RonKat Spearman

Artist Information

Biography

RonKat Spearman is a Grammy Nominated, BMI Award winning songwriter and a current member of George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic.

RonKat is a self taught musician who has played percussion, bass, guitar, drums, keyboards and vocals professionally since the age of five. Songwriting and Producing are natural to RonKat as are his vocal and musical gifts. Simply put, RonKat is a BADKAT!!

"Not only does he sing and play about five different instruments well, RonKat is literally a song writing machine who is able to write a song in less time than it takes most people to write a letter"(American Music Press)

RonKat joined George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic in 2001. He has toured the world with GCPF every year since (Guitar, Bass, Vocals). The experience has enriched his talents and pushed his skills to even higher levels of achievement
RonKat is passionate about doing whatever the party calls for when on tour.
"RonKat is a crowd pleaser and he is truly funky" (George Clinton )

"RonKat kicks Ass"
(Garry Starchild Shider)

"RonKat's KATDELIC is my favorite Funk Band right now"
(KPFA History of Funk DJ Rickey Vincent)

RonKats' KATDELIC is taking the Northern California club scene by storm.
RonKat's music is a combination of funk and rock. Bridging unbelievably tasteful elements of multi-genres in a musical blend of pure magic, KATDELIC draws bits of hip hop, touches of gospel and soul-jazz funk into a rockin heavy dance-charged hard pop fusion all its own. Think PRINCE, ROLLING STONES, The ROOTS, THE SEX PISTOLS, AL GREEN and New Orleans METERS forged into its own undefinable new sound.
RonKat's unique showmanship and singularly energized music style brings a powerful sound and a funk to his show that is incomparable. It is its own thing! It is *KATDELIC*. It is understood by all at once: "Make 'Em Dance."

In the past few years RonKat released his FUNKY NATION, CHEDDAR, LITTLE MONSTERS, and JOY TO THE FUNK CDs.

Each CD has its own distinctive mood and style which display RonKat's versatility and abilities. The common thread is excellent lyrics and tracks. Which are all written, produced and performed by RonKat Spearman. "It s all about the beats for me, coupled with a cold melody and good lyrics. I like to keep my mind open to the pulse of the people, because It inspires me whether I am writing a love song, dance song or working on my Katdelic Music."

RonKat also takes his acoustic music to the stage. His solo performance to clubs and cabarets on the West Coast.

"RonKat is amazing, the audience loved him, he can play at my show anytime." Steve Murray -Viva Varity

RonKat Spearman is an artist with a dynamic stage presence,an amazing voice, solid playing skills, remarkable versatility and a foundation that will insure his future in the music industry for a long time to come.

Instrumentation

RonKat Spearman's Accoustic set is also available
------------------------------------------------------
KATDELIC
RonKat Spearman - Vocals, Bass, Guitar, Keyboards,
Michael Cavaseno - Guitar
Max MacVeedy - Drums
DJ K-OS - Turntables
David Boyce - Sax
Kirk Peterson - Bass
Ryan Scott - Trumpet
Lady Chi - Vocals
Pamela Parker - Vocals

Discography

RonKat with George Clinton and Parliament Funkdelic LIVE AT MONTREUX - singing throughout and playing bass on Atomic Dog and Finale'. This can be viewed On Cable On Demand (under Live Performances)

RONKAT SPEARMAN - PARTIAL DISCOGRAPHY
All Day All Night - Stephanie Mills/Something Good/MCA
Belong To You - Toni Braxton/Toni Braxton/LaFace Arista
Anything For Love -Joey Lawrence/Joey Lawrence/Impact/MCA
When You Need Me
Do Anything - Aaron Hall/The Truth/Silas/MCA
Don't Let Go - Michael Paulo/Fusebox/GRP/MCA
Patience
Your Kiss
Don't Stay Away Too Long - Grady Harrell/Romance Me/RCA
Don't Walk Away
Want Cha Baby
One Woman
Out With The Girls Jade/Jade To The Max/Giant/WB
Forever In My Life -The Jets/The Best of the Jets/MCA
Good Love - Klymaxx/The Maxx is Back/MCA
I Could Never Say Goodbye - Mac Band/Love U 2 The Limit/MCA
Let's Get Serious
I Told You So - LaRue/Do It For Love/RCA
If You Want To Keep Me - Sheena Easton/What Comes Naturally/MCA
That's My Girl - JT Taylor/JT Taylor/MCA
Right Way - For Real/Sountrack To Fled/Rowdy/Arista/MGM
Precious - Chante Moore/Chante Moore/Silas/Remix
Keep It Tight
The Funeral
Pass The Joint - Flip/DBA Flip/The Work Group/Sony
It's Got To Be Real - El/Debarge/Motown/Warner Brothers
Real Real Love - Girl Group Featuring Martika/Sony
Funk wit Me - Rick James

RonKat has collaborated, recorded and co written
with George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, Lady Miss Keir
Anastasia, Bernie Worrell, Tommy Lee,
Henry Rollins, Darius McCrary, Bobby Womack,
Shock G.. Prince, Brenda Russell, Chaka Khan,
El Debarge, Rick James, Lenny Kravitz, Eric McFadden, Tony Williams, Blackbyrd McKnight, LaMont Dozier, Scarface, George Clinton and His Gangsters of Love Allstars (as seen on JAY LENO) Sly Stone,Red Hot Chili Peppers, Shavo, Carlos Santana,
the RZA and more.

Links

• My Space
• RonKat Spearman on Jay Leno
• RonKat's Website

Audio

• Don't Run
  Listen  
• Invisible
  Listen  
• Sky Is Falling
  Listen  
• Lost Boys
  Listen  
• Black Pearl
  Listen  
• Funky Nation
  Listen  
• Sugar Booty
  Listen  
• Cheddar
  Listen  
• Bottom Girl
  Listen  
• Dead and Gone
  Listen  

Lyrics

• Lift The Curse - explicit lyrics
• Unchain My Brain - explicit lyrics
• New Day

Video

George Clinton gives RonKat his Funk Blessing

Photo Gallery

Press

• P Funk Allstar RonKat Spearman a/k/a/ The Funky Son Lifts the Curse [+ Show ]
  

  P Funk All Star RonKat Spearman a/k/a ‘The Funky Son’ Lifts The Curse On Friday the 13th of Jan...P Funk All Star RonKat Spearman a/k/a ‘The Funky Son’
  Lifts The Curse
  
  On Friday the 13th of Jan. 2006 The Katdelic Revival will descend upon Studio Z Gallery, 1515 Folsom, SF. And will commence to Lift The Curse while you dance to the funk rock rhythms played
  By RonKat and his line up of All Star musicians and special guest LADY KIER from Deee Lite.
  
  I had a chance to get with RonKat at his San Francisco Studio after a Katdelic
  Revival rehearsal one evening and here is some of what he shared about his latest project.
  
  LL: RonKat, Explain to our readers what Curse you are lifting?
  
  RKS: I’m glad you asked that. The title came to me at a point in my life when I felt like I was being cursed because certain things kept happening to me and I needed to gain control and find the answer to questions. I asked myself: am I prey? or should I Pray?. I started putting it to music and as the songs were created I started getting answers to my questions.
  
  LL: Is this a religious thing?
  
  RKS: (laughing) No, it’s about making change and when you are trying to do that within yourself or in the world it’s never easy.
  
  LL: Where does the Revival come in?
  
  RKS: It’s not a religious revival it’s a rebirth of fun and real music.
  
  LL: From what I’ve heard of the music so far, it is really amazing, very up beat, very funky.
  
  RKS: Thank you, It’s Funklectik.
  
  LL: And Funklectik is what exactly?
  
  RKS: It’s a combination of Funk, Rock, HipHop, Gospel, a touch of country and some Blues, It basically encompasses everything with funk roots underneath it. So whatever I’m experiencing at the time I blend with Funk underneath it. My goal in life is that whatever I do musically in life my challenge is to make it funky. You may hear a bit of Prince influence, a little Kanye, Rolling Stones and George Clinton Parliament Funkadelic for sure. My music is like a mulatto child, it’s mixed.
  
  LL: What’s up with GCPF? I know you were in the band for the past six years. Have you left George?
  
  RKS: You NEVER leave P Funk, We’re on Funky Hiatus. We’re just P’ing in other directions. George encourages us to spread our wings and do other things with music. In fact, he always ends up somewhere on everyone’s project, even if it’s just advice or mixing it. I seek his blessings on most all the things I do..
  
  LL: I see you have Lady Kier from Deee Lite as a special guest. Is she going to sing?
  
  RKS: Yes, We worked together in London on a song of hers and in San Francisco on a song of mine. We just have such great chemistry and she’s such a great talent, that we thought we’d try to combine some things and see how it works .and so far so good.
  
  LL: I’m looking forward to that. Who do you have playing with you?
  
  RKS: I have Eric McFadden, Greg Thomas from the P Funk Horns, Poo Poo man from P Funk, Shaunna Hall from Four Non Blondes and P Funk, Ubidube, from Storm, Inc on Bass. Beattle on drums, Sean Leahy on guitar. Roddy Bo on Keys, K-OS the p funk mix master on the tables, Kevin Carnes from the Braun Felinis
  Some of them are guests some are in the band. Oh and we have a cameo or two by Zootzilla.
  
  LL: WOW, that’s quite a line up. This sounds like a great show, a cool concept and something no one should miss. Thank you for your time RonKat. I’ll let you go and get some dinner now.
  
  RKS: Thank you and I hope that everyone who comes to the show will ‘Lift The Curse’ at the Katdelic Revival.
  
  LL: I feel it lifting already
  
  Written by Loose Lane
  .
  

• RonKat's KatDelic Revival [+ Show ]
  

  The lineup is what you could call a world clique: Ronkat, Parliament-Funkadelic's legendary bassist... The lineup is what you could call a world clique: Ronkat, Parliament-Funkadelic's legendary bassist, has assembled the crème de la crème of psychedelic funk (laced with a good dose of club sounds) for "Katdelic Revival — Lift the Curse!" Guitar/mandolin god Eric McFadden (who's played with the likes of Joe Strummer, Reverend Horton Heat, and Bo Diddley) joins P-funk alums Greg Thomas on sax, Shaunna Hall on guitar, and fearlessly named singer Poo Poo Man. Most fabulous of all, the special guest star is Deee-Lite's own Lady Kier.
  
  Kier hasn't been resting on her laurels since her first band's demise; in fact, she's transformed herself into a successful club DJ, putting out her own material and participating in a gazillion funky projects around the globe. All this and Ronkat's Katdelic Experience as the musical backbone — will there be a line for the guitar spot? Nah, they'll probably play in shifts till dawn. Fri., Jan. 13, 9 p.m., $12. Studio Z, 314 11th St. (at Folsom), San Francisco, 415-252-7666, http://www.studioz.tv.

• Little Monsters CD review [+ Show ]
  

  written, produced & performed by RonKat Spearman featuring George Clinton and Members of The P Fun...written, produced & performed by RonKat Spearman
  featuring George Clinton and Members of
  The P Funk Allstars
  Uncompromising concept funk from the Funklectik. The set opens with a haunting guitar riff stretched out over a keys riff from what sounds like an almost ambient cathedral pipe organ. A rich musical and bass heavy journey thru a stew of polyrhythmic thick brick funk.
  Gooey, gluey , elastic type grooves fea. the likes of Garry & Linda Shider-both from the P-Funk All Stars + vocalists Kim Manning & Kendra Foster. The Dr. GC also puts his slithery dank vocals-stank on the title track, a dancefloor smash w/ a message ëeverybodyís got their lilí monsters, stop actiní like you never knew, he wont bite youí. Blackbryd McKnight drops an ethereal sky-high fusion funk guitar solo over the euphonic Seal-esque euro-beat & vocals of ìTears of a Ghostî.
  RonKatís got the look, the beat and sound to really blow up and make some serious noize plus got that gritty funk too. Ultimately unique. Also fea. Gina Hall (lead shrill on ëScary Silent Movieí pt 2) & Roddy Bo. Put this w/ ìCheddarî for a nice EP.
  Reviewed For TheFunkStore.com..By/Funk Journalist&Atlanta Radio Personality~"Bustin'"Bob Mitchell

• VivaVariety [+ Show ]
  

  The surprise delight of the night was RonKat Spearman, a yooung African-American singer/songwrite ...The surprise delight of the night was RonKat Spearman,
  a yooung African-American singer/songwrite
  r who plays with George Clinton.
  At Viva Variety he played a couple of
  sweet songs, accompanying himself on guitar
  , and his sweet high voice, R&B style,
  and sharp finger picking won over
  the gay and lesbian crowd even though
  he was singing "Sugar Booty" to his girl.
  

• Cheddar CD Review [+ Show ]
  

  Gimmie some of that chedaaaaaaar, CHEESE!!!!!í a sumptuous blackgrond vocal overlay chants towar...Gimmie some of that chedaaaaaaar, CHEESE!!!!!í
  a sumptuous blackgrond vocal overlay chants
  towards the middle of the title track over a
  bumpin bass groove and rhythm guitar chord
  ala Parliamentís ìGive Up the Funkî.
  Welcome to the galaxy of RonKat
  The Funklectik. I saw P-Funk live for the
  first time in 3 years this past fall.
  Although I was more than impressed with
  the newest funk mobers up on the stage,
  this one massively unshakeable voice, sort
  of a tenor, keep cutting effortlessly
  through the thick wall of Funkadelic sound. What
  the funk, who the funk?!!?í ,I exclaimed. Somebody
  said, ëoh yea, that ís the Funklectik.
  
  Later in the show he picks up a bass
  guitar and commences to destroy
  Jerry Lee Lewisí ìWhole Lotta Shakin.
  This RonKat is one bad Cat. Then I
  remembered where I had heard this once
  before, last yearís splendid IZM collection.
  This San Francisco crew just keeps funkin it
  all the way up. This EP is a pot of simmering
  fonk that opens with ìKeep It Wet, a slithering slice of
  slimy groove, ëyou know your ass has a hell of a drop.
  RonKat sings his arse off, he rapps, he plays with all the instruments.
  Produced, written, arranged and performed by
  The Funklectik, now thats what I am talking about.
  Radio put this on your placebo play list and watch
  the airwaves smoke!! Bounce is just a block party on ice.
  What sounds like a Bernie Worrell bass synth just
  pounds all over the beat, as polyrhythmic
  elation envelopes you into a myriad of synth effects.
  High octane funkin. Listening to this its easy to understand
  why George Clintonís P-Funk All-Stars will never die.
  GC ís genius lies in part in injecting all this new,
  fresh and young energy into the band. He feeds off
  of it. Itís infectious. Stay tuned for the full cd
  on the way early next year; if this is a teaser then
  we are in for another classic. RonKat is one bad Cat
  !!!!! Reviewed For TheFunkStore.com..By/Funk Journalist&Atlanta Radio Personality~"Bustin'"Bob Mitchell

• Live Review [+ Show ]
  

  On Saturday night I caught one of the best new funk acts I have seen in a long time. Eric McFadden ...On Saturday night I caught one of the best new funk acts I have seen in a
  long time. Eric McFadden (local guitar ace who now tours with P-Funk)
  and RonKat (also of P-Funk) were joined by the Broun Felini's insanely
  talented drummer Kevin Carnes to comprise IZM. McFadden and Carnes
  I was Prepared for
  but RonKat's superBootsy bass playing, killer voice, and
  Deep Lyrics caught me off guard. This was a hard, fast, aggressive, and intense Brand of funk, reminiscent of Funkadelic, Fishbone, Rage Against the Machine and Lenny Kravitz.
  These guys are WORLD CLASS MUSICIANS and this is a band
  That I could see rocking STADIUMS some day. Starvin Like Marvin opened with
  A superb set of funky acid jazz. I was honored to sit in and scratch and
  Sample with both bands (though the 10 minutes with IZM worked me so
  Hard that my arm is still sore) and thanks again to Karin Conn for throwing
  this terrific monthly funkdown.

• IZM CD Review [+ Show ]
  

  IZM (pronounced 'ism') is the latest groove collective to spin out of the Bay Area's bubbling stre...
  IZM (pronounced 'ism') is the latest groove collective to spin out of the Bay Area's bubbling street rock/funk scene. Now ther are all sorts of 'izms' out there. Theres neuroticizm, alienizm, favoritizm, adventurizm, idealizm, eroticizm, poetizm, sensualizm, expressionizm. IZM is a musical journey through some of these izms, although this IZM ain't those izms, get it, dig it, good. The band's objective seems to be putting some good ole 'pow-wah' back into the power trio- an all too forgotten genre in its own right. Indeed it is a treat to have a true power trio in this time and space capable of laying down such a thick groove. The treesome throws down with the unabashedness of early 80s Brit-Rock. The amazing new wave vocal sangin' styles couched down in deep funk chops and power chords from the talented Eric McFadden on guitar,
  the incredible RonKat Spearman on bass thump and vocals,
  all held in tha pocket by 'San Francisco's favorite drummer' Kevin Carnes.
  
  Picking up right where the best of them left off (the Who, Clash, Rush, Sweet, Hardware), the set busts off with "Superstar". And indeed, what better way for a trio to kick it off than with a straight up jamm laced with 'funk & roll' fantasy. A hard 1-2 vamp powers the groove as they get into a lyrical ode to plain old rock and roll hedonism over some crunched out guitar. On "Nappy State of Mind", an outrageous chicken-scratching rythum guitar lick over a 'pop-a-long' percolating bass breakdown is mixed with a dose of Clinton-styled silly seriously vocals. Lyrics like 'nappy is in the mind not the head' and 'nappy is the root that he gave us' brings to mind vintage P funkizms.
  
  IZM cuts right through all the BS and tells it like it is on "Can't Help Myself". Wiry guitar chords and full frontal vocal assaults of 'you look so fine I just can't help myself'-now fellas, how many times have you just wanted to to go right up to her and tell it like she aught to already know it?!
  
  On "The Web", right smack-in-the-middle of a preposterous bass funk attack the beat just melts down into a cauldron of layered guitar chords.
  Amid the grinding bass, Spearman brings some of his best vocals on the cd
  
  as he and McFadden churn and burn with a patiently winding guitar throttle before bringing the song entirely over the top (ever heard Funkadelic bringing home the legendary Maggot Brain?, ya'll see my point.)
  
  I cannot quite pinpoint Spearman's vocal tint. Alot of flavors going on here, seems to me a hybrid between Rick Astley and Terrence Trent D'Arby but he definelty has a unique delivery.
  I like the way he is able to take seemingly simple vocal hooks and sangs them with a goose-bump-giving-in-yo-face abandon on "Off My Mind".
  
  McFadden then proceeds to take you on an Eddie Hazel-esqe blues guitar romp midway through the track. "Dreams" can only be described as a 'funk-drenched, jazzambient Spanish Lullabye'. Spacy, dreamy; Mudbone Cooper-like harmonie' s over a Simply Red smoky groove jazz/pop beat. "Surviving the Game" is just a grinding, blazing, blistering guitar battle. Combining the speed of Buckethead and the precision of Duwayne 'Blackbyrd' McKnight, McFadden literally ignites his axe and wails away as it burns white hott. The percussive beat then takes off ala MC5.
  These boys need to come back with a follow up to this outstanding set. Being the collection is only 7 songs, the time is ripe to drop part two. Maybe when they aren't too too busy between opening gigs for George Clinton & The P Funk All-Stars (on which all star drummer Ron Wright joins the band on skins) and their own outside projects. But in the meantime, its high time to free your mind of all the various izms, and liberate yourself and your earhole with somma this real-IZM. Reviewed For TheFunkStore.com..By/Funk Journalist&Atlanta Radio Personality~"Bustin'"Bob Mitchell
  
  
  

• Rickey Vincent's HISTORY OF FUNK [+ Show ]
  

  I caught last 2 hrs of Ronkat at Boom Boom room. Ronkat is now my favorite funk band. Folks from Bro...I caught last 2 hrs of Ronkat at Boom Boom room. Ronkat is now my favorite funk band. Folks from Brown Fellinis on horns and folks from P-Funk on guitars. I am sprung.

Setlist

Sample Set List:
Funky Dance Transformer
Unchain My Brain
Don' Run -
So Fine -
The Sky is Falling
Dead and Gone
Brain Split
Go Down -
World To Me -
Cosmic Slop - george clinton/music by ronkat spearman
Sugar Booty
All I Can Standz
Lift The Curse
Funky Nation
Lets Dance


all songs written, arranged and produced by
RonKat Spearman unless otherwise noted.

Basic Requirements

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