Kool & the Gang have provided the soundtrack to many evenings (and sporting events) with “Celebration,” his 1980 game anthem which became his only number one single.
But it is the R&B group that formed 60 years ago, in 1964, that will revel in their own “good times” when they are included in the group. Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Saturday at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland, Ohio.
“They finally recognized us,” band leader and co-founder Robert “Kool” Bell told The Post of their enshrinement in their first nomination, 30 years after they were first eligible in 1994. “It’s called the Hall of Fame. of Rock & Roll, and we wondered [if they thought we were rock enough].”
But it is “bittersweet” that Bell, at 74, is the only surviving original member to be inducted by Public Enemy. Chuck D. in an eclectic class of 2024 that also includes Maria J. Blige, CherDave Matthews Band, Foreigner, Peter Frampton, Ozzy Osbourne and A Tribe Called Quest.
At least James “JT” Taylor, who in 1979 became the lead singer of hits like “Ladies’ Night,” “Too Hot,” “Get Down on It,” “Joanna” and “Cherish,” will be there, though He left the group in 1988 to pursue a solo career. He will certainly get the party started with “Celebration” during his performance.
The enduring classic was born out of another festive occasion: after Kool & the Gang’s performance. “Ladies night” at the 1980 American Music Awards. “When we came back,” Bell said, “my brother [Ronald Bell] He said, ‘I have another idea for a song: ‘Celebration.'”
In fact, it was a kind of sequel to “Ladies’ Night.”
“The end of ‘Ladies’ Night’ was ‘This is your night tonight/Come on, let’s all celebrate,’” Bell explained of his late brotherThe stroke of inspiration. “It took a different beat, and it was a little funky, but it had that down-home vibe, like grandma and grandpa sitting on the porch somewhere in Birmingham, Alabama, drinking the Kool-Aid or whatever.
“We took over a little bit of the middle of the country with that ‘Yahoo’ thing, a little bit of the country thing. And the rest is history, man.”
In fact, it was history. The song became a symbolic anthem to commemorate triumphs and special occasions, played everywhere from the World Series and the Super Bowl to the media coverage marking the return of the American hostages from Iran in 1981. And, of course, countless weddings, graduations, birthday parties, you name it.
“They played ‘Celebration’ on the Space Station,” Bell said. “Our fan base loves it. We can’t do a show without doing ‘Celebration’… in all the places in the world: Japan, and all over Africa, all over Australia. All over the world, people love that song.”
It certainly took Kool and the gang to a level of international fame they could never have imagined when they first formed as the Jazziacs in Jersey City, New Jersey. They were also known as Soul Town Band and New Dimensions before changing their name to Kool & the Flames, taking a cue from Bell’s neighborhood nickname.
But there was a certain godfather of the soul, James Brownwho already had a band called The Famous Flames.
“And we didn’t want to have any problems with the Godfather,” Bell recalls, “so we said, ‘Well, we can’t do that. So let’s think about something. [else].’”
Their manager, Gene Redd, released “Gang” to replace “Flames” and produced their first album, 1969’s “Kool and the Gang.” But the group had its real breakthrough with 1973’s “Wild and Peaceful,” which included the hits of funk. “Jungle Boogie” and “Hollywood Swing.”
Kool and the gang They will have an after-party themed “Wild and Peaceful” at the House of Blues Cleveland after their induction on Saturday.
Looking ahead to the big night, Bell echoed the festive spirit of “Celebration”: “It’s going to be a nice party… It’s going to be a good time.”
‘This article may contain information published by third parties, some details of this article were extracted from the following source: celebrity.land’
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