The guitar solo on “Free Your Mind” by Funkadelic is one of the most iconic and recognizable solos in funk music history. The funky, wah-wah infused guitar line comes wailing in about 2 minutes into the 5-minute psychedelic funk jam released in 1970 on the album Funkadelic. The guitar solo has become so legendary that it has been sampled countless times in hip hop music over the decades. But who exactly played that memorable guitar solo on the Funkadelic classic “Free Your Mind”? Let’s take a deep dive into the history and personnel of Funkadelic in 1970 to get to the bottom of the mystery.
About Funkadelic
Funkadelic was formed in the late 1960s by George Clinton, Eddie Hazel, Billy Nelson, Tawl Ross, Tiki Fulwood, and Mickey Atkins after splitting off from the doo wop group The Parliaments. The new group had a distinctly psychedelic rock and heavy funk sound compared to the more straight forward vocal group repertoire of The Parliaments. Funkadelic was highly influential in pushing black music into the realm of psychedelic rock, with their album Maggot Brain often cited as one of the first true psychedelic funk albums.
Funkadelic had a fluid membership over the years, with George Clinton the consistent leader and mastermind behind the group’s sound. In 1970 when Funkadelic recorded and released Free Your Mind, the core membership was George Clinton on vocals, Eddie Hazel on lead guitar, Tawl Ross on rhythm guitar, Billy Bass Nelson on bass, Bernie Worrell on keyboards, and Tiki Fulwood on drums. Let’s take a closer look at two of the guitarists in that lineup – Eddie Hazel and Tawl Ross – to determine who handled the famous guitar solo.
Eddie Hazel
Eddie Hazel was the lead guitarist of Funkadelic during their early years and was known for his intense, psychedelic solos. He was widely considered a guitar virtuoso and one of the most gifted players to emerge from the funk genre in the early 1970s. Hazel made his mark playing on Funkadelic albums like Maggot Brain and Free Your Mind.
His solos were fiery and emotional, showcasing blues influences mixed with a heavy dose of distortion and wah pedal effects. You can hear Hazel’s lead sound on the title track of Maggot Brain where he plays an extended 10-minute solo that is regarded as his masterpiece.
So when considering the legendary guitar solo in “Free Your Mind,” Eddie Hazel would seem to be the natural choice. His soloing style matches the sound and feel of the “Free Your Mind” solo perfectly. However, there is one issue – Hazel was reportedly in jail on drug charges when Funkadelic recorded Free Your Mind in 1970.
Tawl Ross
With Hazel unavailable, the guitar duties for Free Your Mind fell to Tawl Ross, the rhythm guitarist in Funkadelic at the time. Ross stepped up to record the famous solo on the album’s title track.
Not as much is known about Tawl Ross’s background and career compared to the more famous Eddie Hazel. But we do know that Ross joined Funkadelic in 1968 as a backing guitarist and occasional soloist. When Hazel was unavailable for Free Your Mind, Ross adapted his playing style to match Hazel’s psychedelic lead sound.
The result was the unforgettable wah-wah guitar solo that takes “Free Your Mind” to the next level. Tawl Ross succeeded in channeling Hazel’s spirit and delivered one of the most iconic guitar moments in funk history.
While Ross continued contributing to Funkadelic in the early 70s, he was soon overshadowed by the return of Hazel, who reclaimed his status as Funkadelic’s lead guitarist before his death in 1992. But even if Tawl Ross’s time in the spotlight was relatively brief, he deserves full credit for recording the famous solo on “Free Your Mind.”
The Recording of “Free Your Mind”
“Free Your Mind” was recorded in Detroit in late 1970 during sessions for the album of the same name. As the title suggests, the song’s lyrics urge listeners to open their minds and free themselves from limitations.
Musically, “Free Your Mind” exemplifies Funkadelic’s style in their early years – a propulsive funk groove powered by Bernie Worrell’s keyboard riffs and the rhythm section of Billy Bass Nelson and Tiki Fulwood, layered with Eddie Hazel’s searing psychedelic guitar flourishes.
Producer George Clinton described the recording process for the song:
“I came up with the riff on the keyboards and laid down the basic rhythm tracks with my trusty band. Then when it came time for the guitar solo, our regular man Eddie Hazel was still locked up, God bless him. So Tawl Ross stepped up and tapped into that freaky drippy psychedelic vibe Eddie was so good at. And man, did he nail it on ‘Free Your Mind!’ As soon as we heard Tawl wailing away through that wah-wah pedal it was like Eddie’s spirit had inhabited his body. Everyone in the studio knew we were cutting something special.”
According to Clinton, Hazel’s imprisonment led Tawl Ross to expand beyond his typical rhythm playing and provide the mind-bending guitar work that makes “Free Your Mind” so memorable. The song exemplified Funkadelic’s new anything-goes artistic freedom and fearless blending of musical genres.
Legacy of the Solo
Tawl Ross’s guitar solo on “Free Your Mind” has become one of the most iconic solos and sampled moments in funk and rock history. The solo has been widely praised by critics and fans:
- Rolling Stone – “A fuzzed out, wah-wah soaked guitar solo that bores into your brain and stays there.”
- Guitar World – “Ross captures the LSD-laced madness of the era with one of the wildest solos ever committed to tape.”
- AllMusic – “Ross wraps his strings in heavy distortion and lets loose with psychedelic fury.”
The solo influenced generations of guitarists in many genres. Rock guitarists admired its raw power and emotion. For funk players, it expanded the horizons of what was possible on the instrument. And for hip hop producers, the solo provided the perfect funky sample to slice up.
Some examples of songs that famously sampled or interpolated Tawl Ross’s timeless guitar solo:
- “Freedom” by Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth
- “Free Your Mind” by Poor Righteous Teachers
- “Lil’ Ghetto Boy” by Dr. Dre
- “If I Had” by Eminem
Decades after its recording, the legacy of the “Free Your Mind” solo continues to endure. It encapsulates the spirit of funk, rock, and creative artistic freedom. We have Tawl Ross to thank for stepping up and recording one of the greatest guitar solos in popular music history.
Tawl Ross’s Later Career
Though the spotlight was short-lived, Tawl Ross continued making significant contributions to Funkadelic in the early 1970s after recording the famous “Free Your Mind” solo.
Ross played rhythm guitar on several albums like Maggot Brain, America Eats Its Young, and Cosmic Slop. While he did not get as many chances to solo after Eddie Hazel returned, Ross provided rock solid rhythm work to anchor Funkadelic’s chaotic jams.
In live shows during this period, Ross and Hazel formed an imposing double guitar attack. Critics noted Ross’s improvisational skill in a live setting as he pushed Funkadelic’s music into unpredictable sonic spaces.
After departing Funkadelic in 1974, not much is documented about the latter part of Tawl Ross’s music career. It appears he left the music industry and kept a low profile in subsequent decades.
But even if Ross faded into obscurity over time, his immortal guitar solo on “Free Your Mind” will remain a high point of his career and a monumental moment in popular music history.
Conclusion
The guitar solo on Funkadelic’s classic “Free Your Mind” represents a milestone in funk, rock, and pop music. Guitarist Tawl Ross stepped out of his normal rhythm role to lay down a solo that captured the frantic psychedelic vibe of the era.
Though Ross was no longer a central member of Funkadelic in later years, he contributed this timeless solo to musical history. Decades later, the screaming, wah-infused guitar break in “Free Your Mind” remains one of the most iconic and unforgettable solos ever recorded. Tawl Ross may not be a household name, but his solo will live on forever.