Bootsy Collins Albums (14)
What The Critics Say
It should probably come as no surprise that Bootsy Collins completely blows up the concept of what a Christmas album should be on Christmas Is 4 Ever as he deconstructs, reassembles and totally funks up several holiday standards in what might be the best Christmas dance party album ever made. "Jingle Bells," "Winter Wonderland" and "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" end up filtered through Collins' P-Funk zone into tracks called "Jingle Belz," "WinterFunkyLand" and "Boot-Off," respectively, while Chucky the Funky Reindeer shows up in the careening "Sleigh Ride" (which features some whack fiddle from Charlie Daniels), and the whole affair bounces, bubbles and pulses like a holiday lava lamp set at hyper speed, full of call-outs and vocal asides. It's one impressive energetic bundle of holiday cheer. Snoop Dogg guests on "Happy Holidaze." Bobby Womack handles the lead vocal on the title track. Meanwhile Bootsy stomps through this cartoon neon landscape like some ultra jolly hip-hop Santa, spreading glad tidings and good will to all and making sure everyone keeps their feet moving. This is some Christmas groove. Grandma might even like it. ~ Steve Leggett, All Music Guide
'Play with Bootsy'
Release Date 11/19/2002
Tracks 14
Label WEA International
See Album Tracklist and Review
'Live in Louisville 1978'
Release Date 1/1/1999
Tracks 13
Label Disky
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What The Critics Say
If Bootsy Collins is correct in his contention that faking the funk will cause one's nose to grow, he and his bandmates need not worry: This is one seriously funky live album. In fact, fans of Collins who know him only through his studio recordings will find this set revelatory. There is a ferocity here that is only hinted at on his solo efforts and his work with Parliament and Funkadelic. Collins' vocals throughout this 1978 concert recording are frighteningly powerful, and his always amazing slap bass playing is almost dizzying at points. The rest of the group aren't slouches either. Of course, this is no second-tier road band: All of the key members of the Rubber Band are on board as are most of the Horny Horns (with the obvious exception of trombonist Fred Wesley). Collins and company cover all of the obvious hits and crowd favorites, and in every instance they improve on the already impressive studio versions. Gary "Mudbone" Cooper's vocals shine throughout as do those of Robert "P Nut" Johnson. Collins' brother, guitarist Phelps "Catfish" Collins is strong as always, particularly on incendiary versions of "Very Yes" and "I'd Rather Be With You." The horns -- always among the highlights on the Rubber Band's studio recordings -- are particularly effective here. Check out Maceo Parker's solo spot on "Can't Stay Away" for definitive evidence of his genius. This European release may not be the easiest item in Collins' discography to locate, but it may well be the best. Well worth seeking out. ~ Jeffrey Konkel, All Music Guide
'Fresh Outta 'P' University'
Release Date 1/1/1997
Tracks 24
Label WEA
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Like most latter-day Bootsy albums, Fresh Outta 'P' University doesn't offer any surprises -- it's another sprawling collection of funky in all its incarnations, from deep soul to disco -- but since Collins and his backing band deliver it with such energy, style, and professionalism, these 22 songs are entertaining and infectious. Only long-time Collins fanatics will have the need to acquire this record -- casual fans, after all, will need the classic uncut funk of the '70s -- but they will be pleasantly surprised by the album, which is one of his stronger releases of the '90s. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
'Blasters of the Universe'
Release Date 8/2/1994
Tracks 23
Label Rykodisc
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What The Critics Say
A comeback/return album for outstanding funk bassist Bootsy Collins. He signed with 4th and Broadway in 1990 and issued his first album as a leader in nearly 10 years, although he had played with Trouble Funk, L.J. Reynolds, and a number of other artists. Although it didn't have the inspired comic masterpieces or first-rate funk jams of his past albums, it was at least a decent vehicle for Collins' basslines and rhythms. ~ Ron Wynn, All Music Guide
'What's Bootsy Doin'?'
Release Date 1/1/1988
Tracks 10
Label Columbia
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What The Critics Say
This pounding set is Collins's best work, with plenty of grooves for the brain and the booty. ~ John Floyd, All Music Guide
'The One Giveth, the Count Taketh Away'
Release Date 1/1/1982
Tracks 11
Label Warner Bros.
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
With the release of the semi-autobiographically titled The One Giveth, The Count Taketh Away (1982), William "Bootsy" Collins (bass/vocals) concluded his eight-year relationship as a Warner Brothers artist. Once again, Collins came armed with a cache of longtime associates, namely sibling Phelps "Catfish" Collins (guitar), Bernie Worrell (keyboards), Robert "P-Nut" Johnson (vocals), and Frankie "Kash" Waddy (drums). Plus, of course, the Horny Horn section with Collins' fellow James Brown and P-Funk alums Maceo Parker (sax) and Fred Wesley (trombone). An added surprise to the assembled ensemble are synth-funksters Midnight Star, who are credited on the rear LP jacket under the heading "Vocalists who helped me make it" -- though not mentioned individually. Other than co-writing the sassy opener "Shine-O-Myte (Rag Popping)," George Clinton is conspicuously absent, with Bootsy listed as producer. Worrell's keyboards bop and groove over Bootsy and chorus -- the latter of which sound like they are chanting in the linguistically tricky syllabic word game commonly referred to as "Pig Latin." Collins' lead vocal proves he has lost none of the sly charm and trademark lyrical wit. His delivery of "Shine-O-Myte" is a callback to the catch-phrase of Jimmie Walker's character J.J. Evans on the hit sitcom Good Times. Bootsy must have been spending too much time in front of the television, as "Landshark (Just When You Thought It Was Safe)" is an unmistakable homage to Chevy Chase's parody during the first few seasons of Saturday Night Live. After quoting a few bars from John Williams' "Main Theme" for the film Jaws (1975), a full blown funk-a-thon breaks out with a noticeable sonic nod to the P-Funk songbook staple "Do That Stuff" from the Horny Horns. The age old concept of "The One" [read: placing the emphasis on the first or downbeat] dates back to a technique that Bootsy first observed and then perfected during his tenure with James Brown. Here he revisits it on the tongue-in-cheek cinematic spoof "Countracula (This One's for You)." Other selections worthy of multiple spins are the askew ballad "Ex-Con of Love," and the slow churning "So Nice You Name Him Twice." Saving what is undeniably the strongest material for the closer, "Take a Lickin' And Keep on Kickin'" -- sporting a title derived from yet another television slogan -- is a return to the full-blown party atmosphere that permeated Collins' earlier Rubber Band endeavors. Finally, the frisky and instrumental-centric "Funky Funktioneer" could easily be mistaken for a Prince performance circa Controversy (1981), especially given Worrell's penchant for piercing synth keyboard stabs coupled with Bootsy's swooping and swirling basslines. ~ Lindsay Planer, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
While certainly not among his greatest efforts, Bootsy Collins' Ultra Wave (1980) is still infinitely better than most of the disco dregs being squeezed from the likes of Earth, Wind & Fire or Kool & the Gang. Although Collins (bass/vocals) had not formally split up the Rubber Band -- as the lineup was a continual fluctuation of talent from the seemingly bottomless reservoir of P-Funk alumni -- he takes sole (and quite possibly soul) credit on his fifth long-player in under four years. The title is an homage to the Detroit-based studios where Bootsy collaborated with core Rubber Band contributors Phelps "Catfish" Collins (guitar), Robert "P-Nut" Johnson (vocals), and the superbad dynamic horny horns of Fred Wesley (trombone) and Maceo Parker (sax). Not missing from these -- or any other Bootsy affairs for that matter -- is the unapologetic party atmosphere Collins' infuses within every pulsation of his full-bodied and self-proclaimed "Space Bass". The catchy and sexually tweaked opener "Mug Push" quickly became a dancefloor favorite and garnered a short but significant run on the R&B charts. The overuse of synthesizers becomes increasingly evident, particularly when they practically bury "F-Encounter"'s otherwise stylish groove. The end result sounds like a cross between the Parliament hit "Flashlight" and George Clinton's "Atomic Dog." The shuffling "Is That My Song?" is an arguably lightweight entry. But to its credit, Collins, influenced by Sly & the Family Stone and especially funk-bass originator Larry Graham, gives it a respectable degree of listenability. "It's a Musical" drives hard with brassy and sassy horn arrangements that have the feel of something Quincy Jones might have charted for Michael Jackson circa Off the Wall (1979). The slinky and rubbery backbeat on "Fat Cat" hearkens to the loose booty of former Bootsy's Rubber Band tracks with Johnson's falsetto likened to the shrill warbling often utilized on Prince's seminal sides. The obligatory ballad "Sacred Flowers" also bears trademarks of the Bootsy of old. While that in and of itself is great, it is likewise symptomatic of Ultra Wave's inherent deficiencies. The pseudo-novelty closer "Sound Crack" would probably have more going for it had Collins ditched the dated opening dialogue. Once it gets up to full steam, it roars with an intensity fuelled by the same bounce behind such P-Funk staples as "Up for the Downstroke." The 2007 CD reissue by Collectors' Choice Music has significantly improved sound compared to expensive import editions that can run upwards of a dollar per minute. ~ Lindsay Planer, All Music Guide
