BACKSTAGE PASS ARTICLE JULY 1997
LIBIDO FUNK CIRCUS
Written By: PATRICE PETERS
Libido Funk Circus is a group of seven musical beings who have narrowly escaped death when their planet, the Planet Groove, exploded almost a year ago. Back home on their planet, they had decided to start playing music as the best way to get out of having to work real jobs. However, this is not the first time they have visited planet Earth. You may remember them when their alien race travelled all the way from the Galaxy of Funk and inhabited Earth in great abundance in the 1970's. They could be found preaching the sermon of their homeland - that we should be dancing, kung fu fighting, and staying alive. Twenty years ago, their native unifor of platform shoes, bell bottom slacks and polyest shirts, inspired a fashion trend which is still in existance today.
And now, twenty years later they have been forced to return to Earth to start life again and to do what they do best, play music. They are the only seven survivors of their planet and they are in quite a predicament. Any female Earthlings interested helping repopulate the species of Planet Groove can call the Libido Funk Circus Hotline (312) 618-0131. It has been set up just for this particular reason due to the great interest they have already attracted in this mission. By calling this number you can receive information on where you can find them and how to get them to come see you.
The individual beings in Libido Funk Circus have come from every corner of the Galaxy Funk. Chili was the sole inspiration for Libido Funk Circus and takes great pride in being the Keeper Of All Wisdom of Planet Groove as well as the Keeper of the Beat. Skiperachi, was the Mayor of Pantyville (a tight little community) on Planet Groove and is well-known throughout the galaxy for his ability with his upright organ. He is also sole possessor of the largest nudie book collection in the Universe, a commodity that must make him a wealthy being on any planet. At the other end of the spectrum, Caboose came from a family so poor that they were outcasts and not allowed to live on the actual Planet Groove. He had to live in a caboose on the wrong side of the tracks with his seventeen brothers and sisters on the Destitute Moon that orbited the planet. Young Caboose dropped out of grammar school and spent his days watching cartoons such as Fat Albert and the Jackson Five. However, the Cosby Kid Band had the most tremendous effect on Caboose which moved him to start playing percussion. And now since playing with Libido Funk Circus he has gained wealth and fame enough that he would have been welcome to live on the Planet Groove if only it was still in existence. And, all of his life, Shampucci had always enjoyed the status of Longest, Blondest Afro Head on Planet Groove. At the age of two he woke up one morning with an amazing ability to play the guitar. This ability has flourished over time, and it is believed that the song “Play That Funky Music” by Wild Cherry was inspired by Shampucci himself when he was vacationing on Earth in 1976. Nino “Lockjaw” Sanchez has always been known as the Black Sheep of Planet Groove. He sets a bad example for the rest of the Circus in his true ‘funk criminal’ ways. No one ever knows what he will pull out of his groovy bag of tricks next. Barely White, whose responsibilities include guitar, vocals and political incorrectness is famous for having nothing to say. The youngest member of Libido Funk Circus was a stowaway found in a closet on a Planet Groove spaceship at the age of five. His unique vocal ability has led people from Planet Groove to believe that he is the illegitimate child of Barry Gibb, which is the reason why they’ve always called him Baby J. Gibb. He is hailed as the Adored Messiah of Planet Groove
Libido Funk Circus has put the FUN into funk and although others have tried to
imitate they cannot compare to the greatest show on Earth! You can get down with these beings from
another world on any Thursday night at Club 151 at LaSalle and Ohio in downtown Chicago.
