It was released in April 1986 by Capitol Records and was the last album that Clinton would record for the label.
Recording sessions for the album utilized a small cadre of P-Funk musicians including Bootsy Collins, Garry Shider, and DeWayne "Blackbyrd" McKnight, as well as the debut recorded appearance of former Miss America Vanessa L. Williams on the opening track "Hey Good Lookin'".
R&B Skeletons in the Closet was produced by Clinton, Steve Washington, Shider, and Andre Jackson.
The album's concept deals with black musical artists attempts to "cross over" to white audiences and losing their core black audience in the process. R&B Skeletons in the Closet expands on the dance-funk sound of Clinton's previous solo albums, and it also incorporates elements of electro and hip hop music.
A definite improvement over the uneven Some of My Best Jokes Are Friends, the considerably more focused and confident R&B Skeletons in the Closet is one of George Clinton's strongest solo efforts.
The P-Funkster continues using technology extensively, but this time, his blend of technology and "real instruments" sounds much more natural.
Though not quite in a class with Parliament classics like Mothership Connection or Funkentelechy Vs. the Placebo Syndrome or Funkadelic treasures ranging from Cosmic Slop to Uncle Jam Wants You, Skeletons is a superb collection that's well worth acquiring.
The album kicks into high gear with the wildly infectious "Hey Good Lookin'" and maintains that high level of excitement on such driving, sweaty funk treasures as "Do Fries Go With That Shake?" and the appropriately titled "Intense" and the title song. Clinton's eccentricity and outrageous sense of humor serve him well on "Electric Pygmies" and "Mix-Master Suite," an unorthodox, quirky, and cinematic ode to hip-hop drawing on everything from jazz to classical music to Western movies. Many of Clinton's longtime associates are on hand to help make this album the artistic success it is, including saxman Maceo Parker, trombonist Fred Wesley, and the ever-amusing Bootsy Collins.
Side one
1. Hey Good Lookin’ - 6:03
2. Do Fries Go With That Shake!? - 5:57
3. Mix-Master Suite: Startin’ From Scratch / Counter-Irritant / Nothin’ Left To Burn - 8:40
Side two
1. Electric Pygmies - 6:38
2. Intense - 6:28
3. Cool Joe - 4:17
4. R&B Skeletons (In The Closet) - 4:44
Companies, etc.
- Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Capitol Records, Inc.
- Marketed By – EMI
- Manufactured By – EMI
- Distributed By – EMI
- Recorded At – United Sound Systems
- Recorded At – Studio A, Dearborn Heights, MI
- Recorded At – Baby'O Recorders
- Recorded At – Sound Solution, Santa Monica
- Engineered At – Sound Solution, Santa Monica
- Engineered At – Studio One, Culver City
- Mixed At – Larrabee Sound Studios
- Mixed At – Baby'O Recorders
- Mixed At – Sound Solution, Santa Monica
Credits
- Artwork [Crossunder Album Artwork, Assorted Scartoons, Micro Yang & Blatant Cryptic Scriptics] – Captain Draw
- Backing Vocals – Andre Williams, Bootsy Collins, Debra Barsha, Garry Shider, Jessica Cleaves, Joe Harris, Kevin Burke, Michael '"Clip" Payne, Pat Lewis, Sandra Feva, Shirley "Niecy" Jackson, Vanessa Williams
- Bass – Steve Washington
- Concept By – George "I Wanna Grammy For My Mammy" Clinton
- Design [Album Art Design] – P. Bell, Splankwerks
- Directed By – One Nation Entertainment
- Drum Programming – Fred Johnson, Steve Washington, Z O
- Engineer [Additional Engineering] – Clay McMurray, Connie Hill, Darwin Kopp, Janine Cirillo, Joey Zalabak, John Hegedes, Rick Seraj, Rufus, Tony Russo
- Engineer [Assistant Mixing Engineer] – Connie Hill, Janine Cirillo
- Engineer [Chief Engineer] – Leanard Jackson
- Engineer [Mixing Engineer] – Leanard Jackson
- Guitar – Andre Williams, Bootsy Collins, DuWayne "Blackbyrd" McKnight, Jack Sherman, Steve Salas
- Keyboards – Andre Williams, David Spradley, Joseph "Amp" Fiddler, Kevin Burke, Gambas, Steve Washington, Z O
- Performer [Mix-master Orchestra] – John Johnson, William Reichenbach, Donald Ashworth, Ed Johnson, Jim Hay, Murray Adler, Paula Hochalter, Rick Marotta
- Piano – Ed Johnson, Gambas
- Saxophone, Flute – Maceo Parker
- Scratches [Scratch / Mix] – Anthony Bryant
- Timbales – Lelan Zales
- Trombone – Fred Wesley
- Trumpet – Steve Washington
- Vocals – Andre Williams, Debra Barsha, Garry Shider, George Clinton, Jessica Cleaves, Joe Harris, Lige Curry, Michael '"Clip" Payne, Pat Lewis, Robert Johnson, Sandra Feva, Sheila Washington, Stefan Frank, Steven Boyd, Vanessa Williams
- Vocals [Featured Vocalists] – Debra Barsha, George Clinton, Sandra Feva, Stefan Frank, Vanessa Williams
Notes
Release: 1988
Format: LP
Genre: Funk / Electro Hip Hop
Label: Capitol Records
Catalog# 1C 064240552-1
Vinyl: VG
Cover: VG
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