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The One: The Life and Music of James Brown
The definitive biography of James Brown, the Godfather of Soul, with fascinating findings on his life as a Civil Rights activist, an entrepreneur, and the most innovative musician of our time
Playing 350 shows a year at his peak, with more than forty "Billboard" hits, James Brown was a dazzling showman who transformed American music. His life offstage was just as vibrant, and until now no biographer has delivered a complete profile. "The One" draws on interviews with more than 100 people who knew Brown personally or played with him professionally. Using these sources, award-winning writer RJ Smith draws a portrait of a man whose twisted and amazing life helps us to understand the music he made.
"The One" delves deeply into the story of a man who was raised in abject-almost medieval-poverty in the segregated South but grew up to earn (and lose) several fortunes. Covering everything from Brown's unconventional childhood (his aunt ran a bordello), to his role in the Black Power movement, which used "Say It Loud (I'm Black and Proud)" as its anthem, to his high-profile friendships, to his complicated family life, Smith's meticulous research and sparkling prose blend biography with a cultural history of a pivotal era.
At the heart of "The One" is Brown's musical genius. He had crucial influence as an artist during at least three decades; he inspires pity, awe, and revulsion. As Smith traces the legend's reinvention of funk, soul, R&B, and pop, he gives this history a melody all its own.
Playing 350 shows a year at his peak, with more than forty "Billboard" hits, James Brown was a dazzling showman who transformed American music. His life offstage was just as vibrant, and until now no biographer has delivered a complete profile. "The One" draws on interviews with more than 100 people who knew Brown personally or played with him professionally. Using these sources, award-winning writer RJ Smith draws a portrait of a man whose twisted and amazing life helps us to understand the music he made.
"The One" delves deeply into the story of a man who was raised in abject-almost medieval-poverty in the segregated South but grew up to earn (and lose) several fortunes. Covering everything from Brown's unconventional childhood (his aunt ran a bordello), to his role in the Black Power movement, which used "Say It Loud (I'm Black and Proud)" as its anthem, to his high-profile friendships, to his complicated family life, Smith's meticulous research and sparkling prose blend biography with a cultural history of a pivotal era.
At the heart of "The One" is Brown's musical genius. He had crucial influence as an artist during at least three decades; he inspires pity, awe, and revulsion. As Smith traces the legend's reinvention of funk, soul, R&B, and pop, he gives this history a melody all its own.
472 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 15, 2012
54 people are currently reading
1040 people want to read
About the author
R.J. Smith
22 books20 followersR. J. Smith has been a senior editor at Los Angeles magazine, a contributor to Blender, a columnist for The Village Voice, a staff writer for Spin, and has written for GQ, The New York Times Magazine, and Men’s Vogue. His first book, The Great Black Way, was a Los Angeles Times bestseller and recipient of a California Book Award. He lives in Los Angeles.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews
May 31, 2012
I'd probably give this 4-and-a-half rather than 5 (for the reason I mention below), but I'll round up with the Goodreads star system.
Great, great stuff. Smith nails the extremely difficult task facing every music historian. He manages to simultaneously narrate a coherent and compelling biography of his subject, discuss the music in evocative detail, and put his subject in a historical context in a manner that is convincing without seeming contrived. This is REALLY hard to do, and Smith accomplishes it with clarity and absolutely beautiful writing. I not only learned a lot about Brown and his world (which is a HELLUVA story), but gained insights into U.S. politics and culture that were either totally new to me or hadn't been articulated in such an effective way. Smith did his homework, and the level of research is clear on each page. So too is his love for Browh's music and his understanding of his artistry.
But this isn't hagiography by any means. Smith lets the musicians, ex-girlfriends, business partners and others tell their sides of the story, which are often maddening and occasionally downright nasty. (The stuff about Brown's brief, abusive relationship with Tammi Terrell is particularly gut-wrenching.) Throughout, Smith makes the convincing case that the paradoxes which guided Brown's life and career - his simultaneous commitment to individualism and communalism, the way his politics veered from razor-sharp analysis to vague platitude - can only be understood in the context of Black and Southern experiences in the United States. This is not a new insight about Brown, certainly, but it's beautifully detailed here. He starts with the Stono Rebellion, and everyone from Strom Thurmond to Amiri Baraka has a substantive role in Smith's presentation.
My one semi-caveat is that Smith occasionally scrimps on the details of specific sessions and the creation of recordings. This is understandable, perhaps, given his wide scope. Also, to be fair, he devotes many beautiful pages to the music and its meanings. Still, there are moments when the discussions of individual records take a bit of a backseat. That being said, I'm not really complaining, especially since it made me want to cue up the STAR TIME compilation and rediscover the records for myself. And that is a victory for any music writer.
Great book for casual fans, hardcore heads, or any student of U.S. history. James Brown's life and work deserves a whole bunch of books, and this will be a great addition.
Great, great stuff. Smith nails the extremely difficult task facing every music historian. He manages to simultaneously narrate a coherent and compelling biography of his subject, discuss the music in evocative detail, and put his subject in a historical context in a manner that is convincing without seeming contrived. This is REALLY hard to do, and Smith accomplishes it with clarity and absolutely beautiful writing. I not only learned a lot about Brown and his world (which is a HELLUVA story), but gained insights into U.S. politics and culture that were either totally new to me or hadn't been articulated in such an effective way. Smith did his homework, and the level of research is clear on each page. So too is his love for Browh's music and his understanding of his artistry.
But this isn't hagiography by any means. Smith lets the musicians, ex-girlfriends, business partners and others tell their sides of the story, which are often maddening and occasionally downright nasty. (The stuff about Brown's brief, abusive relationship with Tammi Terrell is particularly gut-wrenching.) Throughout, Smith makes the convincing case that the paradoxes which guided Brown's life and career - his simultaneous commitment to individualism and communalism, the way his politics veered from razor-sharp analysis to vague platitude - can only be understood in the context of Black and Southern experiences in the United States. This is not a new insight about Brown, certainly, but it's beautifully detailed here. He starts with the Stono Rebellion, and everyone from Strom Thurmond to Amiri Baraka has a substantive role in Smith's presentation.
My one semi-caveat is that Smith occasionally scrimps on the details of specific sessions and the creation of recordings. This is understandable, perhaps, given his wide scope. Also, to be fair, he devotes many beautiful pages to the music and its meanings. Still, there are moments when the discussions of individual records take a bit of a backseat. That being said, I'm not really complaining, especially since it made me want to cue up the STAR TIME compilation and rediscover the records for myself. And that is a victory for any music writer.
Great book for casual fans, hardcore heads, or any student of U.S. history. James Brown's life and work deserves a whole bunch of books, and this will be a great addition.
August 26, 2012
This isn't the definitive biography of James Brown. But given how long, varied, and strange a life JB led, I'm not sure such a thing is possible. At times this almost feels like the abridged version of a massive three-volume biography, hitting all the highlights but leaving out some of the more mundane moments that help establish the pace and rhythm of JB's life and career. I sometimes found myself thinking things like "Wait, we're already at 'Live at the Apollo'? Isn't something missing in between?"
That said, this is an alternately gripping, fascinating, and painful read. Smith doesn't skimp on JB's womanizing or abusiveness - there are plenty of episodes that left a bad taste in my mouth. But he also does a great job of placing JB in the rapidly changing social, political, and cultural context of the 1960s and early 1970s. His account of JB saving Boston from riots in the aftermath of the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. might be slightly hyperbolic, but Smith captures the sheer uncertainty of the moment and just how much was at stake and the power of cultural figures like JB.
That said, this is an alternately gripping, fascinating, and painful read. Smith doesn't skimp on JB's womanizing or abusiveness - there are plenty of episodes that left a bad taste in my mouth. But he also does a great job of placing JB in the rapidly changing social, political, and cultural context of the 1960s and early 1970s. His account of JB saving Boston from riots in the aftermath of the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. might be slightly hyperbolic, but Smith captures the sheer uncertainty of the moment and just how much was at stake and the power of cultural figures like JB.
January 19, 2013
It could have had more about the later years, which seemed a bit rushed, but the early years are beautifully done. This is the sort of thing that would make a great enhanced eBook with audio and video clips interspersed.
August 31, 2013
Nearing the end, he was out of his mind on PCP, firing guns into the air at the family compound, his body way too enfeebled to do those famous splits. You will say, well James Brown was always a little nuts, wasn't he? The hypnotic thrum of the music, the cape routine, that shamanic pose - it's all there. But Mr. Smith comes to praise Black Caesar, not bury him. Does he stint on the bad stuff? Not at all. More than mere peccadilloes are on display: Brown chased women and beat them, and while this 400+ page bio doesn't dwell on the details, it doesn't need to. You get the idea. Civil-rights hero? Not quite. Blacks never quite forgave him for his puzzling love of Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan (in his childlike egotism, Brown sat down and wrote President Carter a pompous letter asking for help with a tax matter - and was livid when the White House ignored the epistle). During concerts he'd dock the paychecks of musicians who hit clammy tones or missed the beat - or that was part of the legend, anyway. Maceo Parker and other early members eventually got disgusted with the tyranny and quit; Bootsy Collins and other younger players blithely ignored the old man's admonishments as the act began to calcify in the '70s. (The more scandalous story is that Brown often failed to pay musicians no matter how they played.) And he also, let's not forget, gave the world Al Sharpton. But Brown was the kind of genius so confident of the path forward that when the now-legendary sidemen in his band informed him that his ideas didn't even make sense musically, he retorted: "They're not the wrong notes if they sound right to me!" Smith's impressive balancing act involves reporting the crazy stuff without rancor or judgment - while always understanding why Brown's music mattered so deeply. As Motown was reinventing black pop for white listeners, Brown was refashioning Georgia gospel and regional "race music" into a blazing concoction all his own, with its relentless pulse (every instrument became part of the rhythmic web) and focus on The One, the first beat in the measure (which gave Brown his signature sound). By the early 1970s, some skeptics were complaining of the "same old James Brown thing" - a criticism that misses the point. Hits were everywhere in the glory days - "I Got You," "Say It Loud," "It's a Man's Man's Man's Man's World" - but Brown's music is really better thought of as one gigantic suite of sound rather than a collection of individual songs. (How many variations of "Mother Popcorn" could one Godfather have? I lost count.) That's why Harlem wept when the old man finally met his end: Black pop lost its symphonist, The One who put it all together and never stopped, at least until his heart did. Posthumous treasure hunts are dime-a-dozen in the pop-star world, but in his case it was a literal spectacle. Shovel-toting relatives and hangers-on trekked over his property, searching for the loot the late Godfather of Soul buried hither and yon in his paranoid rambles. If there's a better metaphor for celebrity's inevitable endgame, best of luck finding it. Doesn't matter: The real treasure Brown left behind comes through your speakers.
March 26, 2012
This is the best rock and roll biography I've read in the last 10 years. The writing is amazing, the scholarship impeccable; there is warmth and tone and voice and the writer is on his subject's side, but does not let him check out or get a pass in some of the more questionable areas of his life. This book was incredible; I could not put it down. It was sad and uplifting and sad and real. And in writing about the music, the knowledge, the true in depth down to the ground knowledge of every song, every note, every member of every band - you think you know James Brown's catalog but I assure you right now that you do not. I bought the ebook but am getting hard cover because I will always want this in my library. Just stunning.
December 21, 2012
If you hit and quit nothing else this year, you best read this book. Don't care if you consider yourself a JB fan or not--this has been the most spirited, hilarious and funkiest adventures I've ever read. What a character; an incredible, almost unbelievable life!
James Brown has umpteen nicknames; Original Hustler has to be somewhere in the mix: You make the most of whatever you have right now, a steak one day and fatback the next, because enjoyment is all you get. RJ Smith got a brand new bag of his own, y'all. A master work.
James Brown has umpteen nicknames; Original Hustler has to be somewhere in the mix: You make the most of whatever you have right now, a steak one day and fatback the next, because enjoyment is all you get. RJ Smith got a brand new bag of his own, y'all. A master work.
May 26, 2012
Though I wish there were a little more about how some of the singles and albums came out, specifically The Payback, and a little more contextualization of JB's rise to stardom through comparisons to similar artists and through what it meant to be selling as many records as he did and playing the chitlin circuit as hard as he did, this is a really well-researched, ably written biography of a very unusual man. RJ Smith makes a great case for JB's unorthodox genius, which was not a musical or ethnological one, but rather an intuitive and rhythmic one. He wasn't a virtuoso and he wasn't a political mastermind, but he could "play" his band and hone them in his singular vision of what music should sound like better than anyone else could with their band, with the possible exception, RJ Smith astutely notes, of Duke Ellington, another luminary who was famous for calling his orchestra his instrument.
Reading this book, it's hard not to think of James Brown as an animal. He's driven helplessly, almost slavishly, by a small set of ambitions, insecurities, impulses, in a way that feels almost reductive. It's as if James Brown could no more help philandering and abusing his wives and playing his bandmembers against one another than a wolf could hunting down a pet dog. And though there are occasions when such a wolf could betray a more thoughtful interior capable of discretion, for the most part he is a wolf. I don't think this takes away from his odd genius, and it certainly doesn't make the music any less good.
And, it should be said, even though JB was a real bastard, he was also pretty awesome. Examples: he wrote personal letters to presidents and expected answers; he was an agent of change in Africa; he used the word "spank" to refer to a woman's booty, as in "Good God! Look at the spank on that woman!"; he had his hair done three times a day; he'd play a 2.5 hour show at full throttle even when he had a crowd of only 40 people watching him, and his shows were legendary for their energy; he was a boxer as a child ...
There are some great details and vignettes in this book. If you're interested in the man who made this music, this is a good one to read. Also some great stuff about the part of America that he was from in the first couple of chapters. This book's worth a read for this alone.
Reading this book, it's hard not to think of James Brown as an animal. He's driven helplessly, almost slavishly, by a small set of ambitions, insecurities, impulses, in a way that feels almost reductive. It's as if James Brown could no more help philandering and abusing his wives and playing his bandmembers against one another than a wolf could hunting down a pet dog. And though there are occasions when such a wolf could betray a more thoughtful interior capable of discretion, for the most part he is a wolf. I don't think this takes away from his odd genius, and it certainly doesn't make the music any less good.
And, it should be said, even though JB was a real bastard, he was also pretty awesome. Examples: he wrote personal letters to presidents and expected answers; he was an agent of change in Africa; he used the word "spank" to refer to a woman's booty, as in "Good God! Look at the spank on that woman!"; he had his hair done three times a day; he'd play a 2.5 hour show at full throttle even when he had a crowd of only 40 people watching him, and his shows were legendary for their energy; he was a boxer as a child ...
There are some great details and vignettes in this book. If you're interested in the man who made this music, this is a good one to read. Also some great stuff about the part of America that he was from in the first couple of chapters. This book's worth a read for this alone.
November 17, 2013
I saw James Brown perform twice, once at a high school prom on a riverboat in Memphis, Tennessee (1965) and once in a club in Aspen, Colorado (1980). In the first instance, like a lot of white kids, I wanted so very much to dig him, a kind of cultural expression of the same impulse that led to our support of the civil rights movement. We could dance too, maybe not as well, but there was a solidarity from heel to ass to head. By the time of the latter encounter, his star, somewhat tarnished by an inscrutable association with Richard Nixon and "black capitalism", was in decline. Didn't stop him (and me) from getting on a table and flinging sweat all over the room, ears abustin' and joy abounding. This book brings it back, and much much more, like a good biography. He clawed his way from poverty to a global iconic status few have matched, with an uncanny sense of how to grab and keep the spotlight, fueled by an innate and revolutionary understanding of music, rhythm and popular sentiment. He spotted and often crossed a transgressive line. Eager for respect, he often played the fool. He was mean to those with whom he worked and the women he loved. He used his fame, often well, frequently poorly. He was an addict who had crusaded against drugs. Utterly fascinating book whose author clearly loves the man, the legend, and especially the music. But as much as I enjoyed reading about that, it ain't nuthin' compared to listening, which is what I'm doing now -- all of the hits and much more, convenient on Spotify. Check that out too!
April 27, 2018
“Say it loud, I'm black and I'm proud.” -James Brown
The One is the closest thing we'd get of a definitive biography on James Brown–if only it focused a bit more on the later years with the same pace of the earlier years. The ultimate positive element of this biography is Smith's style of writing. He's well-educated regarding his subject, James Brown, and present a clear background study on James Brown in great depth and detail offering a free-flowing reading experience that pulled me in and had my attention from the very first chapter. The first and early years are masterfully written, however, the later years are rushed and incomplete.
I picked up this book with very limited knowledge about James Brown. So reading about his prison years, his rising to stardom then falling from grace, his participation in the civil rights movement, his drug abuse, the failed marriages, the physical & mental abuse he bestowed upon his band members and his mistresses... all that was fascinating and extremely interesting.
Well-researched. This is the one if you're looking for a frank biography on James Brown or if you're interested in music history (the south music history to be more specific) and the civil rights movement; this biography will do it for you.
July 12, 2016
A detailed biography on The Hardest Working Man In Show Biz that not only covers his life but gets at the essence of his music and places it in the context of his times and culture. A must-read for any fan. - BH.
July 3, 2017
Learned quite a bit about The Godfather of Soul! Not all of it good. What a life!!
September 18, 2019
James Brown has a hell of story....I'm not a big nonfiction reader, but wanted to switch it up, this was a very interesting story, I had tears in my eyes reading it. James went through a lot, worked like a dog, maybe had some miracles happen too to get where he was.
March 3, 2020
The author presents an unflinching look at The Godfather of Soul, from his highs to his lows and everything in between. Told in a voice befitting a character of Brown's complexity, this biography explores Brown's life and the times in which he lived. Wild stories from life on the road, drugs, fights, backstabbing, and more than a few run-ins with the law are peppered throughout, showcasing Brown both on stage and off. This is a fantastic look at one of American music's most notable and influential entertainers.
February 24, 2024
Read this for a jazz book club though the Godfather of Soul wasn’t a jazz musician. He was, however, a very interesting man, one whose beginnings certainly wouldn’t have led anyone to believe he’d achieve the success he did. Brown was a complicated figure, not someone kind to his band members and with a not so gentle way with women in his life. But this is a well written, detailed account of his hard lived life.
April 6, 2012
The One: The Life and Music of James Brown by RJ Smith is a biographyof the Godfather of Soul. The title “The One” refers mainly to the artist’s emphasis on playing the right beat.
An integrated biography of James Brown with fascinating insights into the artist’s life, showmanship, business ventures and activism. With more than forty hits on the Billboard charts and playing 350 shows a year at his peak it is no wonder James Brown became an icon of American music and changed the industry.
Covering a life of a man whose eccentric childhood included taking soldiers to his aunt that ran a house of ill repute, to an adulthood which he managed to lose several fortunes, this biography is complicated, sincere and will make you feel a range of emotions.
The One: The Life and Music of James Brown by RJ Smith is a true testament that the nickname of “The Hardest Working Man in Show Business” is not an empty gesture. While I don’t think I’d like to have worked with Mr. Brown or even would have liked him personally, I can certainly appreciate and even admire his work ethic.
In this new biography, which digresses often but always stays on message, James Brown comes across as a demanding, violent, abusing and demanding man. However, this giant of music grew up in violent times; shaped by a segregated South in a rural community riddled with crime and poverty, which he never forgot and had had a hold on him.
When you’re a hammer, every problem looks like a nail.
And James Brown was a hammer.
You cannot have a biography of James Brown without mentioning the Civil Rights movement. Mr. Brown saw “equality” his way and according to his philosophy, he always maintained that once he’d be looked upon as a man, instead of a black man, he’d never be equal.
Most of all, James Brown understood showmanship and control. In the video below one could tell how he plays with the crowd – and he does it all like he did everything in life, under his own terms.
“"I never thought they’d have a statue of you in Augusta– and facing a confederate marker!”
He touched [Al] Sharpton on the arm, saying, “And don’t forget what I told you– I did it on my own terms. I never conformed to Augusta; they had to conform to me”
The complex personality of this musical titan comes across through the pages. From brandishing a gun to resolve disputes to picking up young fans with his limousine or from profiling those who worked for and/or against Mr. Brown (yes… and) to a fabulous story of Mr. Brown coming home to the town he loved, Augusta, GA only to be stopped by a fan and then hoisting a sign to welcome the young man’s mother who was on the same flight (I think).
Race relations and civil rights are really the strong point in this book. Through the life of James Brown the reader gets a history of race relations in these United States. While Mr. Brown tried to stay away from the politics of race and could not be called a trailblazer by any means, he had the uncanny ability to pop up in significant moments. The rise from shoeshine boy to a world renowned superstar is well documented through those troubled time.
With a footnote section spanning 50 pages and an impressive list of interviews, Mr. Smith wrote an encompassing biography. While this book not make everyone happy, it certainly made me look at James Brown in a whole new way.
For more reviews and bookish thoughts please visit: http://www.ManOfLaBook.com
An integrated biography of James Brown with fascinating insights into the artist’s life, showmanship, business ventures and activism. With more than forty hits on the Billboard charts and playing 350 shows a year at his peak it is no wonder James Brown became an icon of American music and changed the industry.
Covering a life of a man whose eccentric childhood included taking soldiers to his aunt that ran a house of ill repute, to an adulthood which he managed to lose several fortunes, this biography is complicated, sincere and will make you feel a range of emotions.
The One: The Life and Music of James Brown by RJ Smith is a true testament that the nickname of “The Hardest Working Man in Show Business” is not an empty gesture. While I don’t think I’d like to have worked with Mr. Brown or even would have liked him personally, I can certainly appreciate and even admire his work ethic.
In this new biography, which digresses often but always stays on message, James Brown comes across as a demanding, violent, abusing and demanding man. However, this giant of music grew up in violent times; shaped by a segregated South in a rural community riddled with crime and poverty, which he never forgot and had had a hold on him.
When you’re a hammer, every problem looks like a nail.
And James Brown was a hammer.
You cannot have a biography of James Brown without mentioning the Civil Rights movement. Mr. Brown saw “equality” his way and according to his philosophy, he always maintained that once he’d be looked upon as a man, instead of a black man, he’d never be equal.
Most of all, James Brown understood showmanship and control. In the video below one could tell how he plays with the crowd – and he does it all like he did everything in life, under his own terms.
“"I never thought they’d have a statue of you in Augusta– and facing a confederate marker!”
He touched [Al] Sharpton on the arm, saying, “And don’t forget what I told you– I did it on my own terms. I never conformed to Augusta; they had to conform to me”
The complex personality of this musical titan comes across through the pages. From brandishing a gun to resolve disputes to picking up young fans with his limousine or from profiling those who worked for and/or against Mr. Brown (yes… and) to a fabulous story of Mr. Brown coming home to the town he loved, Augusta, GA only to be stopped by a fan and then hoisting a sign to welcome the young man’s mother who was on the same flight (I think).
Race relations and civil rights are really the strong point in this book. Through the life of James Brown the reader gets a history of race relations in these United States. While Mr. Brown tried to stay away from the politics of race and could not be called a trailblazer by any means, he had the uncanny ability to pop up in significant moments. The rise from shoeshine boy to a world renowned superstar is well documented through those troubled time.
With a footnote section spanning 50 pages and an impressive list of interviews, Mr. Smith wrote an encompassing biography. While this book not make everyone happy, it certainly made me look at James Brown in a whole new way.
For more reviews and bookish thoughts please visit: http://www.ManOfLaBook.com
August 20, 2012
This is one of those books that was clearly a labor of love. I don't know how many years it took Smith to research it, but he did a tremendous job. James Brown's story is not an easy one to tell: it begins with a childhood that could serve as an example of that famous Nietzsche quote about that which does not kill you makes you stronger. Born in Barnwell, South Carolina, Brown's childhood took him from one side of the "Georgialina" side to the other. After his mamma Susie ran off when he was four years old, he and his daddy Joe eventually ended up in Augusta, GA, which would be Brown's hometown for the rest of his life. They lived with his aunt Honey, who ran a boardinghouse/bordello and sold bootleg whiskey. Aunt Honey and other aunts took care of him there. He was subjected to beatings by many of the adults in his life: once even being put into a croker sack and hung up on a wall and beaten with a belt. There is some evidence that Susie came back for a time, but she fared little better than James did when it came to beatings. This is where JB learned about men beating women: an issue that would arise numerous times in his adult life.
There were other, more positive things James Brown learned living on the Terry (the African-American section of Augusta), though. He learned to be tough so he could survive on the streets. He also learned a tremendous work ethic, which would serve him well later in life. Before he was sixteen, he had at least seven jobs, including picking cotton and racking balls at a pool hall. Because he was small, he learned to be alternately charming and threatening. He was always getting into trouble, but along the way he made friendships that would last a lifetime.
I heard stories repeated within these pages that I had heard before from people who worked with JB. Also, I learned so much I did not know about the Godfather of Soul. Truly, he was The Hardest Working Man in Show Business. The last time I saw him was in the seventies in NYC. He opened for P-Funk in a ballroom that I have since forgotten the name of. Even though he could not hit the high notes or do splits any more, he gave Bootsy, Junie and the gang a run for their money when it came to out-and-out stage presence.
James Brown was never very easy to love, but he always had my admiration for his determination to go his own way. Plus, I cannot imagine life without his music. It has been a part of my personal soundtrack so long, it is embedded in my soul.
As for the title,
One more favorite JB quote: Money won't change you, but time will take you out. My advice to you, dear reader, is to Get Up Offa That Thing and get this book immediately. It is very highly recommended.
There were other, more positive things James Brown learned living on the Terry (the African-American section of Augusta), though. He learned to be tough so he could survive on the streets. He also learned a tremendous work ethic, which would serve him well later in life. Before he was sixteen, he had at least seven jobs, including picking cotton and racking balls at a pool hall. Because he was small, he learned to be alternately charming and threatening. He was always getting into trouble, but along the way he made friendships that would last a lifetime.
I heard stories repeated within these pages that I had heard before from people who worked with JB. Also, I learned so much I did not know about the Godfather of Soul. Truly, he was The Hardest Working Man in Show Business. The last time I saw him was in the seventies in NYC. He opened for P-Funk in a ballroom that I have since forgotten the name of. Even though he could not hit the high notes or do splits any more, he gave Bootsy, Junie and the gang a run for their money when it came to out-and-out stage presence.
James Brown was never very easy to love, but he always had my admiration for his determination to go his own way. Plus, I cannot imagine life without his music. It has been a part of my personal soundtrack so long, it is embedded in my soul.
As for the title,
As he once explained it: "The One" is derived from the Earth itself, the soil, the pine trees of my youth. And most important, it's on the upbeat - ONE two THREE four - not on the downbeat, one TWO three FOUR that most blues are written in. Hey, I know what I'm talking about! I was born to the downbeat, and I can tell you without question there is no pride in it. The upbeat is rich, the downbeat is poor. Stepping up proud only happens on the aggressive 'One," not the passive Two, and never on lowdownbeat. In the end, it's not about music - it's about life.
One more favorite JB quote: Money won't change you, but time will take you out. My advice to you, dear reader, is to Get Up Offa That Thing and get this book immediately. It is very highly recommended.
November 28, 2013
James Brown began on a farm near Augusta Georgia and his life ended there many years later in 2007 after a life as a popular singer and songwriter. This book was written by interviewing many people James Brown knew and relying on his autobiography which was published in 1987. While it updates and ends his story, I think I might have preferred to read his autobiography instead. When this book came out, Fresh Air on NPR played an old interview of James Brown talking about his life as part of a share cropping family near Augusta. I was intrigued about that and wanted to read more so I finally picked up this book. This biography passes over that part of the past and looks more at his musical history. That is understandable since James Brown had written about it before but I didn't know that. Another problem the biographer had was that Brown was a loner who chose not to deal with his band and people around him often. While traveling he often booked himself in other hotels from his band and rarely broke that rule. An exception was a time when the band toured Vietnam for the American troops in the 1970s. Brown was a gifted musician and singer from an early age and performed in church and then later in prison before heading out to into the world. Seeing Johnny Cash perform while he was in prison changed the direction of his life and spurred him to commit to a musical career. Earlier, World War II had changed Augusta where the Black residents had seen how German prisoners of war were treated better than they were though they were the enemy and were made to work the same jobs. Negro soldiers from the North came to Black areas of Augusta and enjoyed the music and could walk with White women. White soldiers could come to the Black areas and visit Black women in brothels. When the White Southerners tried to turn back the clock after the war, the lid had already been popped and they resorted to using the legal system to criminalize and imprison Blacks. Brown was able to break the mold and go into music traveling to Nashville and other places where Black music was the rage. As a wealthy man, Brown was never on top but made a great living. He suffered some lean years as he got older but was able to reach out to other areas of the world such as Africa in the 70s and Europe where he was much admired. Drugs took over his later years and he suffered with wives whom he abused and who had drug problems also. The love of his life died after liposuction surgery which she treated with an overdose of morphine pills and PCP. He later died under similar circumstances. The book states that he was very troubled by Elvis' young death and saw himself as the successor to him but he was never to become as famous or revered as Elvis which bothered him a bit. I think the weakness of the book is getting to the heart of James Brown. Did he really identify with Elvis? What we know really comes from his own autobiography and less from this biography.
March 8, 2019
I loved this book. There is a chapter in particular about Brown's drummers that I could see reading again several times. The end of Brown's life was filled with sadness and PCP, which is covered here, but the reason to read this book is to understand how big he was. What he could do at the height of his powers. This is a man that played more than 300 shows a year at his peak, and reading about his fascinating life is worth your time. -Matt
June 16, 2012
A thorough biography of James Brown, his world, and his music, R.J Smith combines the history of The Warmth of Other Suns with the rise of Rhythm and Blues. At its center is a man that is very difficult to capture. James Brown was a man who had to hustle all of his life. Smith shows his drive and how that push to be The One set him apart from other performers. He had to fight and scrape until “blood ran from his shoes”.
To write a great biography of Brown, you have to love the music, and Smith does. Each song creation is quite carefully detailed by Smith, as well as its impact on the music scene. He understands the era, the impact of Brown’s music, the players, and most important Brown’s relationship with the music itself. Smart enough businessman, he could come up with a concept song or sound, quickly record it, and hustle it, putting him at the top of his competitors. Since he was the only big star at King Records gave him the run of the place. I think that’s what contributes to the great sound he creates, it is spontaneous, raw, but the band is always very tight and controlled. His constant fining, firing, and penalizing those who broke his rules contributed to that. Always creative in finding control, he never knew how to read music or to lead a band, but he was always tight with the drummer. That was the key to his success and to his sound, finding the beat, and the carefully controlled environment in which he performed his music and his business.
Smith also documents his multiple run-ins with the law and his criminal life. He is a man who wouldn’t have trouble settling an argument with a shotgun or paying off a DJ to play his record. That attitude gets him far in his early career, but things catch up. The Payola scandal puts him in hot water for his past actions as well as puts the IRS on his trail. Later when his drug use (PCP) leaves him paranoid, he threatens a room with a shotgun and leads the police on a car chase.
Smith captures all aspects of the man and his times. He acknowledges that it would be difficult to really capture a man like James Brown. There were aspects of himself he would never reveal and his ability to act and parrot others created more of a mystery as to who he really was. The man never seemed to quit. Even in his 70s he was doing 81 shows a year, going until his last days. Smith really loves his subject, the music, and his times and he captures it all in an entertaining and insightful way, very engaging.
To write a great biography of Brown, you have to love the music, and Smith does. Each song creation is quite carefully detailed by Smith, as well as its impact on the music scene. He understands the era, the impact of Brown’s music, the players, and most important Brown’s relationship with the music itself. Smart enough businessman, he could come up with a concept song or sound, quickly record it, and hustle it, putting him at the top of his competitors. Since he was the only big star at King Records gave him the run of the place. I think that’s what contributes to the great sound he creates, it is spontaneous, raw, but the band is always very tight and controlled. His constant fining, firing, and penalizing those who broke his rules contributed to that. Always creative in finding control, he never knew how to read music or to lead a band, but he was always tight with the drummer. That was the key to his success and to his sound, finding the beat, and the carefully controlled environment in which he performed his music and his business.
Smith also documents his multiple run-ins with the law and his criminal life. He is a man who wouldn’t have trouble settling an argument with a shotgun or paying off a DJ to play his record. That attitude gets him far in his early career, but things catch up. The Payola scandal puts him in hot water for his past actions as well as puts the IRS on his trail. Later when his drug use (PCP) leaves him paranoid, he threatens a room with a shotgun and leads the police on a car chase.
Smith captures all aspects of the man and his times. He acknowledges that it would be difficult to really capture a man like James Brown. There were aspects of himself he would never reveal and his ability to act and parrot others created more of a mystery as to who he really was. The man never seemed to quit. Even in his 70s he was doing 81 shows a year, going until his last days. Smith really loves his subject, the music, and his times and he captures it all in an entertaining and insightful way, very engaging.
April 2, 2012
James Brown is definitely a quintessential American artist. Most people are familiar with his music. He definitely played an important role in defining the American songbook. Nicknamed both the "Godfather of Soul" and the "hardest working man in show business," Brown was a staple of American music for many decades before he passed away in 2006.
Who was this charismatic man beloved by so many people? The simple answer is that he was a very complicated man as RJ Smith shows in The One. He put on some really memorable shows complete with great music, dancing and stagecraft. I was really amazed to read about what scrutiny he put his band members under (during one show at the famous Apollo Theater, it was said that he charged band members something crazy like $100 for each mistake they made!!!). He also had a very complicated personal life which included getting arrested for a variety of different crimes. Smith sheds a lot of light on who this man was and what he meant to not just music but to American life and culture in general.
Walking into this book, I did not really know anything about James Brown. I knew and loved his music but I knew nothing of his personal life. Smith covers from when he was born (he was born stillborn actually and took on the idea that because he was born dead, nothing could kill him) to when he passed away in 2006. Throughout that time, Smith discusses the formation of his unique style. When you hear a James Brown song, there is absolutely no doubt who you're listening to. Smith also discusses the cultural implications of being a black singer during the mid-1950s, 1960s and 1970s especially with regard to the backdrop of the Civil Rights movement. Black artists during that time period had a really hard road to climb in order to be "accepted" by a general audience. Brown more than succeeded at that.
I really enjoyed reading the bit about the infamous cape. You know exactly what I'm talking about! A staple of many of Brown's shows was that he would sink down to his knees in supposed exhaustion. His band members would place a cape around his shoulders and he'd miraculously recover and toss the cape off of his shoulders. Rinse and repeat. It was interesting to read the background about how the cape bit came about as its so singularly associated with James Brown and his music.
Bottom line: Music lovers will love this biography of an American legend.
Who was this charismatic man beloved by so many people? The simple answer is that he was a very complicated man as RJ Smith shows in The One. He put on some really memorable shows complete with great music, dancing and stagecraft. I was really amazed to read about what scrutiny he put his band members under (during one show at the famous Apollo Theater, it was said that he charged band members something crazy like $100 for each mistake they made!!!). He also had a very complicated personal life which included getting arrested for a variety of different crimes. Smith sheds a lot of light on who this man was and what he meant to not just music but to American life and culture in general.
Walking into this book, I did not really know anything about James Brown. I knew and loved his music but I knew nothing of his personal life. Smith covers from when he was born (he was born stillborn actually and took on the idea that because he was born dead, nothing could kill him) to when he passed away in 2006. Throughout that time, Smith discusses the formation of his unique style. When you hear a James Brown song, there is absolutely no doubt who you're listening to. Smith also discusses the cultural implications of being a black singer during the mid-1950s, 1960s and 1970s especially with regard to the backdrop of the Civil Rights movement. Black artists during that time period had a really hard road to climb in order to be "accepted" by a general audience. Brown more than succeeded at that.
I really enjoyed reading the bit about the infamous cape. You know exactly what I'm talking about! A staple of many of Brown's shows was that he would sink down to his knees in supposed exhaustion. His band members would place a cape around his shoulders and he'd miraculously recover and toss the cape off of his shoulders. Rinse and repeat. It was interesting to read the background about how the cape bit came about as its so singularly associated with James Brown and his music.
Bottom line: Music lovers will love this biography of an American legend.
October 26, 2012
About two-thirds of the way through RJ Smith's marvelous biography of James Brown I realized that I never once pictured Brown sitting still. Not once. I a car, I imagined him shifting in his seat, twisting to address the guys in the back, leaning forward to give the driver directions. On a plane, he paced the aisles. When he slept - did he sleep? A restless soul, looking for an edge, proving himself, hurtling forward at all costs, this was James Brown. And not just James Brown, the man. That is his music, too. The one was a pocket, but the contents were always shifting.
The triumph of RJ Smith's book is that it grounds a moving target without grounding it. The book is a pitch-perfect balance of biography, context and description that tells you Brown's story while making sense of his surroundings and the ways it shaped Brown and his music. This is no easy task. I noticed awhile ago that most of the best music writers of the sixties and seventies never got around to full-length considerations of Brown. Perhaps that's because seemingly everyone agreed about his importance; it's as if description was unnecessary. But I suspect Brown defied description, too. Maybe the passage of time was necessary to gain perspective. And now we have it, as Smith meticulously recounts Brown's life, writes seriously about the music (and not just the words, but the sounds), and correctly writes Brown's life into the broader history of civil rights, black power and the African-American experience in the twentieth century. Brown's place in the canon is defined more thoroughly than any writer had attempted before now.
And yet, Brown remains free to roam. In Smith's telling, you never forget the restlessness that drives Brown. You learn that Brown was purposefully enigmatic and manipulative, as countless stories of Brown ditching musicians and girlfriends to protect himself make clear. You are reminded that Brown broke the rules of pop music when he wasn't making them. You discover that Brown resented the past more than the future.
You realize that the people around Brown didn't know him. And In the end, you still don't know James Brown, either. But you know that he didn't want you to know. Always moving, never sitting still.
The triumph of RJ Smith's book is that it grounds a moving target without grounding it. The book is a pitch-perfect balance of biography, context and description that tells you Brown's story while making sense of his surroundings and the ways it shaped Brown and his music. This is no easy task. I noticed awhile ago that most of the best music writers of the sixties and seventies never got around to full-length considerations of Brown. Perhaps that's because seemingly everyone agreed about his importance; it's as if description was unnecessary. But I suspect Brown defied description, too. Maybe the passage of time was necessary to gain perspective. And now we have it, as Smith meticulously recounts Brown's life, writes seriously about the music (and not just the words, but the sounds), and correctly writes Brown's life into the broader history of civil rights, black power and the African-American experience in the twentieth century. Brown's place in the canon is defined more thoroughly than any writer had attempted before now.
And yet, Brown remains free to roam. In Smith's telling, you never forget the restlessness that drives Brown. You learn that Brown was purposefully enigmatic and manipulative, as countless stories of Brown ditching musicians and girlfriends to protect himself make clear. You are reminded that Brown broke the rules of pop music when he wasn't making them. You discover that Brown resented the past more than the future.
You realize that the people around Brown didn't know him. And In the end, you still don't know James Brown, either. But you know that he didn't want you to know. Always moving, never sitting still.
June 10, 2012
I enjoyed reading this book and gained a better understanding of James Brown the musician, personality, and businessman. Given the book's title, I was expecting more commentary on Brown's unique music and sound, more analysis of the songs and rhythms, not just a biography. Where did this guy come from, and why does he sound so different and complex compared to other musicians of his time? My curiosity was not satisfied by this book, so the lower rating. But perhaps no one knows.
It appears Brown started with a me-too sound just to survive; kept himself separate from his band, and flushed frequently; "Mother Popcorn" was a turning point in his sound, then furthered by the Cincinnati boys entering his band, among them the Collins brothers, that is certainly the part of the Brown songbook I enjoy most; was almost always incomprehensible conversationally, and nearly incoherent in his PCP-addled years, when quite frankly it seems he lost his mind; his lyrics not so meaningful, just another vehicle for rhythm; definitely the hardest working man in music, that is very clear from this book. The author does acknowledge musical complexity relative to other artists, briefly and without insight. How does a person who cannot read music set each musician in his band on a different path but still bring them together in the song, weaving or quilting? By coming together on "the one"! I'm not sure "the one" was ever explained well in this book, Bootsy explains it better, see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHE6hZ... and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncOfAo.... And the mystery, that Brown didn't know "the one" himself until he had to explain it to others.
I don't want to discourage anyone from reading this book. But if you are very familiar with Brown's music and are looking for insight, you might be disappointed. That said, it is a great biography, well balanced on all aspects of Brown's life.
It appears Brown started with a me-too sound just to survive; kept himself separate from his band, and flushed frequently; "Mother Popcorn" was a turning point in his sound, then furthered by the Cincinnati boys entering his band, among them the Collins brothers, that is certainly the part of the Brown songbook I enjoy most; was almost always incomprehensible conversationally, and nearly incoherent in his PCP-addled years, when quite frankly it seems he lost his mind; his lyrics not so meaningful, just another vehicle for rhythm; definitely the hardest working man in music, that is very clear from this book. The author does acknowledge musical complexity relative to other artists, briefly and without insight. How does a person who cannot read music set each musician in his band on a different path but still bring them together in the song, weaving or quilting? By coming together on "the one"! I'm not sure "the one" was ever explained well in this book, Bootsy explains it better, see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHE6hZ... and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncOfAo.... And the mystery, that Brown didn't know "the one" himself until he had to explain it to others.
I don't want to discourage anyone from reading this book. But if you are very familiar with Brown's music and are looking for insight, you might be disappointed. That said, it is a great biography, well balanced on all aspects of Brown's life.
July 1, 2012
I don't think that I can categorize myself as a James Brown "fan". His music has just always been there as a part of my life. From my parents albums to the samples used in the hip-hop music I later gravitated towards as a young adult.
While the subtitle says "Life And Music", this book is more of a memoir of Brown as a musician and businessman, covering his entrepreneurial spirit from boyhood on. His personal and family life is not covered with as much scrutiny. That's probably for the better, because, although he was know to be gracious to children (his own and strangers), he was not that kind to the women in his life.
The stories of him as a strict bandleader are legendary and those are included. Hearing about his creating and recording process was enlightening, especially since his career spanned so many decades and he had to reinvent himself several times. What I found really interesting was the political and socially conscious James Brown. I wasn't aware of his close ties with President Nixon and Vice President Hubert Humphrey and it was difficult reconciling this James Brown with the one who wrote "Say It Loud (I'm Black and I'm Proud).
Exhaustive interviews provide a comprehensive look at how he became one of the hardest working men ever in entertainment. This is a must-read for anyone who loves contemporary music. The author is obviously a big fan of music, because sometimes his descriptions border on the poetic.
While the subtitle says "Life And Music", this book is more of a memoir of Brown as a musician and businessman, covering his entrepreneurial spirit from boyhood on. His personal and family life is not covered with as much scrutiny. That's probably for the better, because, although he was know to be gracious to children (his own and strangers), he was not that kind to the women in his life.
The stories of him as a strict bandleader are legendary and those are included. Hearing about his creating and recording process was enlightening, especially since his career spanned so many decades and he had to reinvent himself several times. What I found really interesting was the political and socially conscious James Brown. I wasn't aware of his close ties with President Nixon and Vice President Hubert Humphrey and it was difficult reconciling this James Brown with the one who wrote "Say It Loud (I'm Black and I'm Proud).
Exhaustive interviews provide a comprehensive look at how he became one of the hardest working men ever in entertainment. This is a must-read for anyone who loves contemporary music. The author is obviously a big fan of music, because sometimes his descriptions border on the poetic.
April 11, 2013
This is one of those cases when 400 pages isn't enough to cover a man's life, but I'll be damned if The One wasn't one of the most enjoyable reads I've had all year. This was a big, complicated and contradictory life, and there were times when the book felt rushed or when I wanted to know more. Brown's impact on -- and tricky relationship with -- hip-hop warrants a book of its own, for instance. But I think Smith was trying to keep the pace up and make the book a manageable length. As the title indicates, the author wants to not only cover the major events of Brown's life (and there were so, so many) but also describe and analyze his music as well. The book, in a sense, is doing double duty. It's a testament to Brown's musical legacy that the author quotes from "Think" by Lyn Collins -- an enormously popular and influential song written by Brown -- in his dedication but neither the song nor Collins come up in the text because, presumably, there simply wasn't room. The particulars of Brown's life and legacy are so convoluted that I applaud Smith for even making some semblance of sense out of them. He's interested in making a roadmap, figuratively speaking, and this necessitates leaving out some details.
But when a book leaves you wanting even more, that's quite an accomplishment!
But when a book leaves you wanting even more, that's quite an accomplishment!
May 7, 2013
It's rare that musical biographies are more than just capably written, a hodgepodge of reheated anecdotes passed down from book to book. Not so here. Not only is Smith an excellent writer---an accomplished poet and editor in his own right--- but he had enough innate musical sense to put his finger on the pulse of Brown's music: the one. It was all about the one. Get the one beat right, and you could do anything you damn well pleased with the two, three, and four. The genesis of funk. Smith's book is long, elaborately detailed, and painstakingly researched. But, thankfully, it doesn't seem like one of those airless by-the-numbers tomes written by tenured music professors. No,here Brown is presented warts and all, an insecure and inimitable tyrant of a man who could barely play an instrument yet used his entire body as a conduit for driving pagan rhythms. And, yes, he was a deeply troubled and alienated man, which no doubt spawned his single-mindedness about showmanship. Smith follows Brown from his hardscrabble beginnings (his father hung him upside down inside a croaker sack and beat him raw) to the PCP-fueled crash-and-burn of his demise. Every page is entertaining, and chockablock full of crazy anecdotes.
January 20, 2016
The One: The Life and Music of James Brown by R.J. Smith (Gotham Books 2012) (780.92) is an excellent biography of the man known by many nicknames such as "Music Box," "The One," and most notoriously, "The Godfather of Soul." What a fascinating guy! He literally came from nothing. Raised by his grandmother in a whorehouse in Augusta, Georgia, "Mister Brown," as he preferred to be addressed eventually bought a sizable estate in one of the most exclusive (and all White) neighborhoods in Augusta, just down the street from Augusta National Country Club where the Masters golf tournament is held. James Brown did not endear himself to his new neighbors during his first December in residence when he decked out his yard for Christmas with a life-size nativity which featured all Black characters and a full-size Black Santa Claus.
"The One" refers to what Mr. Brown believed to be the secret key to his musical success: emphasizing the first beat in a musical measure. He believed that life, as well as his music, would always be as success "...as long as you can always find the one."
He died a PCP addict (I didn't know that it was possible to be addicted to PCP); there will never be another like him. My rating: 7.5/10, finished 2/27/14.
May 23, 2016
If you don't know the story behind the music, then you only know the half of it. James Brown was the epitome of will power. According to R.J. Smith, he was also a phenomenal dancer, fearless, virtually invincible, a pcp addict, a thief and an asshole. All of these qualities made him, in Smith's estimation, the most important Rock N' Roll artist of the 20th century. Read the book. Then, get on the good foot.
Just a few anecdotes...
Since James Brown was "born dead", every minute of life seemed like a gift and that God was truly in charge of his destiny.
He didn't go to Jesus for salvation and guidance. He went straight to the man, God. "You don't learn from the student, you go to the teacher".
Once when visiting a million watt station just along the Mexico-Texas border in Mexico, he climbed up a 200 foot antenna in a red leather dress shoes.
Brown was fascinated and obsessed by Elvis. He spent hours at Graceland after Presley died. After the death of Elvis, he now felt he was number one.
He didn't trust honest men. He liked a thief, because he had been a thief all of his life. As long as you did not take directly from his pocket, he respected the motivations of a scoundrel.
Just a few anecdotes...
Since James Brown was "born dead", every minute of life seemed like a gift and that God was truly in charge of his destiny.
He didn't go to Jesus for salvation and guidance. He went straight to the man, God. "You don't learn from the student, you go to the teacher".
Once when visiting a million watt station just along the Mexico-Texas border in Mexico, he climbed up a 200 foot antenna in a red leather dress shoes.
Brown was fascinated and obsessed by Elvis. He spent hours at Graceland after Presley died. After the death of Elvis, he now felt he was number one.
He didn't trust honest men. He liked a thief, because he had been a thief all of his life. As long as you did not take directly from his pocket, he respected the motivations of a scoundrel.
July 24, 2016
What a wonderful book. The book oozes with an appreciation for Brown. It's not some messiah-like praise; it takes Brown's myths, busts them, then analyzes the two so the original myth so that it doesn't seem too far off from the truth. It's a real love letter to Brown the businessman. The book covers all aspects of his life. It isn't a deep dive into his music on a track-by-track basis, but it covers some really neat aspects (like how Get Up Offa That Thing was recorded in two takes, with zero rehearsals prior). I feel it kinda glosses over the mid 70s to the 90s, but his career kinda plateaued then and he was busy with more legal issues than anything else. Definitely feel I'll read this one again. Some parts just had me laughing out loud (how he couldn't bring his own guns to Vietnam; escaping the police by dancing all while on PCP).
December 16, 2017
I usually don't read non-fiction. Got in touch with a friend from jr. high, he wrote this so I gave it a try. I only knew Brown as lacquered hair, high energy and the whole cape routine, which I didn't get.
The writing is completely readable, conversational, not dry at all (looking at you, Howard Zinn). Throughout, RJ provides useful context. It kept me going even as Brown got more difficult to like.
The stars are for the book, not the subject.
Brown is a great rags to riches through very hard work and absolute confidence in himself. But what he does with that success is . I wanted to like him for all he achieved, but there is no excuse for the way he treated people around him, his family, and business. I can't even admire his music anymore.
The cape routine - I read the explanation, I still don't get it.
The writing is completely readable, conversational, not dry at all (looking at you, Howard Zinn). Throughout, RJ provides useful context. It kept me going even as Brown got more difficult to like.
The stars are for the book, not the subject.
Brown is a great rags to riches through very hard work and absolute confidence in himself. But what he does with that success is . I wanted to like him for all he achieved, but there is no excuse for the way he treated people around him, his family, and business. I can't even admire his music anymore.
The cape routine - I read the explanation, I still don't get it.
April 7, 2012
Not knowing much about James Brown before reading this book, I found it to be quite informative and interesting. It was well written and the pacing made sense. What I felt was missing was some details towards the end. The last few chapters, say from 1981 on was more like newspaper recounts.
The author does a great job recounting the troubles Brown walked into as a child, and the vices he lived his whole life with. These included women, drugs and a temper that was as hard working as Brown was. The career path was great and exciting.
It made sense that Brown was a participant in the Civil Right's movement, but it was interesting to read about his interactions with Al Sharpton and other leaders. Also the dichotomy of Brown hanging out with Al Sharpton and then Strom Thurmond was a laugh.
The author does a great job recounting the troubles Brown walked into as a child, and the vices he lived his whole life with. These included women, drugs and a temper that was as hard working as Brown was. The career path was great and exciting.
It made sense that Brown was a participant in the Civil Right's movement, but it was interesting to read about his interactions with Al Sharpton and other leaders. Also the dichotomy of Brown hanging out with Al Sharpton and then Strom Thurmond was a laugh.
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