Too Hot: Kool & the Gang & Me

by George Brown, Dave Smitherman (Primary Contributor)

Growing up around music, young George was inspired to piece together a makeshift drum set and teach himself to play as he practiced in the dark, dank basement of his run-down New Jersey row house.

He soon joined forces with his friends to form a group called the Jazziacs which then evolved into Kool & The Gang, a band that began playing clubs and charting hits while its members were still teenagers. By evolving their sound as musical tastes changed, the band was able to stay on the charts for decades, scoring twelve top-ten hits in funk, R&B, pop, and rock, and selling over seventy million albums while navigating the highs and lows of their career.

In Too Hot , drummer, keyboardist, and primary songwriter George Brown describes life in and out of the band, including a raucous life on the road as the band’s popularity grew. He weathered the ups and downs of his musical career and navigated many challenges including prescription drug addiction, depression, and health issues.

George shares how his recent cancer scare, and subsequent treatment, compelled him to share his story, warts and all, to give readers a glimpse into a band whose reputation was considered relatively tame, but in reality, it was exactly the opposite.

George hopes to help others realize their own professional and personal dreams—life is a symphony, and we must all be our own conductor.
 

Genres: Music, Biography

192 pages, Hardcover

Published July 11, 2023

About the author

George "Funky" Brown, the co-founder and longtime drummer of Kool and The Gang who helped write such hits as Too Hot, Ladies Night, Joanna and the party favourite Celebration, released his memoir Too Hot: Kool and The Gang and Me in 2023.

Kool and The Gang has sold millions of records with its catchy blend of jazz, funk and soul, what Brown liked to call "the sound of happiness". The band won 2 Grammy awards and had 31 gold and platinum albums.

In 2023, Brown produced the band's latest album, People Just Wanna Have Fun.

Reviews

[Aaron · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not to disrespect the author and his exceptionally funky drumming and song compositions, but it would have been better if he had hired a writer to construct this book. It is a redundant monologue, a sermon-heavy chronicle of Brown's life that, for almost all of its pages, doesn't characterize anybody besides the author. Brown's troubled father gets just a little space, but not many others. The passages devoted to women on the road far outweigh and outlast the band's rise to stardom, while the other chapters repeat themselves in a "scenes from last week's episode" style. Meanwhile, the content is breezy surface details about tours, fame, and hotels (and more women). There are numerous musicians mentioned but no personalities appear. Even Brown's own struggle with benzodiazepine addiction is glossed over. A lot of early experiences, recordings, and concerts seem to rush right by until the band is on top with "Celebration." The band's amazing talent (and influences) deserve more coverage. And the no-talent rappers who've sampled the band's work don't count.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I remember choreographing a number to Celebration in 7th grade for a talent show. I still get ear worms from that song. So it was a pleasure to pick up this book, and I was surprised to learn Kool & the Gang still perform! I was also surprised to learn they started the gang in the late 60s. In fact, there were lots of surprises along the way. I really enjoyed reading about this man and his life. Seems like the kind of person I could befriend.

[June · Rating 3 out of 5]

I always loved the group Kool & the Gang and grew up during their meteoric rise. I enjoyed this book 📚. It included a lot of information about how their fantastic music was created.
I wish this book included 📸 photos of the various group members, fabulous venues they played, and dynamic costumes these handsome black men wore.

[Carl · Rating 3 out of 5]

An exciting life. The book thoroughly depicts the life story of the band Kool & the Gang, as well as the highs and lows of a music career. George Brown was an intelligent, spiritual, and decent brother. My his soul Rest In Peace.