Eddie Hazel (April 10, 1950 – December 23, 1992) was a pioneering and influ… Read Full Bio ↴Eddie Hazel (April 10, 1950 – December 23, 1992) was a pioneering and influential guitarist in early funk music in the United States, most famous for his lead guitar work with George Clinton and Funkadelic.
In 1967, The Parliaments (a Plainfield-based doo wop band headed by George Clinton) hit the charts with "I Wanna Testify". Clinton recruited a backing band for a tour, hiring Billy "Bass" Nelson. Eddie was in Newark, New Jersey working with George Blackwell and couldn't be reached. After Nelson returned from the tour, he tried to recruit Eddie. His mother at first vetoed the idea (since Eddie was only seventeen), but Clinton and Nelson worked together to change her mind.
In the fall of 1967, The Parliaments went on tour with both Nelson and Hazel. In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Hazel met and befriended Tiki Fulwood, who quickly replaced The Parliaments' drummer. Nelson, Hazel and Fulwood became the backbone of Funkadelic, which was originally the backup band for The Parliaments, only to later become an independent touring group when legal difficulties forced the group to (temporarily) abandon the name "Parliaments".
The doo wop of The Parliaments quickly began morphing into the soul-inflected hard rock of Funkadelic, influenced as much by Jimi Hendrix as Frankie Lymon. The switch to Funkadelic was complete with the addition of Tawl Ross and Bernie Worrell (rhythm guitar and keyboards, respectively). Funkadelic (1970), Free Your Mind... And Your Ass Will Follow (1970) and Maggot Brain (1971) were the first three albums, released in a mere two years.
Maggot Brain is perhaps the definitive musical statement by Funkadelic, and the titular track's ten-minute guitar solo is Eddie Hazel's defining moment, and the one piece of music for which he has remained a legend. Perhaps apocryphally, George Clinton told Hazel, during the recording session, to "play like your momma just died" and the result was the epic sounds of Hazel's guitar. The term, "Maggot Brain," refers both to Hazel's incredible intake of various drugs, as well as a mode of thinking which allows one to rise above the "bullshit" of the world, which is inhabited by maggots who have not yet achieved the status of Maggot Brain (see P Funk mythology).
In 1967, The Parliaments (a Plainfield-based doo wop band headed by George Clinton) hit the charts with "I Wanna Testify". Clinton recruited a backing band for a tour, hiring Billy "Bass" Nelson. Eddie was in Newark, New Jersey working with George Blackwell and couldn't be reached. After Nelson returned from the tour, he tried to recruit Eddie. His mother at first vetoed the idea (since Eddie was only seventeen), but Clinton and Nelson worked together to change her mind.
In the fall of 1967, The Parliaments went on tour with both Nelson and Hazel. In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Hazel met and befriended Tiki Fulwood, who quickly replaced The Parliaments' drummer. Nelson, Hazel and Fulwood became the backbone of Funkadelic, which was originally the backup band for The Parliaments, only to later become an independent touring group when legal difficulties forced the group to (temporarily) abandon the name "Parliaments".
The doo wop of The Parliaments quickly began morphing into the soul-inflected hard rock of Funkadelic, influenced as much by Jimi Hendrix as Frankie Lymon. The switch to Funkadelic was complete with the addition of Tawl Ross and Bernie Worrell (rhythm guitar and keyboards, respectively). Funkadelic (1970), Free Your Mind... And Your Ass Will Follow (1970) and Maggot Brain (1971) were the first three albums, released in a mere two years.
Maggot Brain is perhaps the definitive musical statement by Funkadelic, and the titular track's ten-minute guitar solo is Eddie Hazel's defining moment, and the one piece of music for which he has remained a legend. Perhaps apocryphally, George Clinton told Hazel, during the recording session, to "play like your momma just died" and the result was the epic sounds of Hazel's guitar. The term, "Maggot Brain," refers both to Hazel's incredible intake of various drugs, as well as a mode of thinking which allows one to rise above the "bullshit" of the world, which is inhabited by maggots who have not yet achieved the status of Maggot Brain (see P Funk mythology).
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Eddie Hazel Lyrics
We have lyrics for these tracks by Eddie Hazel:
California Dreamin' all the leaves are brown and the sky is grey I've been…
Frantic Moment Where did I go wrong Trying to be strong I should’ve given…
From The Bottom Of My Soul Said I want to sing this song for you; cnd with…
I Want You I want you I want you so bad I want you I want…
I Want You (She's So Heavy) I want you I want you so bad I want you I want…
So Goes the Story When her head was on tight she was anything that…
We Three Every Sunday I will go down to the bar And leave…
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
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Richy Doopree
Eddie is still the best. We miss you greatly. Pure, legendary, funky Mo Fo!!!
Adam Chafetz
The most underrated guitar play....ever!!!
TheFuzzHeadKing
He's the reason I play guitar!!!!!
Jordan Rodgers
Me too
Javarius Hodges
He's the reason I want to learn how to play
Beck Sims
Bro facts. I wanted to play for a long time but when I discovered Funkadelic in August, I made sure I got a guitar for Christmas, and now I am learning and play all the time
sonand sanford
He's the reason I air guitar 🎸 😁
BluesGypsy
this music is what influenced Jeff Beck & Tommy Bolin to promote 'n' produce funk fusion recordings that became very popular- they were simply better self-promoters than Eddie Hazel- who was too busy creating this beauty to care much about self-promotion... he was already in a success-full band. Eddie stands next to Jimi as one of the true pioneers of "Electric Church" which changed our lives forever for better !!!
Porno Carpa
I love you Eddie you're the best Funky Guitarist in the history!
Allen C.
A funk/ blues master