Bootsy Collins launches world's first online "University of Funk"

Legendary funk music pioneer Bootsy Collins (best known for performing with James Brown in the '60s, and Parliament/Funkadelic in the '70s), has announced that he will soon open "the world's first Funk University for bass players of planet Earth." Classes start on July 1, 2010, and will be geared towards intermediate to advanced level bass guitar players. Snip:

Because a groove is a terrible thing to waste, this sonic learning institution will be unlike anything before, as Professor Collins and the finest bassists in music will unleash an intense curriculum, on the web, for intermediate to advanced funk disciples within the program.

The Funk University is here, and you can follow Sir Bootsy on Twitter. Consider him verified. I love the photos he tweets every day, like this one. Trivia: Like Boing Boing's own David Pescovitz, he's from Cincinnati, Ohio.

• [Wuss Brillis]

  “Thank you for funking up my life!”

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5mhI5C00Bg&feature=PlayList&p=28853C85F8D88A27&playnext_from=PL&index=0&playnext=1

• [boborooni]

  As a bass player of the planet Earth, who has just started to explore the wonders of funk, I look forward to the funkaficiousness that is to come.

• [kettledog]

  Best post ever. I’ll be in class day one, on the one.

  I’ma playa and I’m playin’ just to play
  And I ain’t playin’, dig it?

  • [Fred H]

    Exactly, kettledog. If you play an exercise right, he’ll say, “YEAH, Bay-be!” But if you screw up the same exercise, he’ll still be like, “YEAH, Bay-be!” It’ll be a funky confusion across the semester.

• [bat21]

  Here’s a video of Bootsy talking about his 2 biggest influences, James Brown and acid.

• [IWood]

  Funk is its own reward.

• [Anonymous]

  Just a quick comment that Bootsy only played with James for one year, 1970-1971. He sure left his mark though.

• [elliottbledsoe]

  but i thought bootsy lost the funk to old greg?!

  • [dculberson]

    Maybe he’s got plenty of funky milkshakes squeezed from those funky teats.

  • [RogueModron]

    Awesome, I thought the same thing immediately.

    For those who may wonder wtf we mean, here’s TMB’s story of Bootsy and The Funk:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLo5jWTeHfc

• [Jack]

  If I’m going to the University of Funk, it is not going to be online.

• [TheCrawNotTheCraw]

  Thanks for being an inspiration, you crazy genius.

• [friendpuppy]

  This is the groove. This is *the* groove.
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIHrdLwa_y8

• [Anonymous]

  I wonder if it is accredited?

• [patchmo]

  I want to be Funk Soul Brother #1!!!

• [paulj]

  Funk University is where you go after graduating from Rock School: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDgpQBaziy0

• [Anonymous]

  I am waiting for the funkativities to start
  I am a funkatress and more funk avaliable I need to know… Yes I am going to Funk U

• [Anonymous]

  I can just imagine Bootsy in a tweed jacket with leather patches and some star spangled pants!

• [dawoosince1942]

  when someone wants to get together a new funky {r&b soul blues rock reggae jazz} band — (or get together WITh same if one here already exists) locally — may be this will help.!. the students could use bootsie’s class bulletin board to connect with each other locally……(not sure why such a music mecca for other music as Seattle doesn’t have much funk, but to some old funk people who just moved here it doesn’t seem to…) wonder if victor wooten is related to harold wooten, now in seattle area (everett) http://www.haroldwooten.com; victor knows bootsy i think… remembering seeing the whole crowd of em from 3rd row, oakland coliseum back in the day…classic feelgood sexy rhythm on rhythm party… we WILL enroll!

• [Anonymous]

  Whoa. Only “bass players of planet Earth”? That’s more limiting than I’d expect from Bootsy. Must be some bassists coming from elsewhere via the Mothership, no?

  • [Anonymous]

    The Extraterrestrial Brotherhood already has the funk baby. The Mothership came to this unfunky planet to help us get funk’d up and to teach us how to live at one with the funk. ya dig?

• [Drew from Zhrodague]

  Sounds like a funktrocious time. Love seeing Bootsy in those wacky sunglasses.

• [benchscientist]

  This will be Funking awesome! Gotta get the advanced degree

  • [Anonymous]

    So glad the Funk hasn’t died!!!!!

• [JDMcDonnell]

  Well, a PHd in Funkology will probably take me farther than my MA in English did. Sign me up baby!

• [ScottMcG]

  Norwood Fisher from Fishbone started the same kind of thing a few months back. Go to http://www.basstospace.com/ to see that one.

  Seems like a good way to spread the wisdom and make a little cash…as long as there’s actual, useful info.

• [bardfinn]

  Just hit it on the one, and put what you feel in between, man.

  • [Gilbert Wham]

    ‘And that’s the funk’
    I feel you, brother.