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
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 12 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, 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.
