The Opening of the PEDRODELIC ART EXHIBIT
(featuring rare artwork from Funkadelic's "ELECTRIC SPANKING OF WAR
BABIES")
At the EXIT ART Gallery, NYC (5/01/99)
Dr. Brookenstein, hanging out with the legendary great artist, Pedro Bell!!
I was so
excited to finally meet Mr. Pedro Bell (the legendary Funkadelic/P-Funk artwork
wizard) when I rushed into New York City at 3:40pm. I made the stupid mistake
of getting off the subway at 42nd Street, thinking that Park Central Hotel (870
Seventh Avenue) was in the vicinity of Times Square. Well, I had to make a
14-block walk to the hotel with a luggage bag! I contacted Stozo The Clown's
house and left a message for Pedro, about 20 minutes before I received a phone
call from the almighty artist, telling me to show up around 6:00pm!! I spent 45
minutes walking around in the EXIT ART Gallery (548 Broadway), checking out
Pedro's rare album cover pieces, and the other artwork that was on display. I
ran into Stozo's friend, Ken Scott, who at first thought that I was
Pedro.....actually, I was surprised to find out that this guy knows about the
ZEEP magazine (Pedro's P-Funk fanzine).
Dr. Brookenstein, in front of one of the rare art pieces!!
At
6:45pm, Stozo and Mike O'Neal (photographer/reporter for ZEEP Magazine)
escorted the majestic "Pedrodelic" into the exhibit. Pedro and I
shook hands and he laid his packages across from the front desk. A lot of
people showed up to admire the thought-provokin' and humorous artwork of Pedro
Bell, and when Pedro showed up, people gathered around to meet this P-Funk
prodigy. I took pictures of the Pedrodelic artwork, Pedro, Sharon Davis (key
liaison to the Pedro Bell artwork) and Stozo. I met Sharon Davis, who is a very
beautiful and kind woman whom Pedro seems to have a strong liking for. The
exhibit continued into 8:15pm, when the lights were turned off abruptly and
everyone was forced to exit the building.
At
8:45pm, wanting to hang out with Pedro, I followed Pedro and his posse to a
restaurant on Lafayette Street called "Fez". The food was good, but
the burgers took a long, long time to cook (TALK ABOUT WELL-DONE!). I had a
little conversation with a woman about my job as an associate of Pedro Bell and
his ZEEP magazine project, while in a "purple haze" due to some
Russian Vodka. (I am a photographer and reporter for ZEEP Magazine) Pedro was
deep, OR should I say, ZEEP into conversation with a couple of his friends.
After
dinner (around 11:15pm), Pedro and his posse went to a club called
C.B.G.B.'s....I met everyone over there after I had to make a run to a nearby
Tower Books & Video store for a DVD purchase. I entered the club around
11:40pm and noticed how packed it was. I was telling Stozo that based on the
appearance and size of the club, C.B.G.B.'s was giving me the heeby-geebys!!
Seriously, I had a good time with such hardcore rock groups as Parker and Tamara.
Personally, I think Parker did a better, funkier performance that Tamara. Stozo
and I were discussing things like Jimi Hendrix, the FUNK-O-RAMA shows and
Bernie Worrell's band. Pedro and I were discussing stuff about Overton Loyd.
When the live bands were done at 2:30am, I met Pedro outside the club with his
luggage bag. When Pedro said that he was heading out to another
"nightlife" spot, I was really shocked......I was expecting a guy his
age wanting to quit the nightlife for the rest of the night.....but NO.....I
was the one crying that I was exhausted and I went back to the hotel!!!! Yeah,
talk about one's energy bar being depleted!! Pedro is a true party
animal.....you gotta give him props!! He and Stozo were up until
6:45am........DAMN!!!! By the way, Pedro autographed my vinyl copy of the
COSMIC SLOP album!!
I
woke up at 10:30am Sunday morning. I left the hotel at 11:30am to get my photos
developed. Mike O'Neal and I met Stozo and Pedro at Stozo's residence. At
1:00pm, we went to Boston Market to grab a bite! I handed Pedro his own
personal copy of the photos that I took. After some conversation about George
Clinton and the P-Funk thang in general, I left at 2:00pm to catch a train back
to Philly!
Click here for pictures of the Pedro
artwork and friends of Pedro
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Submit suggestions or comments to david.brooks@brookenstein.com