Book
George Clinton: Brothers Be, Yo Like George, Ain't That Funkin' Kinda Hard on You?
by George Clinton, Ben Greenman
📖 Overview
George Clinton's memoir chronicles his journey from a doo-wop singer in New Jersey to becoming the architect of P-Funk and a pioneer of funk music. The narrative covers his experiences in the music industry from the 1950s through the modern era.
Clinton details the formation and evolution of Parliament-Funkadelic, his creative process, and the development of his distinctive musical style. The book includes accounts of collaborations with other musicians and the cultural impact of P-Funk during the 1970s and beyond.
The book also addresses Clinton's personal challenges, including his battles with record companies, issues with substance use, and efforts to protect his musical legacy. His involvement in legal disputes over music rights and royalties forms a significant part of the story.
This memoir serves as both a historical document of funk music's development and a commentary on the music industry's treatment of African American artists. Through Clinton's perspective, readers gain insight into the intersection of creativity, business, and social change in American popular music.
👀 Reviews
Readers describe this autobiography as chaotic and non-linear, matching Clinton's musical style. Many appreciate the behind-the-scenes stories of Parliament-Funkadelic and the music industry, with details about collaborations, recording sessions, and the business side of funk.
Liked:
- Raw storytelling style
- Drug stories told with honesty
- Music history insights
- Stories about Prince, Sly Stone, and other musicians
Disliked:
- Jumbled chronology makes events hard to follow
- Lack of detail about specific songs/albums
- Repetitive stories
- Too much focus on drug use
One reader noted: "Like having a conversation with George while he's high - sometimes brilliant, sometimes confusing."
Ratings:
Goodreads: 3.8/5 (289 ratings)
Amazon: 4.3/5 (256 ratings)
Barnes & Noble: 4.2/5 (21 ratings)
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🤔 Interesting facts
🎵 George Clinton wrote this memoir while living in Tallahassee, Florida, where he operated a hair salon before becoming a full-time musician.
🎸 The book reveals that Parliament-Funkadelic's iconic mothership stage prop, which debuted in 1976, cost $275,000 to build—equivalent to over $1.2 million today.
👔 Before forming Parliament, Clinton and his bandmates worked as staff songwriters at Motown Records in the 1960s, writing for artists like The Supremes and The Temptations.
💊 Clinton details his struggles with crack cocaine addiction in the 1980s, which he finally overcame in 2010 after completing rehab at age 69.
💰 The memoir discusses Clinton's lengthy legal battles over music rights, revealing he lost ownership of many of his classic songs, including "Atomic Dog" and "One Nation Under a Groove," due to complex publishing deals.