Legendary Parliament-Funkadelic keyboardist Bernie Worrell joins Joe Kelley in this archival conversation originally recorded in 2000 on Upper Room with Joe Kelley at WVOF 88.5 FM.

Worrell reflects on creating the groundbreaking P-Funk sound with George Clinton, Bootsy Collins and the Parliament-Funkadelic family. He talks about reconnecting and recording with George Clinton, working on music with Bootsy, and how the classic Parliament and Funkadelic recordings came together.

Bernie also discusses the Woo Warriors, Talking Heads, Tom Tom Club, Gov't Mule, his solo work, producing other artists and his life as a constantly working musician.

A revealing conversation with one of funk's most innovative and influential musicians, preserved in the Musicians Reveal archives.

Originally recorded in 2000 for Upper Room with Joe Kelley on WVOF 88.5 FM in Fairfield, Connecticut.

88.5 WVOF in Fairfield.

That is music from Mr. Mark Reebo coming out of downtown New York.

He played a couple dates down in Manhattan last week.

And Mark Rebo I happened to catch in New York and Montreal.

He was in Montreal playing Modeski, Martin and Wood and also solo to rave reviews.

And I know the brother who is going to be our special guest in a few moments is into Latin and Cuban music.

Maybe we'll touch on that.

But he is a real nice kid.

Guy, a friend here, always here to the upper room.

A true musical genius, keyboardist extraordinaire.

And he is the co founder and music director of the original Parliament Funkadelic.

His funk jams are legendary and people have been sampling this man's sounds and his partner sounds for years and years.

He's also played keyboards for the Talking Heads and they toured one of their tours.

Stop Making Sense was filmed and that is one of the top live concert films in rock and roll history.

He is the leader of one of the funkiest bands of the land.

They are Bernie Worrell and the Woo Warriors.

Bernie has been in the WVOF studios and he is a member of the Rock and Roll hall of Fame.

And right now we are going to say hello to a good friend.

How you doing, Bernie?

How you doing?

Yeah, pleasure to.

What's up man?

Hey, pleasure to talk with you again.

And I know you've been rather busy.

Yeah, you get you getting your bearings straight at home?

Just this is my first day home.

Oh, first day.

Yeah.

Where were you this past couple weeks?

Well, for the last month I was in Tallahassee, Florida with.

At George Clinton's house and at his studio in Monticello, Florida working on some of his projects.

And then I hit the road with him for eight dates as special guest.

That's right, which we will be doing just spotily.

I won't be with them all the time.

I'm back, but not back.

Okay.

And then we had woowah days in between.

And then I went to Lexington, Kentucky to produce a group called Catawampus who's opened for the Woo warriors in the past, co producing the album.

And then I had more Woo Warrior dates.

Then I went to San Francisco to co produce a group that's opened for us in the past named Vinyl.

And then back from there more Wuwori Day, which was just this past weekend in Buffalo, New York and Rochester and got home last night.

And you're resting up for.

You got a busy schedule coming up as well.

You're coming to this area, South Norwalk on Saturday, headlining the Sono Arts Celebration.

And it's gonna be real nice to see the Woo warriors and Bernie Worrell live and throwing down the funk and roll.

Right?

Yes.

We are welcoming everyone to come and join us and enter into the Wooniverse.

Right, the Wooniverse.

Wonderful, wonderfully woofully time.

You know, Bernie, I went on this weekend, I went into one of those record buying sprees and getting CDs of the old Funkadelic and Parliament stuff.

Yeah.

You know, that I have on vinyl.

Wanted to get the cd and I was listening to it and I was saying that you guys put together some of the stuff that no one else has come up with that sound, you know, and you were doing stuff that no one was making at the time, right?

Yes.

What was going on back in those days?

Just poking around for fun.

Yeah, that's right.

Just, you know, whatever come to come to whatever was channeled to us, we just hit it, go hit it and quit it.

And did you know, you know, back in, in those Jersey days and, and that this was something special as far as creating the music.

Say again?

Can you talk a little louder?

Did you know that when you were putting together these jams with Bootsy and all the folks that you, you had something special, no one else was doing it?

Well, we knew that we were different.

Uh huh.

Not necessarily special, but I guess the fans made us special in the future, you know, after that.

But we were just, like I said, funking around for fun and doing what we like to do.

And all the while the sound and the style was being created.

But we didn't know that at the time, you know, we were just playing.

And your music, you know, people look up to you as a musician and you have just kept it going strong with the Woo warriors and no stopping you, you're as vibrant as ever.

Yeah, yeah.

I just turned 56 this past April.

You couldn't tell, but the music you're putting out, right?

Pardon?

You couldn't tell by that schedule and the music that you're putting out.

Oh, well, I gotta do what I gotta do.

You know, you gotta make the money when you cash.

Yeah.

And you know I got a CD from Stir Fried.

Right.

And you're on that too.

Yeah, yeah.

Good friends of mine.

Yeah, good friend.

Stir Fried.

And you're on track number three.

I forgot the name of that one, but it's on their new cd.

Stir Fried.

Bernie Tinkling on the Funk.

Right?

Yeah, yeah.

How'd you hook up with Stir Fried?

Oh, I remember we played this club.

I forget the name of the club in.

Where was it?

Somewhere in Jersey.

It's like a Mexican type club and restaurant.

And one of the waitresses there was girlfriend of one of the guys from Stir Fry.

Okay.

And she hooked it up with Judy, my manager.

Oh, okay.

And by the way, the two are.

Coming, you know, to see if I could play on their next project.

And it worked out that I could.

You know, that happens often because I sent out the.

The press release that you're gonna be on.

Right.

And somebody emails me and they want.

They want to do a collaboration with you.

So do a collaboration.

Yeah, some guy, real top blues guy out in Vermont.

I'll hook you up with a cd.

But he, you know, they're like, hey, you know, I'd love to do something with Bernie.

So.

Really from.

They're from Burlington, Vermont, actually, so.

Oh, okay.

They publish.

Seen us when we played.

Yeah.

At the Higher Ground, I think.

Yeah, yeah, they seen you up there.

I know.

You're gonna be up there in upcoming weeks, right?

Yes.

I don't know when.

Yeah.

Well, we'll get into right now.

We're gonna come back and talk with you.

Find out the latest with Mr. Bernie Worrell, the wizard of Woo.

And he's playing live, folks, in South Norwalk, Connecticut, historic downtown South Norwalk, this Saturday.

And they got you going on stage about 10, 15.

Okay.

I don't know any particulars yet, but you just told me.

Okay.

Yeah.

So people get there early because the two days are gonna be about 30 bands on five different stages.

And Bernie Worrell is the.

The main act, the spotlighted act on Saturday.

And he'll bring his Woo Warriors.

The band is always tight.

We'll be listening to some of the Woo warriors live later on in the program.

But right now, let's get off with something from Free Agent, A Space Odyssey.

And this is your solo cd, Right.

One of Them, One of the Many and Warriors off to Woo.

Right, right.

What was going on in the studio then?

I've got to remember that was done at some of overdubs at Bill Laswell's studio.

That's when he was at Greenpoint Studio in Brooklyn.

Oh, okay.

Well, it was just like a war song, you know, for the troops to sing as they're marching off to war.

Is it in the live act?

Pardon?

You play it live?

We used to.

I don't anymore.

Because.

It really didn't fit into what we're like doing now.

It was like a different type of.

Type of a thing.

Right.

But it's still good.

Well, thank you.

Yeah.

And why don't we give it a listen right now?

We'll come back to talk with Bernie.

Bernie Worrell, free agent of Space Odyssey.

This is called warriors off to woo.

That is Mr. Bernie Worrell.

Warriors off to Woo.

Right here, Joe Kelly in the Upper room.

And we are pleased to have Bernie Worrell once again here on the upper room.

Bernie, I want to thank you personally from way back in.

You were kind enough to come up to the studios here and bring your keyboards and play.

And that was a real nice time.

Yeah, that was.

That was fun.

And then you guys surprised me with Chris and Tina.

Yeah, you know.

You know, Judy hooked us up real nice with that, but, yeah, it's nice to see Chris and Tina, your good friends from the Talking Heads days.

Right.

And Tom.

Tom Club.

Tom Tom Club.

And also playing on one track of their new cd.

Yeah, that's right.

In fact, I believe it's holy Water, right?

Yes.

Yeah, they do it live.

I saw him a couple weeks ago.

Yeah, Steve Scales there.

He was there.

Yeah.

He was going off.

He was dancing, singing.

Yeah, Playing percussion.

He was.

He.

He put on a great show, too.

Yes.

Yeah, they have a real nice band.

A lot of percussion going on there.

Oh, that's.

That's.

That's his specialty.

Yep.

So, you know, you've got the.

The Woo warriors together.

And you've been hard at work in the studio with them off and on.

But talk a bit about who you have in the live band with you, the Woo Warriors.

Well, there's my musical director and band leader, Michael Moon Rubin.

On guitar from Jersey, a new female vocalist, Rachel Webster, originally from Michigan, but she's out of Jersey now.

On second keyboards is Greg Daffy Duck Fitzgerald, who people probably have seen.

I brought him to Bootsy Collins.

Rubber Band.

New rubber band.

On drums is a new drummer, Gary Sullivan from Brooklyn, New York.

And on bass is Donna McPherson from East Orange, New Jersey.

So you're working pretty hard on stage.

Pardon?

You're working pretty hard on stage.

We have a lot of fun.

We always working hard, you know.

Yeah, it's not all fun and games on the road, but we hit the stage, becomes fun.

Yeah.

And we.

We should mention, once again, a free concert, and that's this Saturday over in South Noah, Connecticut.

Just about 10 minutes away from the studio here.

You'll be performing live with the Woo warriors and doing some nice publicity to have your picture all over the papers here.

That's good.

Yeah, I like that, that promo photo.

You got.

That's a nice one.

Which one?

You got the funk sign and everything.

Oh, yeah.

Okay.

Yeah, so I just caught that in the papers.

That's real nice.

Thank you.

Now your musical be played.

I'm sitting in with Warren Haynes and Government Mule Unplugged at Waterloo Village.

I think it's.

Oh, man, I'm not sure the date receive it.

The 9th or the.

Sometime this week or next week.

I'm just getting all the rules.

I. I gotta catch up on everything that.

That was.

That's Waterloo Village in Hacketstown, New Jersey.

It's an outdoor or outdoor type thing.

And you're on their.

Their live album, which was their album a couple.

A couple years ago, right?

Yes.

Yeah.

They're still playing live.

Real great, right?

Oh, man, fantastic.

Yeah.

Now, you mentioned going down south down in Florida, working with George again, right?

Right.

Yeah.

What was going on in the studios there?

What were y' all working on?

A bunch of things.

Huh.

His.

His son Tracy, who they call Trey Lewd.

Right.

He's working on.

On some things on his solo album.

And then there's a project.

One of the guys, one of the youngsters down there is a jazz fanatic, but he does rap also.

So I laid some keyboards down on some of his tracks and just basically picking and choosing which.

You know, as I listen to different projects, there's about at least three or four projects going on at once down there.

Kind of reminiscent about the old days, right?

Yeah.

And it was nice.

Nice.

Kind of humid down in Monticello, Florida.

You don't want to move there anytime soon, right?

No, not that part.

Right.

But it was nice to go down there and get away, come back.

So basically I was just, you know, spending time with George and getting that situation tightened up again and see what happens from there.

Now, is that how the.

You guys already talked to going on tour together, whether you were featured as the special guest down there or you that went back a little ways?

Well, George contacted Judy and he talked it over, and it's part of the process of the Woo warriors opening for Parliament Funkadelic or P. Funk All Stars, depending on what George is going to call it and what day.

You never know.

Yeah.

That's amazing.

There's a different name for every show, right?

Yes.

Don't ask me what that is.

I don't know.

That's George Clinton.

That's all I can say.

And so that's maybe you could say a prelude to what's to come.

Right.

And you got some big things.

You know, everybody I know we asked back in last October about what's in the can already, about a new P Funk album, Right?

Yeah.

Any.

Any more progress on that?

All of those tracks are cut.

He's in.

He's in litigation with Mammoth Records where it was first supposed to come out.

Okay.

So I don't know what's.

I don't know what the deal is now.

Did you make sure he has tracks?

I was gonna ask you down in Florida.

You make sure he had all.

All the.

All the tracks all set up.

Things weren't all over the place.

Things are all over the place.

So you know what?

Today might be going on Parliament album.

Right.

Tomorrow it might be on Funkadelic album.

Next day, it might be somewhere else.

Now, when you guys were recording, was it always like that, or.

You were the one who brought it all together as far as that, the chaos and funk.

I kind of brought it together myself and Bootsy.

Right.

But still, in the end, we wouldn't.

This George's call to where, you know, we talk about things, but George.

It was George's call to say which album is gonna go on, whether it be Parliament or Funkadelic.

How's Bootsy doing it?

Attractive.

They'd have to negotiate that.

Or horny horns.

George would pretty much say.

Right.

How is Bootsy doing, by the way?

I just started working on Bootsy's new CD about two months ago in Cincinnati.

He's on Warner Brothers in Germany.

Okay.

And all I can tell you is we cut two tracks, two different tracks of Axis Boulders Is Love, one unplugged and one electric.

And so I don't know.

Well, it was just me and drums on it so far.

Had about 3, 4 keyboard overdubs per each style.

And I know he's going to be putting other people on it.

Haven't been back there yet since I, you know, did the initial.

And that's all I can tell you about that until I get back, you know, and see what else he asked for me to do.

It'd be nice to see Bootsy and you do some dates together.

Pardon?

It'd be nice to see you and Bootsy doing some date.

Live dates together.

Yeah.

Well, Bootsy's not gonna go out unless it's really worth it.

Yeah.

That's the studio thing.

It's too hectic.

Rear Amber.

We're older now.

Yeah.

You know, and he's just as happy being home in the studio.

But we're gonna listen right now.

Bernie, something you did with the Woo warriors.

And this was recorded over at The Knitting Factory a few years ago.

You'll be back at the knitting factory also August 19th.

Yeah, that's right.

And a lot of people talking about that show August 19th down in New York City at the Knitting Factory.

Right, right.

And some of the members.

Greg Fitz is on there.

Donna McPherson.

Yes.

And I gotta give you compliments, Bernie.

Thumpasaurus.

You give it the extra juice.

The Woo Warriors, I think it's better than the original.

Thank you.

Which you had your hands in already.

But with the Woo warriors, you give it that extra, extra funk.

Why don't we listen to it now?

And if you got time, Bernie, we'll come back and talk a little more.

Okay?

Okay.

This is Bernie Worrell and the Woo warriors live at the Nitty Factory in New York City.

Thumpasaurus.

And I hate to interrupt a live performance by a true musical genius, Mr. Bernie Worrell.

That is him live from the Ninny Factory a few years ago in New York City, which he'll be playing, by the way, August 19th and get out to see Bernie Worrell and the Woo Woo or Warriors, live.

And this Saturday, Bernie Worrell will be appearing live in South Norwalk.

Bernie, looking forward to that date.

I love playing outdoors and I love playing college towns and college for all the college kids.

That's, I think, one of my most enjoyable venues.

Outdoors and colleges.

Yeah, you'll be playing there.

Connecticut is a wonderful, woefully Fair Haven state.

You got it all.

You know, we're gonna represent for the funk, and we always love having you in this area and people listening on the Internet, where Bernie will be playing on Saturday, August 5, the historic downtown South Nowak at the Sono Arts Celebration.

And it's only about, I'd say, about 50 minutes away from New York City, so not too far away for folks to come down and leave the city for some nice fresh air.

Nice fresh air.

Yeah.

And you got fresh air where you are and looking forward to seeing you play live.

Right?

Yeah.

So what do you got on the.

The upcoming Burner, as far as.

We talked briefly about your production, a couple new groups.

But what's going on with the Woo warriors in the studio right now?

Everything is cut.

And I'm waiting to get back in.

We have rough mixes.

I'm waiting to get back in to do final mixes and do the, you know, the lineup of the songs.

And from there, we'll be shopping a deal and also putting it out ourselves.

Right on, you know, on the Internet and selling it at shows.

Oh, you got to get the artwork and all that stuff.

And don't forget, don't forget Saturday, folks, to pick up Bernie CDs at the gig.

I know Judy will have everything correct, Right, right.

T shirts, T shirts.

You get those little stickers, the Woo CDs.

Yeah.

So everybody's gonna have a good time, right?

Yes.

I want to invite everybody into the Wooniverse and come and get rid of some of that stress.

Come and dance and help keep the funk alive.

And you've been keeping the funk alive from those early days down in New Jersey and hanging out at the barbershop with George Clinton.

Right?

Right.

Yeah.

You don't let him cut your hair anymore, right?

No, no, no.

I have a baldy now anyway.

Oh, you shaved?

Yes, yes.

I finally was.

Convinced him to get into Bali.

Oh, okay.

Who convinced you?

Judy.

Judy and some couple friends.

Oh, okay.

My son.

Huh?

I didn't do it for about two.

They're trying to get me to do it for the last two, three years.

I finally did it.

It's okay if it just itches.

You gotta do it.

It's cold in the wintertime.

Right, right.

And you're gonna break out some cool hats, right?

Oh, yeah.

I got a couple new things.

Huh?

Yeah.

You.

When you came down to the studio here, folks, Bernie Worrell is a fine dresser.

I gotta compliment you on your style.

Thank you.

Yeah, I'm trying.

Yeah, you're trying.

Trying to hang in with them, with the youngsters, you know.

Yeah.

Bernie had on those.

They were like the leather pants.

Yeah, yeah.

And you had the.

The reggae hat going on, guy.

Yeah.

Where you do your shopping at?

Oh, a lot of people make my hats.

Oh, do they?

Yeah.

And shopping.

Well, I haven't been shopping in a while.

Right.

I gotta go shopping, matter of fact.

Huh.

But you see, all over, you know, if I'm in Japan, I get something.

Or Europe.

The leather pants are from Germany.

From motorcycle shop.

Oh, all right.

It was off season there, and it was a great sale.

So I learned from my mother, get catch sales.

Save some money.

Save some money.

Right, right.

And how'd you like the VH1 documentary they did on you guys?

Oh, that was great.

Yeah.

They came to my house and shot my portion, and they're very nice people, and it was good.

And as folks know, Bernie Worrell tells it straight up, as you can tell from the interview.

Right, right.

I just try to tell the truth about situations and try to steer people the right way.

Right.

And, you know, I know you.

You help a lot of Younger artists and tell them about the music business, working with them, you know, Stir fried government mule and Chris and Tina of the Tom's Home Club and.

Right.

You know, Bernie, you ever amaze yourself when you sit back and think about everything you've done so far?

No.

Try not to think about it.

No, it's too much to think about.

Right.

You just move on to the.

I just go fishing and stuff.

Right.

Oh, you like fishing?

Oh, yeah.

Huh.

There's a river, right, that must connect on river.

Right across the street from our property.

Oh, okay.

That's one of your hobbies, right?

Yes.

Now, before we horseback riding.

I don't get to go horseback riding.

As a matter of fact, I haven't been in a long time.

They had it set up for me the last couple weeks when I was in Kentucky and Frisco area.

But, you know, just.

You get in the studio and then there's no time.

Yeah, but by the time you finish, you're tired.

What?

Not now.

I want to ask you real briefly before we get into one of the live cuts, before we say goodbye, If.

If you think of any current bands you've been grooving to lately, want to let some people know about some up and coming funksters.

You got anybody in mind?

Any up and coming groups that you want to let people know about you, you're.

You're getting into lately.

Yeah, if I could.

I haven't, you know, I'm not up on all the new stuff that's out there.

And I listen to oldie stations.

I listen to reggae or oldie stations and so.