George Clinton Unveils 2026 Tour, P-Funk Mothership Soars Again

A New Era for the Mothership

George Clinton, the visionary behind the Parliament-Funkadelic movement, is preparing to bring back one of the most iconic symbols of funk and science fiction: the Mothership. This legendary spacecraft, which once graced the stages of the 1970s, is set to make a comeback in 2026 with a new and improved version. The original prop, now housed in the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of African American History and Culture, has inspired a fresh creation being built at the Rock Lititz production campus in Pennsylvania.

Vivian Chew, a longtime collaborator of Clinton and founder of Chew Entertainment, shared details about the upcoming project. "We know it's going to be crazy," she said. "It's something people are going to be in awe of. Dr. Funkenstein will be coming out of the Mothership again in a very new way. George is going to take this thing around the world." While specific tour dates have not been announced yet, Chew hinted that fans might see the new Mothership as early as next summer.

The Legacy of the Mothership

The concept of the Mothership was first introduced on the album Mothership Connection, released 50 years ago this month. The title track featured a sci-fi narrative where the group declared, "We have returned to claim the pyramids/Partying on the mothership…Gettin' down in 3D/Light year groovin’." Clinton, a fan of Star Trek and other sci-fi themes, explained that the idea was to place Black people in places they were never expected to be—like outer space.

The album, which included the hit "Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof Off the Sucker)," reached No. 13 on the DISCOVERTREND200 chart and was certified platinum. In 2011, it was added to the Library of Congress' National Recording Registry. DISCOVERTREND also recently named Parliament/Funkadelic one of the 50 best rock bands of all time.

A Stage Spectacle

The physical Mothership made its debut during the P-Funk Earth Tour in 1976, designed by Jules Fisher. It was lowered from the ceiling at the start of the show, with Clinton emerging from its interior as Dr. Funkenstein. David Libert, who booked Clinton during the 1970s, recalled the impact of the prop. "It was spectacular. There was nothing like it at the time," he said. "The logistics around it were crazy, but any audience that saw it was just blown away."

The original Mothership was sold in the early 1980s but later recovered and refurbished for a 1996 concert in Central Park. It also appeared at events such as Woodstock '99 before being placed in the Smithsonian. Clinton expressed his excitement about the new version. "I'm loving the fact that it's still that valid of a concept, and I'm still around to actually be part of this next journey," he said. "It's a good thing; the first Mothership is in the Smithsonian, and here we are backing it up with a new version."

New Music and Future Plans

Clinton hinted that the return of the Mothership could be accompanied by new music. "I've definitely got some fresh funk coming in and out of that, very soon," he said. "Very interesting stuff. I can't talk about it now. It's going to be interesting." Clinton, who was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in June, is currently involved in a legal battle to regain ownership of his music and copyrights.

Before the new Mothership takes flight, Vivian Chew will present "Symphonic PFunk: Celebrating the Music of Parliament Funkadelic" on January 31 at the Detroit Opera House. The event, featuring arrangements by Ray Chew, will include guest performers Nona Hendryx, Vernon Reid, and Rahsaan Patterson. Clinton has expressed interest in joining the performance. "This was always my dream," he said. "To carry on to that point of respectability and to always try to prove that we were worthy of that."

A Vision for the Future

Clinton emphasized the importance of preserving the legacy of funk music. "All that music needs to be classical, orchestrated and cataloged, curated for the next 100 years," he said. "I think we did our part in creating something that lives up to that. And we kept it going."

As the new Mothership prepares to take flight, fans can look forward to a celebration of funk, history, and innovation. With Clinton's vision and the support of his collaborators, the future of the Mothership looks brighter than ever.