Bootsy Collins is back with a new album and single released on EastWest in germany. The single Play With Bootsy feat. Kelli Ali was released in August, followed by the album Play With Bootsy - A Tribute To The Funk on September 23rd.

The single Play With Bootsy feat. Kelli Ali was released as MCD with the following tracklist:

1. Play With Bootsy (Neophren & Dru Zella Radio Version)
2. Play With Bootsy (Album Version)
3. Play With Bootsy (Seven Gemini Remix)
4. Play With Bootsy (ATFC Remix)
5. Play With Bootsy (Alex Gopher Remix)
6. Play With Bootsy (7th District Club Mix)
7. Play With Bootsy (The Discoboys Remix)

Also available is a double-12":

A1: Play With Bootsy (The Discoboys Remix) 6:31
    additional production & remix by the Discoboys
A2: Play With Bootsy (7th District Club Mix) 6:53
    additional production & remix by Lorenzo al Dino Pizzileo and Patrice LeDope for Ministry Of Music Production
B1: Play With Bootsy (Album Version Extended) 4:58
    additional production & remix by Martin Buttrich for Peppermint Jam
B2: Play With Bootsy (Neophren & Dru Zella Extended) 4:04
    additional production & remix by Neophren & Dru Zella
C1: Play With Bootsy (ATFC Remix) 8:31
    additional production & remix by ATFC
C2: Play With Bootsy (Alex Gopher Dub Verison) 4:52
    additional production & remix by Alex Gopher
D1: Play With Bootsy (Alex Gopher Dub Verison) 5:15
    additional production & remix by Alex Gopher
D2: Play With Bootsy (7th District Physical Dub Mix) 6:53
    additional production & remix by Lorenzo al Dino Pizzileo and Patrice LeDope for Ministry Of Music Production

The album Play With Bootsy - A Tribute To The Funk is filled with guests stars. Macy Gray, Snoop Dogg, Bootsy's brother Catfish, George Clinton, Mike Hampton, Rosie Gaines, Seeed, ONE, Bobby Womack, Fat Joe, Till Brönner, Bernie Worrell, Fred Wesley, Kelli Ali, Mousse T., Fatboy Slim, Lady Miss Kier (Deee-Lite) and others. The tracklist:

1. Inner-Planetary-Funksmanship 2:27
2. Play With Bootsy (feat. Kelli Ali) 3:38
3. Love Gangsta (feat. Snoop Dogg, Daz & Colin Rich) 3:45
4. Soul Sista (feat. Fat Joe, Cherine Anderson & Will Guice) 4:47
5. Don't Let 'Em (feat. Rosie Gaines, Snoop Dogg, Till Brönner) 5:32
6. A Life For Da Sweet Ting (feat. Eased fror Seeed) 3:18
7. Groove Enternal (feat. One & Bobby Womack) 6:22
8. Dance To The Music (feat. One) 3:24
9. Funky And You Know It (feat. Shakedown) 3:58
10. I'm Tired Of Good, I'm Trying Bad (feat. Lady Miss Kier & Can 7) 3:28
11. All Star Funk (feat. Lady Miss Kier & Can 7) 5:37
12. The Bomb (feat. Fat Boy Slim) 5:00
13. The Funkship (1:00)
14. Enhanced Video Play Wirh Bootsy 4:09

The CD was released on September 23rd in two different version. One comes with the jewel case in a cardboard box and little silver star confetti behind the CD-tray. The other version is a simple jewel case. The booklet of the CD folds out to a little Bootsy poster.

Originally the album was called Allstar Funk and it's title, artwork and tracklist were changed later. The old artwork can be found on the back of the single release (both MCD and 2-12"). A circulating prerelease version of Allstar Funk cotained two tracks that didn't make it to the final version:
Pressin On (feat. Chuck D. & Professor Griff) and
Rhythm Is Life
Those two tracks were replaced by Inner-Planetary-Funksmanship and The Bomb.

The Funkship was originally used in Nike TV ads.

The video of Play With Bootsy was shot in Hamburg, Germany on July 24th, 2002. Behind the scene videos and interviews of the video shoot can be found at the New Funk Times website.

The video of the single not only features Kelli Ali but also guest starrings by Snoop Dogg, Mousse T., Smudo (who was on Bootsy's last album) and Nadja (of german pop group No Angels).

To promote the new releases Bootsy appeared on some german radio and TV shows:
07-30-2002: interview on radio station JamFM
08-xx-2002: interview and chat at website tv.tomorrow.de. Parts of the interview can be found here. 
08-15-2002: Bootsy as guest on TV show TV Total on station Pro7 with moderator and funk fan Stefan Raab.
08-16-2002: Bootsy presenting the award for best national hip hop act at the award show COMET

The new releases have been on the german charts on the following positions:
Play With Bootsy feat. Kelli Ali: 55-77-67-83-81-out
Play With Bootsy - A Tribute To The Funk: 58-out

Also spotted was a promotional Bootzilla comic. We haven't seen this one until now but further informations about the comic will follow soon.

The new releases have been on the german charts on the following positions: 
Play With Bootsy feat. Kelli Ali: 55-77-67-83-81-out
Play With Bootsy - A Tribute To The Funk: 58-out

  Snoop Doog's new single Undercova Funk (Give Up The Funk) is a remake of the old Parliament track and features Bootsy Collins, Fred Wesley, Quaze and Mr. Kane. It was released on Hollywood Records. You can find the video of the track at the website to the film Undercover Brother.

Bootsy will be on the compilation Hidden Treasures - Cincinnati's Tribute To King Records' Legacy. The record will be released in fall 2002 as a limited edition compilation including Hide Away by Bootsy Collins & Sonny Moorman. To learn more about this CD click here.

Exodus is the title of the new album by the Gospel Gangstaz released on October 15th, 2002. Gangstaz Don't Dance is one of the tracks on this album and features Bootsy.

Of course Bootsy has his own website: at www.bootsycollins.com you get all the latest news from the man himself as well as a comic video, merchandise, a fan forum and many more.

The german record company EastWest built www.bootsycollins.de where you can find everything about the new releases: lyrics, album credits, videos, a newsletter, screensaver and a contest (you can win a space bass!).

Bootsy new album 'Play With Bootsy' was released in germany today. The version I couldn't resist to buy comes in a usual jewel case stickin in a cardbard box. Opening the jewel case there is a little surpris: Little silver stars are behind the tray. The booklet folds out to a Bootsy poster.

Now for the music:
Inner - Planetary - Funkmanship: A spoken intro not worth to mention. You can here (parts of) it as a new flash intro on www.bootsycollins.de

Play WIth Bootsy: the album version of the track. Maybe the bass is mixed a bit more to the front. This has about three seconds with real P.Funk vocal arrangements.

Love Gangsta: with Snoop Dogg, Daz and Colin Rich, plus guitar by Mike Hampton. A simple hip hop beat. The songs starts with cool vocals using the melody from Sly & Robbie's Boops (Here We Go). After that Snoop and Daz drop their rap parts and that's about it.

Soul Sista: Produced by Sly & Robbie. Once again fine vocals during the refrain. With proper sung verses this could have been a beautiful new soul song. Fat Joe somewho don't fit in here IMO.

Don't Let Em: with Snoop Dogg, Rosie Gaines and Till Br?ner. Straight beat in the beginning again. I really like Rosies voice and she fits in real good (at least better than on her own house releases). Till Brönner and his band (?) get a jazzy feeling to the song as it proceeds.

A Life For Da Sweet Ting: with german ragga-band Seeed. Brings typical ragga vocals. Nothing special.

Groove Eternal: with One and Bobby Womack. Bootsy is credited on Space Bass and keyboards and of course vocals. The songs starts out as one of the jams Prince stopped playing at least 10 years ago. Straight beat on 2 and 4, quirky keyboards, layered vocals. But during it's 6+ minutes it becomes a enjoyable jam. Bobby Womack? I haven't heard him during my two listens...

Dance To The Music: with One. First of all...this is no cover. Lightweight pop. nothing to remember. Sir Nose somewhere in the mix.

Funky And You Know It: with Funk Mob members, horns by Fred Wesley, voice by Macy Gray. Still modern grooves, George and gang dropping some vocals. Bootsy speaking the verses.

I'm Tired Of Good, I'm Tired Of Bad: with Lady Miss Kier (Deee-Lite). A slow groove with good vocals, once again strong during the refrain. (I'm not really sure this is Lady Miss Kier on this track. The booklet says so but to me it could be Macy Gray.)

All Star Funk: Lady Miss Kier again, alos Qui-wey (Bootsy's son). Stomping beat that could have a bit more power on the low end. Chanting refrain. Fred Wesley dropping the same trombone solo as he does since 20+ years.

The Bomb: feat. Fat Boy Slim. Written by Norman Cook and Bootsy Collins. Produced by Norman Cook. That's about it. No 'musicians' involved. Boring as anything, the low point of the album.

Funk Ship: From the Nike ad. The Funk Mob in effect. Awful mix. Short intro. A few bars of the song before it ends after exactly minute. A teaser. Very sad that the best track is so short!

Also on the CD is an MPEG of the video of the single 'Play With Boosty'.

All in all it not a great album in P.Funk terms. I miss Bootsy singing a lot. Most of the songs he just drops some sentences with his trademark voice. But IMO Bootsy has a real fine singing voice, especially on slow songs. Two songs from the prerelease are not on the album: Pressin On with Public Enemy and Rhythm Is Life. I don't know why they didn't use these tracks as the albums clocks in at nearly 53 minutes.

this review (c) by FF Gap