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P-Funk Artist Pedro Bell Not Doing So Well [Post a Comment]
The album cover artist behind all of the classic Funkadelic albums and the Capitol George Clinton “solo” albums is in very dire straits nowadays. According to this news article, Pedro Bell is in very bad shape financially and health-wise.
Pedro Bell is the Funkadelic artist who handled the scatalogical album cover artwork and liner notes for all of the Funkadelic and George Clinton albums from 1973 to 1986. Even though he did not play an instrument or sing a note, Pedro Bell was as much a member of Parliament Funkadelic as any of the band members, thanks to his contributions to the band’s P-Funk mythology.
One would think he would be set for life. Sadly, he did not benefit financially from Funkadelic’s music or from his artwork and is, basically, flat broke and just a step above being completely destitute. On top of that, he is in failing health as well — blind, on kidney dialysis, and with an non-healing injury resulting in a perpetually swollen ankle.
How could this happen to one of the legends of album cover artwork? One of the legends of the P-Funk mythos! Who can forget the crazy covers from such albums as Cosmic Slop, Standing On The Verge Of Getting It On, Let’s Take It To The Stage, and so forth?
Who can forget his stifled cover work for the Warner Brothers album Uncle Jam Wants You, which was supposed to feature an illustrated version of the Huey P. Newton-inspired pose from George Clinton on the cover? Or the subsequent Warner album The Electric Spanking Of War Babies which featured a label-censored version of what was a spaceship shaped like a penis (the artwork was later restored on CD reissues of the album).
It’s sad to read about Pedro Bell’s plight. What are your thoughts?
The album cover artist behind all of the classic Funkadelic albums and the Capitol George Clinton “solo” albums is in very dire straits nowadays. According to this news article, Pedro Bell is in very bad shape financially and health-wise.
Pedro Bell is the Funkadelic artist who handled the scatalogical album cover artwork and liner notes for all of the Funkadelic and George Clinton albums from 1973 to 1986. Even though he did not play an instrument or sing a note, Pedro Bell was as much a member of Parliament Funkadelic as any of the band members, thanks to his contributions to the band’s P-Funk mythology.
One would think he would be set for life. Sadly, he did not benefit financially from Funkadelic’s music or from his artwork and is, basically, flat broke and just a step above being completely destitute. On top of that, he is in failing health as well — blind, on kidney dialysis, and with an non-healing injury resulting in a perpetually swollen ankle.
How could this happen to one of the legends of album cover artwork? One of the legends of the P-Funk mythos! Who can forget the crazy covers from such albums as Cosmic Slop, Standing On The Verge Of Getting It On, Let’s Take It To The Stage, and so forth?
Who can forget his stifled cover work for the Warner Brothers album Uncle Jam Wants You, which was supposed to feature an illustrated version of the Huey P. Newton-inspired pose from George Clinton on the cover? Or the subsequent Warner album The Electric Spanking Of War Babies which featured a label-censored version of what was a spaceship shaped like a penis (the artwork was later restored on CD reissues of the album).
It’s sad to read about Pedro Bell’s plight. What are your thoughts?
Posted by T-Mad on 11/18/2009 at 4:40 PM
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231 people have read this blog post so far. Feel free to post a comment and share your thoughts.
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