserved much of group's funk rock approach. This work served as the primary influence on an entire generation of funk and hip hop artists from the Red Hot Chili Peppers to Snoop Dogg.
Other pioneers of funk-rock evolved in the 1970s in the music of the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
rock-band Trapeze
Trapeze (band)
Trapeze were an English rock band formed in March 1969, by vocalist John Jones and guitarist/keyboardist Terry Rowley , with guitarist Mel Galley, singer/bassist Glenn Hughes, and drummer Dave Holland...
and American groups Shotgun, Mother's Finest
Mother's Finest
Mother's Finest is a funk rock band founded in Atlanta, Georgia by Joyce Kennedy and Glenn Murdock in the early 1970s. The group charted with the singles "Fire" , "Baby Love" , "Don't Wanna Come Back" , "Love Changes" , and "Piece Of The Rock" in the mid to late 1970s.-History:Mother's Finest...
and Black Nasty. Also singer-model Betty Davis
Betty Davis
Betty Davis is an American funk, rock and soul singer. She was also Miles Davis's second wife.- Background :She worked as a model, appearing in photo spreads in Seventeen, Ebony and Glamour...
recorded important funk rock albums. The funk rock acts were not favoured by R&B recording companies. For example guitarists of Chic
Chic (band)
Chic was an African American disco and R&B band that was organized during 1976 by guitarist Nile Rodgers and bassist Bernard Edwards. It is known best for its commercially successful disco songs, including "Dance, Dance, Dance " , "Everybody Dance" , "Le Freak" , "I Want Your Love" , "Good Times"...
wanted initially to record funk rock but they eventually became a disco act after being turned down by recording companies. Despite of its considerable influence to latter popular music, funk rock was not very visible phenomenon during the 1970s. Only few funk rock acts could be seen on record charts.
1980s
In the early 1980s Gang of FourGang of Four (band)
Gang of Four are an English post-punk group from Leeds. Original personnel were singer Jon King, guitarist Andy Gill, bass guitarist Dave Allen and drummer Hugo Burnham. They were fully active from 1977 to 1984, and then re-emerged twice in the 1990s with King and Gill...
, Iggy Pop
Iggy Pop
Iggy Pop is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Though considered an innovator of punk rock, Pop's music has encompassed a number of styles over the years, including pop, metal, jazz and blues...
in his LP The Idiot
The Idiot (album)
The Idiot is the debut solo album by American rock singer Iggy Pop. It was the first of two LPs released in 1977 which Pop wrote and recorded in collaboration with David Bowie...
, The Big Boys, Xavion (an Afro-American group whose Asylum/Mirage LP in 1984 predated the formation of Living Colour
Living Colour
Living Colour is an American rock band from New York City, formed in 1984. Stylistically, the band's music is a creative fusion influenced by free jazz, funk, neo-psychedelia, hard rock, and heavy metal...
) & Rick James
Rick James
James Ambrose Johnson, Jr. , better known by his stage name Rick James, was an American singer, songwriter, musician and record producer. James was a popular performer in the late 1970s and 1980s, scoring four number-one hits on the U.S. R&B charts performing in the genres of funk and R&B...
along with New Wave
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
mainstays Blondie
Blondie (band)
Blondie is an American rock band, founded by singer Deborah Harry and guitarist Chris Stein. The band was a pioneer in the early American New Wave and punk scenes of the mid-1970s...
and Talking Heads
Talking Heads
Talking Heads were an American New Wave and avant-garde band formed in 1975 in New York City and active until 1991. The band comprised David Byrne, Chris Frantz, Tina Weymouth and Jerry Harrison...
created their own sound mix of punk funk. One famous funk rock song of the period was "Another One Bites the Dust
Another One Bites the Dust
"Another One Bites the Dust" is a song by the English rock band Queen. Written by bass guitarist John Deacon, the song featured on the group's eighth studio album The Game . The song was a worldwide hit, charting number one on the United States Billboard Hot 100, number two on the R&B charts and...
" by British rock icons Queen
Queen (band)
Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...
. Also in the 1980s, a fusion genre probably best described as synth-funk (a combination of synthpop and funk) was prominent in some synthpop
Synthpop
Synthpop is a genre of popular music that first became prominent in the 1980s, in which the synthesizer is the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s and early 1970s by the use of synthesizers in progressive rock, electronic art rock, disco and particularly the "Kraut rock" of...
bands such as Scritti Politti
Scritti Politti
Scritti Politti are a British band, originally formed in 1977 in Leeds, Yorkshire, England. Although there have been various changes to the line-up, Cardiff-born singer-songwriter Green Gartside was the founding member of the band and the only member to have remained throughout the group's...
, a notable album being Cupid & Psyche 85
Cupid & Psyche 85
Cupid & Psyche 85 is the second album by the British new wave pop group Scritti Politti.It remains the band's most successful album, reaching No. 5 in the UK, and was certified Gold by the BPI for 100,000 copies sold. The album contained five singles, three of which were top 20 hits in the UK...
and also the british group Level 42
Level 42
Level 42 are an English pop rock and jazz-funk band who had a number of worldwide and UK hits during the 1980s and 1990s.The band gained fame for their high-calibre musicianship—in particular that of Mark King, whose percussive slap-bass guitar technique provided the driving groove of many of the...
.
The genre's representatives from the 1980s to present day include Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction is an American alternative rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1985. The band's original line-up featured Perry Farrell , Dave Navarro , Eric Avery and Stephen Perkins . After breaking up in 1991, Jane's Addiction briefly reunited in 1997 and again in 2001, both times...
, Fishbone
Fishbone
Fishbone is a U.S. alternative rock band formed in 1979 in Los Angeles, California, which plays a fusion of ska, punk rock, funk, hard rock and soul. Critics have noted of the band: "Fishbone was one of the most distinctive and eclectic alternative rock bands of the late '80s...
, Mr. Bungle
Mr. Bungle
Mr. Bungle was an experimental band from Northern California. The band was formed in 1985 while the members were still in high school and was named after a children's educational film. Mr. Bungle released four demo tapes in the mid to late 1980s before being signed to Warner Bros. Records and...
, Primus
Primus (band)
Primus is an American rock band based in San Francisco, California, currently composed of bassist/vocalist Les Claypool, guitarist Larry "Ler" LaLonde and drummer Jay Lane. Primus originally formed in 1984 with Claypool and guitarist Todd Huth, later joined by Lane, though the latter two departed...
, Living Colour
Living Colour
Living Colour is an American rock band from New York City, formed in 1984. Stylistically, the band's music is a creative fusion influenced by free jazz, funk, neo-psychedelia, hard rock, and heavy metal...
, Spin Doctors
Spin Doctors
Spin Doctors is an American alternative rock band formed in New York City, best known for their early 1990s hits, "Two Princes," and "Little Miss Can't Be Wrong," which peaked the Billboard Hot 100 charts at #7 & #17 respectively....
, as well as Prince
Prince (musician)
Prince Rogers Nelson , often known simply as Prince, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Prince has produced ten platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career. Prince founded his own recording studio and label; writing, self-producing and playing most, or all, of...
leading the way with spinoffs, The Time
The Time (band)
The Time is a funk and dance-pop ensemble formed in 1981. They are close Prince associates and arguably the most successful artists who have worked with him.-Prince, Formation and Success:...
, and one hit wonders, Mazarati
Mazarati
Mazarati was an American R&B band formed in the mid-1980s by former Prince and The Revolution bassist Brown Mark. Originally hailing from Minneapolis, they are now defunct as a group. The band's sole hit was a song called "100 MPH", which was written and co-produced by Prince.-Debut at Paisley...
, who all have created, expanded and defined the funk rock style.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Red Hot Chili Peppers is an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles in 1983. The group's musical style primarily consists of rock with an emphasis on funk, as well as elements from other genres such as punk, hip hop and psychedelic rock...
's second
Freaky Styley
Freaky Styley is the second studio album by American funk rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, released on August 16, 1985 on EMI America. The album name holds its origins in a commonly used phrase in the 80's to describe anything as being "freaky styley". Freaky Styley marks founding guitarist Hillel...
and third
The Uplift Mofo Party Plan
The Uplift Mofo Party Plan is the third studio album by American funk rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, released on September 29, 1987 on EMI America Records...
albums (which were released 1985 and 1987 respectively, and featured guitarist Hillel Slovak
Hillel Slovak
Hillel Slovak was an Israeli-American musician best known as the original guitarist and founding member of the Los Angeles rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers...
) are seen by many fans as the more funk-oriented albums of their collection. This is often characterized by a driving bass-line which is played over a sparse guitar track occasionally punctuated by metal-like riffs and solos (such as the solo in the middle of "Backwoods
The Uplift Mofo Party Plan
The Uplift Mofo Party Plan is the third studio album by American funk rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, released on September 29, 1987 on EMI America Records...
").
1990s
In the early 1990s, several bands combined funky rhythms with heavy metal guitar sounds, resulting in "funk metalFunk metal
Funk metal is a subgenre of funk rock that fuses elements of heavy metal and funk. Allmusic has claimed that "funk metal evolved in the mid-'80s when alternative bands like the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Faith No More, Infectious Grooves, Mordred and Fishbone began playing the hybrid with a stronger...
", where the emphasis is in using much heavier distorted guitar sounds in the mix. Funk rock employs more of a lighter, "crunchier" distorted guitar sound, and the musical emphasis tends to be more beat-driven with prominent bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
lines; more rhythmic in the R&B sense. One of the best examples of the fusion can be heard on the critically acclaimed Blood Sugar Sex Magik
Blood Sugar Sex Magik
Blood Sugar Sex Magik is the fifth studio album by American rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, released on September 24, 1991. Produced by Rick Rubin, it was the band's first record released on Warner Bros. Records...
album, released in 1991 by the Red Hot Chili Peppers
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Red Hot Chili Peppers is an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles in 1983. The group's musical style primarily consists of rock with an emphasis on funk, as well as elements from other genres such as punk, hip hop and psychedelic rock...
. Other notable 1990's artists in the funk-rock genre, although not widely-known in North America, include guitarist Stevie Salas
Stevie Salas
Stevie Salas is a guitarist known for his work on George Clinton's albums, his collaborations with Koshi Inaba of B'z, and Hardware. He was in Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure, providing the fingerwork for George Carlin's guitar solo....
and funk-metal bassist TM Stevens. The latter's 1995 album Boom! is an excellent example of bass-heavy songs mixed with rhythmic guitar riffs.
Lenny Kravitz
Lenny Kravitz
Leonard Albert "Lenny" Kravitz is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and arranger, whose "retro" style incorporates elements of rock, soul, R&B, funk, reggae, hard rock, psychedelic, folk and ballads...
is one of the most prominent musicians today in the fusion of rock riffs and funk rhythms, as exampled in tracks such as "Tunnel Vision," "Always on the Run
Always on the Run
"Always on the Run" is the first single released from Mama Said by Lenny Kravitz. It features a notable collaboration by former Guns N' Roses guitarist, Slash...
," and "American Woman
American Woman (song)
"American Woman" is a song by Canadian rock band The Guess Who, first released in January 1970 on the album of the same name and later in March as a single, which reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song has been covered by many rock artists, including Lenny Kravitz, Krokus, and The Butthole...
." Incubus
Incubus (band)
Incubus is an American rock band from Calabasas, California. The band was formed in 1991 by vocalist Brandon Boyd, lead guitarist Mike Einziger, and drummer Jose Pasillas while enrolled in high school and later expanded to include bassist Alex "Dirk Lance" Katunich, and Gavin "DJ Lyfe" Koppell;...
has dabbled in the genre as well with albums such as Fungus Amongus
Fungus Amongus
-Personnel:* Brandon Boyd – Vocals, Percussion* Mike Einziger – Guitar, Keyboards, Samples* Dirk Lance – Bass, Vocals* Jose Pasillas – Drums...
and S.C.I.E.N.C.E.
S.C.I.E.N.C.E.
S.C.I.E.N.C.E. is the second album by American rock band Incubus, released on September 9, 1997. The album was certified Gold by the RIAA. It has been mentioned by lead singer Brandon Boyd that the acronym S.C.I.E.N.C.E...
During the making of his acclaimed studio album Voodoo (2000), neo soul
Neo soul
The term neo soul was originally coined by Kedar Massenburg of Motown Records in the late 1990s as a marketing category following the commercial breakthroughs of artists such as D'Angelo, Erykah Badu, Lauryn Hill, and Maxwell...
musician D'Angelo
D'Angelo
Michael Eugene Archer , better known by his stage name D'Angelo, is an American R&B and neo soul singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and record producer. He is known for his production and songwriting talents as much as for his vocal abilities, and often draws comparisons to his influences,...
was influenced by the funk rock sound of P-Funk
P-Funk
P-Funk is a shorthand term for the repertoire and performers associated with George Clinton and the Parliament-Funkadelic collective and the distinctive style of funk music they performed...
, Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
and other such artists, while his hit single "Untitled (How Does It Feel)
Untitled (How Does It Feel)
"Untitled " is a song by American R&B and neo soul musician D'Angelo, released January 1, 2000 on Virgin Records in the United States. It was issued as a radio single in promotion of his second studio album, Voodoo . Written and produced by D'Angelo and Raphael Saadiq, the song was originally...
" has been noted by critics for containing elements of and similarity to the "Maggot Brain
Maggot Brain
Maggot Brain is the third studio album by the American funk band Funkadelic, released in 1971 on Westbound Records. The album incorporates musical elements of psychedelia, rock, gospel, and soul music, with significant variation between each track. Pitchfork Media named it the seventeenth best...
" sound of 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:...
. Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction is an American alternative rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1985. The band's original line-up featured Perry Farrell , Dave Navarro , Eric Avery and Stephen Perkins . After breaking up in 1991, Jane's Addiction briefly reunited in 1997 and again in 2001, both times...
have included many funk based routines in tracks. Furthermore, Slipknot
Slipknot (band)
Slipknot is an American heavy metal band from Des Moines, Iowa. Formed in 1995, the group was founded by percussionist Shawn Crahan and bassist Paul Gray...
had a funk rock sound in their early days, with tracks like "Bitchslap" and "Confessions" (both from Mate. Feed. Kill. Repeat.); Korn
Korn
Korn is an American nu metal band from Bakersfield, California, formed in 1993. The current band line up includes four members: Jonathan Davis, James "Munky" Shaffer, Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu, and Ray Luzier. The band was formed as an expansion of L.A.P.D.The band released their first demo album,...
and Limp Bizkit
Limp Bizkit
Limp Bizkit is an American rock band from Jacksonville, Florida. Formed in 1995, the group's lineup consists of Fred Durst , Wes Borland , Sam Rivers , John Otto and DJ Lethal . The band achieved mainstream success with their second studio album Significant Other, released in 1999...
also have a funk metal sound, as well. Irish band Republic of Loose
Republic of Loose
Republic of Loose are an Irish funk rock band from Dublin. Formed in 2001, the band currently consists of lead vocalist Mick Pyro, bass guitarist and vocalist Benjamin Loose, keyboardist Darragh, guitarists and vocalists Dave Pyro and Darach O' Laoire and drummers and percussionists Andre Lopes...
are also noted for their funk rock sound which has earned them several awards and critical acclaim.
2000s and 2010s
The famous, now defunct, alt rock supergroupSupergroup (music)
In the late 1960s, the term supergroup was coined to describe "a rock music group whose performers are already famous from having performed individually or in other groups"....
Audioslave
Audioslave
Audioslave was an American rock supergroup that formed in Los Angeles, California in 2001. It consisted of former Soundgarden lead singer/rhythm guitarist Chris Cornell and the former instrumentalists of Rage Against the Machine: Tom Morello , Tim Commerford and Brad Wilk...
's third and final album Revelations released in September of 2006, is a landmark in the time line of funk rock in the modern era. The songs Original Fire
Original Fire
"Original Fire" is the first single from the album Revelations by American hard rock band Audioslave. The song debuted on radio stations on July 17, 2006 and the single itself was released on August 28, 2006....
and Jewel of the Summertime are noted as having a heavy funk and soul sound. The album itself is described by guitarist Tom Morello
Tom Morello
Thomas Baptiste "Tom" Morello is a Grammy Award-winning American guitarist best known for his tenure with the bands Rage Against the Machine, Audioslave, his acoustic solo act The Nightwatchman, and his newest group, Street Sweeper Social Club...
as "Earth, Wind and Fire meets Led Zeppelin". As of 2011, the album has been certified gold by the RIAA, selling over 500,000 copies in the U.S. alone. In 2009, The Supergroup Street Sweeper Social Club
Street Sweeper Social Club
Street Sweeper Social Club is an American Rap Rock supergroup, formed in Los Angeles, California in 2006. The band primarily consists of guitarist Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine and vocalist/emcee Boots Riley of The Coup. The band has been testing songs out during Tom Morello's...
released their debut album of the same name that infused the sound of mid-1990's Heavy funk rock with a brand of modern rapping, which created a unique sound. In 2010, the band released The Ghetto Blaster EP
The Ghetto Blaster EP
The Ghetto Blaster EP is the first EP from the rap rock supergroup Street Sweeper Social Club, released on August 10, 2010. It features covers of "Paper Planes" by M.I.A. and "Mama Said Knock You Out" by LL Cool J as well a remix of the band's second single "Promenade." They also cover The Coup...
that also retained a great influence of funk rock in sound and in the feel of the EP in general; with most notably the group's hit single Promenade
Promenade (Street Sweeper Social Club song)
Promenade is the second single by rap rock supergroup Street Sweeper Social Club from their debut self-titled album. The version that was released as a single differs from that on the album, the original version on the album is 2:31 in length where as the extended version is 3:40 in length...
.