Album of the Day

William “Bootsy” Collins came to prominence as part of James Brown's band before boarding the George Clinton mothership, and the bassist is joined by several others who left the J.B.'s for P-Funk in Bootsy's Rubber Band. The group's 1976 debut for Warner Bros., STRETCHIN' OUT IN, was co-produced by Clinton at Detroit's United Sound Systems, and it's clear from first listen that a star has been born. With an irrepressible personality and nimble fingers pumping out grooves, Bootsy stretches from uptempo floor-fillers to balladry across these 7 originals, including such highlights as the R&B hit title track, “Psychoticbumpschool” and the much-sampled “I'd Rather Be With You.” STRETCHIN' OUT IN BOOTSY'S RUBBER BAND is by common consensus one of Collin's very best, and we'll play it again now to wish the man a happy birthday.