Mallia Franklin was born Rosalind Franklin on March 3rd ,1952, her father encouraged her to develop her vocal talents from an early age although the direction he wished for her was in the field of opera. However a rather influential figure often stayed over at the Franklin’s, George Clinton. In 1970 Bootsy Collins, fresh from playing with James Brown headed for Detroit and Mallia became responsible for introducing Bootsy to George Clinton opening up the family home once again to Bootsy and his band; the rest as they say is history. It is a rarity to see women figure prominently in the history of funk but if it had not been for this particular lady then one of funk’s most precious chapters could not have been written. In 1978 she became an original member of Parlet where she introduced us to the “Pleasure Principle”
In 1995 her solo album, “Funk Intersceptre” was a veritable who’s who of musicians from The Horny Horns to guests from Parliament / Funkadelic, the Brides of Funkenstein, Junie Morrison, Sir Harry Bowen from Was Not Was and Eddie Hazel who co-wrote and produced “Rat-A-Tat-Tat” with Mallia Franklin herself. (continued on next page)
