We’re not going to see a diaper-clad Garry Shider onstage with P-Funk anymore. A prominent force of musical muscle as a vocalist, guitarist and director of the P-Funk died of brain and lung cancer yesterday. Shider’s family and friends had created a fund for his medical expenses since he started fighting the disease on March 25th. As a ten-year old child growing-up in Plainfield, New Jersey Shider and his brothers played and sang behind
several gospel artists including The Mighty Clouds Of Joy, Shirley Caesar, The Five Blind Boys and others. As a ten-year old child Shider and his brothers played and sang behind several gospel artists including The Might Clouds Of Joy, Shirley Caesar and The Five Blind Boys. It was around this time in his life when he met George Clinton at the barbershop that Clinton owned. In addition to cutting hair Clinton would host doo-wop sessions and counsel youth. Shider and his good friend Cordell “Boogie” Mason were teenagers in the ’60’s when they moved to Canada trying to escape the lure of the streets. They formed a band called United Soul and were taken under Clinton’s wing. The results of his involvement bore two singles for Shider and Masson’s group, “I Miss My Baby” and “Baby I Owe You Something Good” as US Music With Funkadelic on the Westbound label. But by
both Shider and Mosson were members of Funkadelic. Shider quickly became known as “Diaperman” for the loincloth he wore as a suggestion from Clinton. His vocals and guitar on songs like “Swing Down” and “Cosmic Slop” were necessities of the P-Funk sound. He is a co-writer of “One Nation Under A Groove” and worked with spin off acts Bootsy Collins and fallen too soon guitar genius Eddie Hazel. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame in 1997 along with the other members of Parliament Funkadelic. His work with both bands helped formed the foundation of postmodern music. Hip-hop, dance, R&B, rock and countless other genres have lifelines in P-Funk.
