Goodbye to Billy Bass Nelson, bassist of Funkadelic

He passed away at the age of 75 Billy Bass Nelsonthe American bassist who helped found i Funkadelic and to define the innovative sound of George Clinton’s band. The news was given by the official Facebook page of George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic, without indicating the place or cause of death, as also reported by the “New York Times”.

William Nelson Jr. was born on January 26, 1951 in Plainfield (New Jersey) and began his musical career as a support bassist for the Parliaments, the doo-wop group from George Clinton. It was Clinton, then a part-time barber, who recruited him and it was Nelson who gave the name to the new band in 1967: Funkadelic, a group that combined funk and psychedelic rock.

The band – which later merged with the Parliaments creating the collective Parliament Funkadelic – becomes famous for explosive music and unconventional concerts. Nelson in particular is recognized for his scenographic performances: he even invents a diaper to wear on stage, emblem of the group’s provocative and ironic spirit.

He is among the 16 members of the P-Funk collective inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1997. His talent has been evident since Funkadelic’s first albums, including “Funkadelic” (1970), “Free Your Mind… and Your Ass Will Follow” (1970) and “Maggot Brain” (1971), to which he contributes as bassist, co-songwriter and singer.

Nelson had long been in palliative care.