Too Hot: Kool & the Gang & Me

Summary

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 rundown New Jersey townhouse.

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 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 10 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 and depression.

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