there's a reason AL played "Flashlight" today...
http://www.spinner.com/2010/06/17/garry-shider-parliament-funkadelic-dead/
Sad. I saw the P-Funk Allstars a bunch of times in the mid-90s, and Shider was always a focal point of the sets, not to mention a pretty great guitar player.
"Get ready for Starchild, y'all."
Aside to T-C: I, too, am in awe of your having seen P-Funk in '78. I can only imagine how your mind must have been blown, particularly since it was your first show.