CLASSIC ROCK INTERVIEWS: Interviewing the Legends

Showing posts with label Interviewing the Legends. Show all posts

Thursday, April 2, 2026

MICHAEL HAMPTON LEGENDARY ELECTRIC-FUNK GUITARIST WITH PARLIAMENT-FUNKADELIC RELEASES NEW ALBUM:EXCLUSIVE ON INTERVIEWING THE LEGENDS WITH RAY SHASHO

M I C H A E L

H A M P T O N

PARLIAMENT-FUNKADELIC

A Founding Father of Power-Funk Electric Guitar

RELEASES

'INTO THE PUBLIC DOMAIN'

A meld of rock and world music with jazz and western overtones, hallmarked by Michael’s trademark sizzling leads

EXCLUSIVE

ON INTERVIEWING THE LEGENDS

WITH RAY SHASHO

CLICK BELOW

TO WATCH THE ENTIRE INTERVIEW

After receiving his first guitar at age 10, a determined Michael became self-taught with the help of his bedroom radio, spending days on end playing along with Jimi Hendrix, Wes Montgomery and B.B. King records. After studying jazz guitar in high school, an impromptu backstage audition for George Clinton in 1974 earned 17-year-old Michael a seat on the Parliament mothership alongside the immortal Eddie Hazel, under the name “Kidd Funkadelic”.

Hampton has spent the past half-century playing nearly 400 shows with the band, in 25 countries across 6 continents. Highlights include multiple appearances at world-renowned festivals like Montreux Jazz, Glastonbury, Reading, Woodstock ’99, Coachella, Bonnaroo, Roskilde, Lollapalooza, Fuji Rock, and Isle of Wight, and venues like the Apollo Theater, The Fillmore, Royal Albert Hall, Madison Square Garden, The Troubadour, Red Rocks, The Beacon, and Sydney Opera House.

Though best known for his role in the funk guitar pantheon, Hampton is also an accomplished multi-instrumentalist, with drums, keys, and synth programming credits across the Parliament discography.

Parliament-Funkadelic legacy guitarist and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame member Michael Hampton's Into the Public Domain, is a mini album produced by 9-time Grammy Award winner and Ruffhouse Records co-founder Joe “The Butcher” Nicolo. A founding father of power-funk electric guitar, Hampton edges into new territory on Into the Public Domain, a meld of rock and world music with jazz and western overtones, hallmarked by Michael’s trademark sizzling leads.

PURCHASE

A founding father of power-funk electric guitar

MICHAEL

HAMPTON

‘INTO THE PUBLIC DOMAIN’

https://michaelhampton.bandcamp.com/album/into-the-public-domain-2

“Electric Psychedelic Guitar Fusion with a Funk Pulse That Never Stops Beating

This record is a mesmerizing swirl of electric psychedelic guitar fusion, stitched together with the unmistakable funk DNA that made Hampton a pillar of the Parliament/Funkadelic universe. But what’s striking here is how personal the music feels. There’s no need for vocals; the guitar does all the speaking, testifying, and time traveling.”

...By Music Journalist Ray Shasho

5 stars

Michael Hampton--Lead Guitar

Philip Samuel Smith--Rhythm Guitar

Phil Keaggy--Guest Lead Guitar

John Schreffler--Pedal Steel Guitar

Matt Lesser--Drums

Mike Labombard—Saxophone

FOR MORE INFORMATION

ABOUT

MICHAEL HAMPTON

VISIT

https://www.tiktok.com/@ma_wa_ha

TikTok

https://www.instagram.com/michaelwhampton/

Instagram

https://open.spotify.com/artist/5rhBe5DqUbACYzqerQa9R0

Spotify

https://www.facebook.com/p/Michael-Hampton-100040199001670/

Facebook

https://www.youtube.com/@MaWaHa

YouTube

https://georgeclinton.com/

George Clinton Official Site

https://www.facebook.com/georgeclintonpfunk

George Clinton Facebook

UPCOMING

GEORGE CLINTON

PARLIAMENT-FUNKADELIC

SHOWS

Sat, APR 11

The PFunk Festival 2026

Tallahassee, FL

Apr. 25 - 26, 2026

Austin Blues Festival 2026

Austin, TX

May. 21 - 24, 2026

Jacksonville Jazz Festival 2026

Jacksonville, FL

Sun, MAY 24

Hollywood Casino Joliet

FUNKADELIC

DISCOGRAPHY

Funkadelic (1970)

Free Your Mind... and Your Ass Will Follow (1970)

Maggot Brain (1971)

America Eats Its Young (1972)

Cosmic Slop (1973)

Standing on the Verge of Getting It On (1974)

Let's Take It to the Stage (1975)

Tales of Kidd Funkadelic (1976)

Hardcore Jollies (1976)

One Nation Under a Groove (1978)

Uncle Jam Wants You (1979)

Connections & Disconnections (1980)

The Electric Spanking of War Babies (1981)

By Way of the Drum (2007)

First Ya Gotta Shake the Gate (2014)

PARLIAMENT

DISCOGRAPHY

Osmium (1970)

Up for the Down Stroke (1974)

Chocolate City (1975)

Mothership Connection (1975)

The Clones of Dr. Funkenstein (1976)

Funkentelechy vs. the Placebo Syndrome (1977)

Motor Booty Affair (1978)

Gloryhallastoopid (1979)

Trombipulation (1980)

Medicaid Fraud Dogg (2018)

Notable songs

"Maggot Brain" (Funkadelic), 1971

"Up for the Down Stroke" (Parliament), 1974

"Chocolate City" (Parliament), 1975

"P-Funk (Wants to Get Funked Up)" (Parliament), 1975

"Give Up The Funk (Tear The Roof Off The Sucker)" (Parliament), 1976

"Do That Stuff" (Parliament), 1976

"I'd Rather Be With You" (Bootsy's Rubber Band), 1976

"Bop Gun (Endangered Species)" (Parliament), 1977

"Funkentelechy" (Parliament), 1978

"The Pinocchio Theory" (Bootsy's Rubber Band), 1977

"Aqua Boogie (A Psychoalphadiscobetabioaquadoloop)" (Parliament), 1978

"Bootzilla" (Bootsy's Rubber Band), 1978

"Flash Light" (Parliament), 1978

"One Nation Under a Groove" (Funkadelic), 1978

"(Not Just) Knee Deep" (Funkadelic), 1979

"The Electric Spanking of War Babies" (Funkadelic), 1981

MICHAEL HAMPTON

APPEARS

APRIL 2ND 2026

ON INTERVIEWING THE LEGENDS

WITH RAY SHASHO

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Thursday, March 12, 2026

TESLA 'MONSTER GUITARIST'FRANK HANNON TALKS NEW TESLA ALBUM ... UPCOMING TOUR WITH MOTLEY CRUE, AND MUCH MORE! ZOOM SPECIAL EDITION ON INTERVIEWING THE LEGENDS WITH RAY SHASHO

FRANK HANNON

CO-FOUNDER AND LEAD GUITARIST

OF THE HARD ROCK BAND

T E S L A

RELEASES NEW MUSIC VIDEO

"SAN FRANCISCO"

FROM HIS LATEST RELEASE

'REFLECTIONS'

ZOOM SPECIAL EVENT ON

INTERVIEWING THE LEGENDS

CLICK BELOW TO WATCH

THE ENTIRE INTERVIEW

Frank Hannon, co-founder and lead guitarist of the hard rock band TESLA, has released a new music video for his instrumental track “San Francisco.” The song taps into a deeper improvisational lineage Frank has long been part of -– a side of his playing that has often lived just outside the spotlight of his arena-rock success and highlights a more exploratory guitar voice that many listeners may not immediately associate with him.

“San Francisco” is the latest single from his new, country-western infused instrumental album, Reflections. The video features original, hand-played oil-light visuals from Brotherhood of Light Show artist Chris Samardizch, directly connecting the project to the Fillmore-era psychedelic tradition that helped shape the Bay Area jam scene.

While Frank is widely known for his arena-rock legacy, another side of his story has always leaned toward improvisation and the communal Bay Area tradition. His father-in-law was Dickey Betts, and that melodic, exploratory sensibility runs through his phrasing. He has sat in multiple times with moe. and built a close musical bond with members of the Allman Betts family, earning credibility in rooms where his metal reputation initially raised eyebrows. Growing up in Northern California, the influence of Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, and Santana shaped how he approaches harmony and feel on the guitar.

That spirit is front and center on Reflections, an instrumental album that feels like a natural evolution for him. Recorded as raw first takes with an emphasis on touch and emotional arc, it captures instinct over polish. “San Francisco” was tracked as an open-ended jam, beginning with live bass and expanded through one-take guitar overdubs, moving from psychedelic textures into a flamenco-inspired bridge.

Frank first connected with Samardizch at the Fillmore while performing with Devon Allman and Duane Betts, making the collaboration feel rooted in shared history. The Brotherhood of Light Show lineage traces back to the Summer of Love, the Monterey Pop Festival, and decades at the Fillmore Auditorium.

PURCHASE

THE LATEST RELEASE

FROM

FRANK HANNON

entitled

‘REFLECTIONS’

https://frankhannon.com/#shop

"From the first shimmering notes, Hannon invites the listener into a world where melody speaks louder than words. The album flows like a lived‑in diary: tender, contemplative, and unafraid to linger in the quiet spaces where truth lives. His guitar tone is warm and human, almost vocal in its phrasing, carrying the weight of memory and the lightness of hope in the same breath.

What makes Reflections so powerful is its restraint. Hannon doesn’t chase speed or flash — he chases feeling, and he captures it with stunning clarity. Each track paints a landscape: dusty Americana horizons, candlelit rooms, wide‑open skies. You can hear the years in his hands, the wisdom in his choices, the peace in his pauses."

"It’s an album that doesn’t demand attention — it earns it. It doesn’t shout — it glows. It doesn’t try to impress — it connects."

"A beautiful, heartfelt instrumental journey from an artist who continues to evolve while staying true to his soul. Five stars, without hesitation."

...Music Journalist Ray Shasho

FOR MORE INFORMATION

ABOUT

FRANK HANNON

VISIT

https://frankhannon.com/

Official Website

https://www.facebook.com/FrankHannonOfficial/

FACEBOOK

https://www.instagram.com/frankhannonofficial/

INSTAGRAM

https://www.tiktok.com/@frankhannonoffical