Funkentelechy Vs. the Placebo Syndrome

About Funkentelechy Vs. the Placebo Syndrome

Funkentelechy vs. the Placebo Syndrome is a funk album by Parliament, released in 1977 (see 1977 in music). It is a loose concept album warning the listener of falling into the "Placebo Syndrome," which according to George Clinton is consumerism, and listening to disco music, which he saw as a simplification of funk music in attempt to gain commercial success. The album spawned the R&B number #1 single in "Flash Light", which features a funky synthesizer bass line played on a Minimoog by keyboardist Bernie Worrell. The album became Parliament's fourth consecutive gold album and second platinum album. The song "Sir Nose d'Voidoffunk (Pay Attention – B3M)" contains nursery rhymes "Baa, Baa, Black Sheep" and "Three Blind Mice"; the lyrics were changed to make reference to drug use. The original vinyl release contained a 22" by 33" inch poster of the character "Sir Nose D'Voidoffunk", as well as an 8-page comic book that explains the concept behind the LP. Both the poster and the comic book were illustrated by Overton Loyd more »