THE FUNKY HEROES LIVE BAND

 The Funky Heroes is a live performance band based in the San Francisco Bay Area that was created for the purpose of performing Andre E. Preston’s “Universal Funk Opera”. This is a live presentation of the soundtrack to Preston’s graphic novel series titled “Welcome to the YOUniverse”. 

 With The Funky Heroes in full costume, as aliens from various parts of the universe, the story line is carried out through the music, a visual screen show featuring scenes from the books, and narration at strategic points throughout the show. The music is original, written and produced by Andre Preston, and is coined “Universal Funk” based on its funky grooves and universal themes. Most of it was created to support the Universal Funk Opera. The majority of the costume work was done by Lisa Lynn-Preston, who is Andre’s wife and plays many roles in the band. Additional costume work was done by Debbie Johnson.

First performed at Afro ComicCon in Northern California, May the Funk B Wit’Chu is a catchy, bouncy release that’s good enough to eat. It was added to YouTube’s library of music for YouTube Shorts in June 2021. Fun and Funky, May the Funk B Wit’Chu has been an irresistible head-bobber that never fails to make people move and chant “May the Funk B Wit’ Chu!!” It’s a song that stays in your head all day long.

‘Cum’ere Baby’ is a neck-jerking bubbly Funk track that has been in prime time rotation on www.thesoundoffreedomradio.com internet radio to kick off 2022.

Be on the lookout for ‘ANOTHER DAY’, the Funky Heroes’ upcoming new release. This is probably the Heroes’ best song!

TESTIMONIALS

“GUYS GUYS GUYS LOVE LOVE LOVE your ‘May the Funk B Wit’cha’! Matter of fact, probably your best song. Amazing! Make new stuff and tour please”

-Lindsey Osborn

“I LOVE YOUR MUSIK. I listen to it pretty much every day. I would LOVE to listen to your music live. (awesome).”

-Jim Moreno

“These days I’ve been listening to a lot of music, and I’ve been most into music from your list. May your lucky stars continue to shine and make all your dreams come true!”

-Augustin Contreras

“Now I’m definitely looking forward to the new songs, ‘May the Funk B Wit’cha’ is a MARVEL.”

-Melissa

“No Fear, the Galactics are here! You guys are beautiful & amazing!!!!! Thanks for sharing! Love you!”

-Skyla Moon

THE ILLUSTRATED FUNKY HEROES

The original five members of this band of freaky aliens responsible for the Universal Funk sound featured in the “Welcome to the YOUniverse” soundtrack, “The Universal Funk Opera” were created by Andre Preston at the age of fifteen, and first appeared in Berkeley High School’s “The Jacket” school newspaper in 1979, in Berkeley, California.

POOFF

Lead Guitarist, vocalist, and co-founder of the Funky Heroes, brother of GFUNK. Sustained a skull fracture that left his head flat on top. Also contracted the same skin condition as GFUNK, but left with only bright green skin. Characterized by his multicolored wild afro puffs, Pooff takes the stage with a specialized bat-shaped guitar that features a fully functional hand at the end of it.

G-FUNK, CHIC SHEIK, SIR DEK

FUNKY HEROES drummer, vocalist, bandleader and co-founder, GFUNK, with three spirits occupying one body, (GFUNK, CHIC SHEIK, SIR DEK) occasionally taken over by a fourth named COBALT BLUE. Origin: Planet Wo! Skin biologically altered during a cataclysmic meteor shower that impacted Planet Wo! Skin changes colors with changes in body temperature. Younger brother of POOFF.

LEON the LONG HEAD PEON

LEON the LONG HEAD PEON is the Bass player and provides a subterranean deep voice now and then. He is a member of a race of very tall, peaceful, black beings living in a subterranean liquified turquoise environment beneath Planet Wo! where breathing is a mental function only. He stands 11 feet, 8 inches tall and has a tongue that can extend the same length. His Bass Guitar was made from the finger bone of a colossal dinosaur and is transparent, and is a viewing portal into the nearby sky. You can see into outer space when you look at it.

THE MOONCHILD

The Moonchild is the ultra-talented keyboard wizard of the Funky Heroes. And he actually is a wizard. His origin is the Rus Gib moon orbiting Planet Wo!, one of 11 moons orbiting the planet. His body glows a bright pale yellow, lit from his spirit within, as do the bodies of all the members of his small tribe. His keyboard is built into a fully functional disc-shaped mini spacecraft that shines a bright spotlight down on the stage, highlighting the Funky Hero of his choosing

ERDNA SIRISO

Erdna Siriso comes to The Funky Heroes from the planet Jupiter in the Solar system. He is a soul incarnation of Willis O. Cyrus, occupying a body in a different atmosphere. He has six fingers on each hand, and seven toes on each foot. His instrument - Ratiug - has an orb attached to it that extracts the pulse from the local planet's core and synchronizes it to calibrate all the instruments in the band. It also displays a holographic image of whichever heavenly body it is currently on. It also produces a fully functioning hologram of a spherical speaker system that projects sound a full 360 degrees in all directions. In addition to commandeering the Ratiug, Erdna produces psychic vocals, by which he never utters a sound, but projects the words and tones telepathically. 

Stills from The UNIVERSAL FUNK OPERA Acts 1 & 2. 1. MoonChild (Christian Houston), 2. Elise “Hollywood” Evans, 3. Cordessa (Amy Levine), 4 11:59 News Crew (Natalie Potter, Damon Rowden), 5. Leon the Long Head Peon (Geo Starr), 6. Andre Preston, 7. Iram (Damari Lawrence), 8. Damari Lawrence

FUNKY HEROES MUSIC VIDEOS

THE STORM (IT’S 11:59)

MUSIC VIDEO

MAY THE FUNK B WIT’CHA

Come 2 GetHer

MUSIC VIDEO

Music video for “Come 2GetHer”, by LisAnDre. Created, produced and directed by Lisa Lynn Preston. Written by Andre and Lisa Lynn Preston

IT’S MY PLANET, TOO!

MUSIC VIDEO

Funky Heroes music video for "It's My Planet, Too!" featuring Willis O. Cyrus. Contains strong language and strong social justice messages. Created and produced by Andre E. Preston.

THE FUNKY HEROES LIVE

UNIVERSAL FUNK OPERA LIVE

The Funky Heroes live in the Universal Funk Opera at Afro ComicCon 2018. Nebuliin dances the dance of Ecxstasy as Erdna Siriso, Leon the Long Head Peon, and Pooff play on.

G FUNK

G FUNK (Andre Preston) live in concert singing “May the Funk B Wit’cha”

NEBULIIN

Nebuliin (Lisa Lynn Preston) gives up the Funk with sweet vocals, live in the Universal Funk Opera

MAY THE FUNK B WIT’CHA!

(L-R) G FUNK (Drums), LEON THE LONG HEAD PEON (Geo Starr), FOREVER JOYGIRL (Elise Evans), and POOFF (Odys Burns) shake the stage in a funky finale at the Universal Funk Opera, performed at Afro ComiCon 2018 in Northern California.

“CORDESSA”

OCTAVIA CORDESS CHROMATICA a.k.a CORDESSA (Amy Levine) lights up the stage with synthesizers and funky soundwaves as the U.F.O. takes flight

IRAM

IRAM, the Intergalactic Rhythmic Aqueous Messenger (Damari Lawrence) pounds out the Universal Funk, raising spirits from beyond as Nebuliin and Cordessa Funk on in the background

ERDNA

ERDNA (Andre Preston) chops out the freaky rhythm guitar licks as he delivers psychic vocals to the crowd in the Universal Funk Opera

LEON THE LONG HEAD PEON

Leon, the Long Head Peon (Geo Starr) steps deep into some heavyweight funk at the U.F.O.

POOFF

Stills from the live video shoot of ‘UNIVERSAL FUNK OPERA ACT 2: The Funk Of Ages’, April 24, 2022 1. G-Funk (Andre Preston), 2. Nebuliin (Lisa Lynn-Preston), 3. MoonChild (Christian Houston), 4. Pooff (Odys Burns), 5. Leon the Long Head Peon (Geo Starr), 6. Cordessa (Tanya Alota), 7. G-Funk, 8. Iram (Damari Lawrence)