Deep Groove Encyclopedia

Parlet

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Click below for a Parlet sample:

The first of a long line of P-Funk spinoff groups, Parlet was intended to fulfill George Clinton's dream of producing a girl group, a vision he'd had since his early Motown days. The original members were Debbie Wright, Mallia Franklin and Jeanette Washington, who sang backgrounds with the Funk Mob. Clinton signed them to Parliament's label Casablanca and was at the controls of Pleasure Principle, their 1978 debut. Its catchy title cut was released as a single, reaching #66. Parlet promoted the album by performing as a separate act in addition to backing up P-Funk in concert.

A personnel shift occurred in 1979, with Janice Evans and Shirley Hayden replacing Wright and Franklin. Invasion of the Booty Snatchers was a mixed effort, with tracks split between the two editions of the group. They got their biggest hit from the LP with "Ridin' High," which was released as a 12-inch single. One more album was recorded before the entire P-Funk organization collapsed in the early 80s. The various members continued working in the music industry and by the mid 90s all their records had been reissued on compact disc.

Parlet's Deepest Grooves

Pleasure Principle (Casablanca, 1978)
Solid debut that ranks as one of the better side projects of P-Funk. Contributions from core members Bernie Worrell, Rodney "Skeet" Curtis, and the Horny Horns ensure that the musicianship is top-notch. Notable songs include the title song and "Cookie Jar," something of a cult item among P-Funk fans.

Invasion of the Booty Snatchers (Casablanca, 1979)

Play Me or Trade Me (Casablanca, 1980)

Best Of (Polygram, 1994)
The release of this compilation came as a surprise to many, considering they had no major hits. This is now out of print but devoted P-Funk collectors should still be able to locate a copy.

The official Parlet site is www.parlet.com.