BOOK: ‘Brothas Be, Yo Like George, Ain’t That Funkin’ Kinda Hard on You?’ by George Clinton with Ben Greenman
Even those who’ve never heard of the great funkmaster, George Clinton, or listened to his legendary bands, Parliament and Funkadelic (and Parliament-Funkadelic), should still be immediately intrigued when they come across his memoir. Brothas Be, Yo Like George, Ain’t That Funkin’ Kinda Hard On You? has possibly the longest, most unusual name of any bio ever written, but it fits its author perfectly, and the story that follows this curious title certainly does not disappoint.
If you’re already a fan of Clinton’s work, you might be surprised to find out how down-to-earth his writing is compared to the otherworldly persona he’s known for. Onstage, this man may be a space alien covered in sequins, sunglasses, and wigs, but between these pages, we see another side of the funk icon, as he hones his craft throughout the years and deals with the highs and lows of the music business.
You’ll find no better source than this bio for a behind-the-scenes look at the birth and history of Parliament-Funkadelic, as well as the rest of the P-Funk empire. Clinton discusses his life and his music chronologically, taking plenty of time for noteworthy stops along the way. From his humble beginnings in a local singing group to a recent collaboration with rap sensation Kendrick Lamar, the book covers just about everything you could ever want to know about this remarkable artist’s career. Yet, as much as there is to take in, Clinton knows how to pick out the most unique and necessary details to keep the reader focused and interested. He relates even the simplest moments in an entertaining way and distills complex ideas into a single, often humorous sentence.
The book, however, isn’t completely linear, as Clinton frequently digresses into enjoyable anecdotes and insightful commentary on the people, places, events, and of course, the music surrounding him at any given time. With some writers, so much meandering could come off as tedious and easily derail the narrative, but we’re talking about George Clinton here. He never bores you with uninteresting information, and each side story packs a punch, whether it’s meaningful or simply hilarious. The overall balance of seriousness and amusement is well-executed, and gaining glimpses of Clinton’s worldview is really quite inspiring. He describes things in a very straightforward style, but his words clearly come from an intelligent place, as he consistently delivers profound, one-line philosophies, such as “Human intelligence, when denied something, will immediately ask why,” that are enough to make you pause and consider where he’s coming from.
Aside from Clinton’s more thought-provoking content, the P-Funk story contains its share of antics and adventures, and surprisingly, some of the best ones aren’t even drug-related. One of my personal favorites has to do with the a shortcut that Parliament took through Western Pennsylvania during one of their earliest tours in the late-’60s. The bassist, Billy Nelson, insisted on taking a closed road their way to Ohio, and as a result, the band suddenly found themselves in a town full of zombies! As it turned out, they had stumbled onto the set of George Romero’s horror classic, Night of the Living Dead, which they eventually realized when the movie came to theaters a while later. This and plenty of other great little anecdotes keep you on your toes and eagerly turning pages to see where Clinton is going to take you next.
There’s also a large cast of characters, both famous and otherwise, who you’ll meet along the way, including tons of great musicians like Sly Stone and Prince. In one particularly funny passage, Clinton says of Prince, “[He] has always claimed that he didn’t do any drugs, and I never saw him do any, but he must have at least done coffee, because I don’t know any other motherfucker who could go to sleep at five thirty in the morning and be back at eight daisy fresh.” Even the people he never actually collaborates with are digested into Clinton’s musical ideology, as he says of the Beatles and their British Invasion contemporaries, “What I liked most about them…was the fact that they had a great respect for American rhythm and blues. To me, that’s what gave most of the English groups their legitimacy.” He also takes important lessons from the most successful acts of each musical era, noting Public Enemy’s ability to “be outspoken in corporate America.” And regarding John Lennon’s infamous “bigger than Jesus” comment, he says, “Lennon’s remarks taught me that everything significant has to be leavened with comedy.”
While Clinton’s thoughts regarding other musicians are definitely worth hearing, his musings on the music itself and the writing, performing, and promoting processes are even more so. Throughout the book, you’ll learn all about the influences and ideas that went into creating some of his best work, as he discusses the inspiration for Chocolate City, which actually began with a brief statistic overheard on the news, and describes the heart of Mothership Connection as “[not] just Star Trek in the ghetto, but pirate radio coming in from outer space.” You can tell from how thoroughly he examines everything around him that Clinton is so prolific because he’s constantly absorbing new things and transforming them into something else.
Still, as compelling as the book and its author are, there’s one aspect that some readers might find a little dry, although I realize that probably sounds impossible for anything associated with George Clinton. Yet, he does dedicate a fair amount of time to the unfair legal battles he’s had to fight over the course of his career, and it’s only natural to find litigation somewhat less exciting than tales of pet piglets and flashy spaceships. But as he does with everything else, Clinton delivers the hard facts in a way that makes his legal woes as accessible and engaging as the rest of his memoir, and he makes it apparent how important this aspect of the music business is, even if it’s not exactly the most thrilling part.
To those who want to gain insight into a musical genius’s life and work, who hope to hear the stories and meet the people behind their favorite funk tunes, and who would just like to know more about this strange guy with the crazy outfits, this book is for you. Every page is well worth your time, and reading about the music, both Clinton’s own compositions and the ones he admires, will make you eager to go back and listen to these records all over again with fresh ears and a new perspective. Funkin’ may be hard on some, but this smart, fun book is a real treat for music lovers everywhere.
