May 22, 2023
Brown, a founding member of the funk band Kool & the Gang, disappoints in his debut memoir. In the book’s most memorable sections, he recounts growing up in 1950s Jersey City, N.J., with a violent alcoholic father. Both his parents had lovely singing voices, though, and instilled in Brown a passion for music that led him to spend as much free time as possible practicing the drums. In 1964, he joined the band that would eventually become Kool & the Gang, and it’s from this point forward that the memoir stumbles. Fans looking for insights into the band’s creative process will be frustrated (regarding 1980’s “Celebration,” Brown notes only that it was inspired by “a few key lyrics from ‘Ladies’ Night’ combined with religious teachings from the Koran and references to celebrating when God created Adam”), while other aspects of his life and career—marital troubles, addiction—get only superficial treatment. Questionable generalizations (“One thing I learned is that most women do not handle rejection very well”) and platitudes (“I’ve learned that the awards can’t keep you company”) don’t improve matters. After a strong start, this one loses the beat.
June 1, 2023
A founding member of Kool & the Gang shares the story of the group's rise from the streets of Jersey City to international acclaim. As drummer and a songwriter for the veteran funk/soul band, Brown (b. 1949) hasn't been as much in the spotlight as some of the singers and other instrumentalists. However, he is the only member other than Robert "Kool" Bell who was there at the beginning and is still there. Brown calls his book "a cautionary tale, a fantastical narrative of fortune and fame, but one that came at a price," and he shows how the quest for success can lead to marital problems, band tensions, management issues, substance abuse, and all sorts of touring hijinks. He discusses the period in the 1980s when the other members thought he had attitude problems as well as more recent times, when he has been off the road for health concerns (including a recent cancer scare). Yet he leaves no doubt that he loves what he feels he was born to do, and the rewards have well outweighed the risks. His story seems more inspirational than cautionary, showing how some musically inclined friends and family came together and stayed together. They started as more of a jazz group and sharpened those chops but then broadened their appeal via R&B, funk, disco, and sing-along anthems such as "Celebration." Along the way, Brown has met and toured with a host of luminaries--Marvin Gaye, Elton John, Van Halen--and he drops their names throughout the narrative without offering much in the way of illumination. Similarly, we learn of band troubles without specifics about their causes--except for the departure of lead singer James "J.T." Taylor. "Though it might have looked perfect from the outside," he writes, "navigating the inner workings of a musical juggernaut like Kool & the Gang demanded a herculean amount of compromise and concessions." A sanitized version of the familiar sex, drugs, and stardom tale.
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June 1, 2023
George Brown, drummer, keyboardist, and songwriter, recounts moments from growing up on the tough streets of New Jersey to becoming a founding member of Kool & the Gang, one of the most successful R&B, soul, and funk bands of the 1970s and '80s. Brown was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame for creating such memorable songs as "Too Hot," "Ladies' Night," "Joanna," "Cherish," "Emergency," and the 1980 number one Billboard hit, "Celebration." Brown describes his memoir as a "cautionary tale, a fantastic narrative of wealth and fame that came at a price." He explains why as he depicts life inside and outside the group, including his wild experiences on the road. He asserts that navigating through adversities, opportunities, and accomplishments allowed him to overcome many other challenges, including prescription drug addiction, depression, and his recent cancer diagnosis and treatment, which motivated him to share his story in the hope that it will inspire readers to pursue their professional and personal dreams. Brown's memoir is an excellent selection for music history enthusiasts and readers interested in how others overcome daunting obstacles.
COPYRIGHT(2023) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Starred review from July 1, 2023
Brown, with the help of Dave Smitherman (coauthor, This Stops Today), talks about his career with Kool & the Gang and his upbringing in this fast-paced memoir. Brown started out as a teenage drummer who provided the backbeat to various bands around his Jersey City, NJ, neighborhood. Brown was mostly a self-taught drummer who took a couple of lessons when he could afford it, but he consistently practiced for hours. Before the age of 20, he met and joined the members of a band that would later call themselves Kool & the Gang. They had a string of R&B and soul hits, and Brown served as one of the group's main songwriters. They transformed into a mainstream pop group by the late 1970s, attaining stardom and riches beyond Brown's wildest dreams. While covering much of the same ground as other music memoirs--songwriting, groupies, drug use, clash of egos, and more--Brown's book is not concerned with airing grievances or showing ill will towards his bandmates. Instead, he focuses on his good fortune and the blessings of his talent. VERDICT Readers of music memoirs and Kool & the Gang fans will find much to like in Brown's insightful and upbeat memoir.--Leah K. Huey
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