When one mentions P-Funk, two names come to mind. The first is of course Dr. Funkenstien himself. But a very close second is this guy: William Earl Collins, better known to the world of music as Bootsy Collins (born October 26, 1951 in Cincinnati, Ohio).
Along with his brother, the late Catfish Collins, Bootsy got his musical start in the band The Pacemakers, who quickly found themselves the new backing band for James Brown after his original band quit over a dispute in pay. During this time, he had the dubious honor of getting the normally straight edge James Brown high for the first time, when Brown pilfered a drunk that had a very potent strain of crushed-up LSD in it.
After parting ways with Brown, Collins met Clinton 1972. And the character of Bootsy was born. Famous for his gaudy stage outfits, Cool Shades, signature space bass and unique vocal inflections. In addition to his time with Clinton, Bootsy also fronted his own group, Bootsy's Rubber Band.
In 1990, he joined the house/club band Deee-Lite as a session musician, and the Rubber Band backed them on their world tours. He also worked with Fatboy Slim, recording the bassline and vocals for Slim's biggest hit, "Weapon of Choice". He worked steadily until January 2019, when he announced that a combination of inner-ear problems and arthritis in his right hand meant he would have to stop touring effective immediately.
Tropes associated with his work include:
- Cool Shades: He seems to have an endless collection of sunglasses, many of which have star designs, which serve no purpose other than to make his look all the more iconic.
- Funk: A vast majority of his music is produced in the funk genre, with many fun, danceable baselines. They don't come much funkier.
- Signature Instrument: He owns several custom-made bass guitars, including a uniquely star-shaped one.
- What a Piece of Junk: Bootsy had commissioned his original star bass before recording Strechin' Out In Bootsy's Rubber Band but it wasn't yet completed when the record label booked the photo shoot for the cover.Bootsy: When you look at the album, if you really look at the bass, it's not finished at all. The pickups were just painted on, and the tuning keys were stuck to the headstock with duct tape.