Eddie Hazel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Eddie Hazel
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Eddie Hazel performing with the P-Funk All Stars at the Palladium in New York City on June 25, 1991. Photo by Aldo Mauro
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Edward Earl Hazel |
| Born | April 10, 1950 Brooklyn, New York City |
| Died | December 23, 1992 (aged 42) Plainfield, New Jersey |
| Genres | Funk, soul, psychedelic rock, psychedelic soul |
| Years active | 1967–1992 |
| Labels | Warner Bros., JDC, P-Vine, Casablanca, Westbound, Capitol, CBS, Island |
| Associated acts | Funkadelic, Parliament, The Temptations, The Parliaments, George Clinton, Axiom Funk |
Edward Earl Hazel (born April 10, 1950 – died December 23, 1992) was an amazing American guitarist and singer. He was known for his lead guitar work with the famous band Parliament-Funkadelic.
Eddie Hazel was so talented that he was added to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997. He was honored along with fifteen other members of Parliament-Funkadelic. His ten-minute guitar solo in the Funkadelic song "Maggot Brain" is considered one of the greatest solos ever. In 2015, Rolling Stone magazine ranked him as number 83 on their list of the 100 Greatest Guitarists.
Contents
Biography
Early Life and Music
Eddie Hazel was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1950. He grew up in Plainfield, New Jersey. From a young age, Eddie loved playing the guitar. His older brother gave him a guitar as a Christmas present. Eddie also enjoyed singing in church.
When he was 12, Eddie met Billy "Bass" Nelson. They quickly became good friends and started playing music together. Soon, drummer Harvey McGee joined their group.
Music Career Highlights
In 1967, a band called the Parliaments had a hit song called "(I Wanna) Testify." This doo wop band was led by George Clinton. Clinton needed a band to play with them on tour. Billy Nelson was hired as the bassist. He then suggested Eddie Hazel as the guitarist.
At first, Eddie's mother didn't want him to go because he was only seventeen. But George Clinton and Billy Nelson convinced her. So, in late 1967, the Parliaments went on tour with both Billy and Eddie.
Forming Funkadelic
While on tour in Philadelphia, Eddie met Tiki Fulwood. Tiki quickly became the Parliaments' new drummer. Billy Nelson, Eddie Hazel, and Tiki Fulwood became the main musicians for Funkadelic. Funkadelic started as the backup band for the Parliaments. Later, they became their own touring group. This happened when legal issues made George Clinton temporarily stop using the name "Parliaments."
The band Funkadelic was complete when Tawl Ross joined on rhythm guitar and Bernie Worrell joined on keyboards. Their first three albums were Funkadelic (1970), Free Your Mind... (1970), and Maggot Brain (1971). All three albums were released within two years. Eddie Hazel's amazing guitar playing was a big part of all of them.
The "Maggot Brain" Solo
The third album's title song, "Maggot Brain", features a ten-minute guitar solo by Eddie Hazel. George Clinton reportedly told Eddie to imagine he had just heard sad news about his mother. Music critic Greg Tate called it a very important piece of music. In 2008, Rolling Stone magazine listed it as number 60 on its list of 100 greatest "guitar songs" ever.
Later Contributions
Billy Nelson and Eddie Hazel left Funkadelic in late 1971. They had disagreements about money with George Clinton. However, Eddie still played with the group sometimes over the next few years. He had less input on albums like America Eats Its Young (1972) and Cosmic Slop (1973). Instead, Eddie started working with the Temptations. He appeared on their albums 1990 (1973) and A Song for You (1975).
For the 1974 Funkadelic album Standing on the Verge of Getting It On, Eddie Hazel helped write all the songs. On six of those songs, the writing credit was given to Grace Cook, who was Eddie's mother. Eddie also played a big role as arranger and lead guitarist on the Parliament album Up For The Down Stroke that same year.
In the years that followed, Eddie appeared on Parliament-Funkadelic albums now and then. His guitar work wasn't always featured as much. One song that really showed off Eddie's lead guitar was "Comin' Round the Mountain" on Hardcore Jollies (1976). In 1977, Eddie recorded his own album, Game, Dames and Guitar Thangs. Other members of Parliament-Funkadelic helped him, including singers from the Brides of Funkenstein. He was not on One Nation Under a Groove (1978), which was Funkadelic's most popular album.
Eddie made another important appearance on the song "Man's Best Friend" from the George Clinton album Computer Games (1982). He also played on the track "Pumping It Up" from the P-Funk All Stars album Urban Dancefloor Guerillas.
Death
Eddie Hazel passed away on December 23, 1992, due to health problems. The song "Maggot Brain" was played at his funeral.
Legacy
Even after his death, Eddie Hazel's music continued to be released. Three collections of his unreleased recordings came out:
- The four-song EP Jams From the Heart (1994).
- Rest in P (1994).
- Eddie Hazel At Home (2006).
Other musicians have also used Eddie's recordings in their own albums. Bill Laswell produced several albums that featured Eddie's guitar, like Funkcronomicon (1995). Bootsy Collins has also included Eddie's recordings in some of his recent music, for example, "Good Night Eddie" on Blasters of the Universe.
The band Ween recorded a song called "A Tear for Eddie" on their album Chocolate And Cheese as a tribute to him. There is a picture of Eddie Hazel on the back of Primal Scream's album Give Out But Don't Give Up. John Frusciante also paid tribute to Eddie's "Maggot Brain" on his 2009 album The Empyrean in the song "Before the Beginning."
Famous musician Nick Cave has said that Eddie Hazel was one of his favorite guitarists.
Sound and Equipment
Eddie Hazel's guitar playing was similar to Jimi Hendrix. He brought the strong rock and roll sound of Jimi Hendrix into the funky music of James Brown and Sly Stone. He used a lot of echo effects and was a very sharp rhythm player. He was also an amazing solo guitarist with a "fuzz-drenched" sound.
He played many different guitars, including Gibsons. But he was best known for playing Fender Stratocasters. His usual setup included a Marshall 100-watt amplifier, an MXR Phase 90 phaser, an Echoplex, a Maestro FZ-1 Fuzz-Tone, and a Dunlop Cry Baby wah pedal. Later in his career with P-funk, he used a Music Man HD-130 amplifier.
George Clinton remembered that when they were changing their sound from doo wop to more rock and roll, they wanted a heavier, European sound. So, he got Eddie a Marshall stack (a big amplifier with speakers) and a Stratocaster guitar. Clinton noted that it didn't really matter what guitar Eddie played. He could make any guitar sound amazing.
Discography
Solo Recordings
- Game, Dames and Guitar Thangs (1977), Warner Bros.
- A Night for Jimi Hendrix (Live At "Lingerie Club", Hollywood, 1990) [feat. Krunchy]
- Jams From the Heart (1994), JDC - EP
- Rest in P (1994), P-Vine
- At Home (With Family) (2006), Eddie Hazel
- The Basement Rehearsals (feat. Krunchy) (2014)
See also
In Spanish: Eddie Hazel para niños
