Kool & the Gang - Did You Know?

February 23, 2018

Music facts, music trivia, interesting stories and much more. Introducing the "Did You Know" page about American R&B and funk band, Kool & the Gang.

Enjoy!

 

 

Kool & the Gang are an American R&B and funk band who were very popular during the 70s and 80s.

You may know some of their successful and groovy hits such as "Funky Stuff," ""Jungle Boogie," "Fresh" and "Celebration."

Van Halen on the other hand is an American hard rock band who also was very popular during the 80s and there's no way you're not familiar with one of their best songs, "Jump."

The interesting fact you probably didn't know, is that Kool & the Gang was the opening act for Van Halen during Van Halen's 2012 US tour. Seems a bit strange to mix funk and hard rock, right? I mean, Van Halen fans to be warmed up by funk music?

According to David Lee Roth (Van Halen), it actually made perfect sense. Roth had a vision. Van Halen were very popular in the 80s with their song "Jump," while Kool & the Gang were very popular that same time with their song "Ladies' Night," and because 60% of Van Halen's fan base are women, this combo will be great.

David Lee Roth saw this as having fun and a big party and to the amazement of everybody, it really worked perfectly and was a success.

In 2018, JT Taylor, Robert Bell, George Brown and Ronald Bell (Kool & The Gang) were inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.

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Our interesting fact today about Kool & the Gang is about one of their best and most famous songs, 'Fresh'. We all believe you know this groovy song, but do you know a bit about the story behind it? Here goes...

The song 'Fresh' by Kool & the Gang may have been a fresh hit for the band, but it actually been sitting on the shelf for a while. James "J.T." Taylor, who is the group's lead singer, borrowed the tune from from the band he was in before joining the Gang.

It had a totally different groove, so when Taylor played the song to drummer of the band, George Brown, he just changed it, and 'Fresh' became the big hit we all know and love to this day.

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