THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION, OR "BROTHAS BE, YO LIKE GEORGE, AIN'T THAT FUNKIN' KINDA HARD ON YOU?" BY GEORGE CLINTON

For as innovative as he was, George Clinton always seemed a little unknown (at least to white suburbanites like myself). Sure, most people know "Flashlight" and "Atomic Dog" (or at least the part used in that Snoop Dog song), but for a dude responsible for close to 40 albums from 1970 to 1980, it seemed like you'd hear more about him. Just on the basis of those first Funkadelic albums alone, Clinton should be carved into a second Mount Rushmore.

While Clinton's memoir, "Brothas Be, Yo Like George, Ain't that Funkin' Kinda Hard on You," might not get him on Rushmore, it's exactly what a fan would want - segments of Clinton's philosophies on life, music, and details on his gazillion recording sessions, tours, and musical projects.

Clinton was obsessed with music from an early age - both by the mechanics of songwriting and marketing as well as the sounds. His vocal group, the Parliaments had a hit with "Testify," and he tried to get onto Motown while working as a barber as in New Jersey. 

The New Jersey barber days could be a book all on their own, with characters like Hot Dog Willie and Pete the Magician hanging around the shop, as well as a briefcase full of stolen counterfeit bills paying band expenses for a while, all of which sounds like a lost Chester Himes novel.

Soon Clinton becomes a writer for Motown and is on the road constantly on different package tours. Under the influence of LSD, rock music, science fiction, and "Chariots of the Gods" Funkadelic (the band "(t)oo white for black folks, and too black for white folks.") is solidified. 

"White rock groups had done the blues, and we wanted to head back in the other direction, to be a black rock group playing the loudest, funkiest combination of psychedelic rock and thunderous rhythm and blues"

Never one to relax, Clinton starts releasing Parliament records at the same time, finally achieving mainstream success, which only encouraged his experimentation (more side projects! A big ol' spaceship that lands during concerts! Plans to make records with the organization's roadies and lawyers!) as well as his considerable drug use.  

Bootsy and George, animated

Clinton has a laid-back, conversational tone, and makes all of this seem reasonable. Like, if you love music, why wouldn't you release 30-something albums in a decade? While his stories behind the music are fascinating, he also has a knack for smaller personal stories, like the barber days or the time Funkadelic took a wrong turn in the backwoods of Pennsylvania and ended up on the set of "Night of the Living Dead." He's also good for a turn of phrase, like "(T)his was great news for freedom, although slightly more worrisome for finance."

Sex/Drugs/Bad Behavior
8/10. Drugs are a constant through "Yo George'" from the acid-infused Funkadelic albums to Clinton's matter-of-fact stories of his 29 year (!) crack addiction. Clinton avoids glorifying or wallowing, making drug use just sort of something he did. There's some sex in there as well, but nothing that's gonna scandalize you like that Led Zeppelin book. 

Opens in Media res?
Yep. Opens with Parliament waiting to go on in Richmond, with George waiting on costumes and a big chunk of the band to show up.

Could We Hang?
Probably. Clinton seems a bit guarded at times, offering more details about his music than his life, but I'm sure he'd love to tell you about music, his UFO theories or fish stories. 

You Might Remember Me From, or, My Totally Biased View of the Author's Best Stuff:
Man, those Funkadelic albums are great. Especially the first ones. Oh wait, "Standing on the Verge of Getting it On" is pretty late, and that's aces. According to Clinton (and some internet checking) the song "Good Old Music" is the second most sampled song at over 250 official samples. There's a reason for that. Parliament, I loved the hits, but never got into the full albums as much. I should probably try again.

Percentage of Music in the Bio
Let's say 80 percent. Just about every album gets discussed (and there's a lot of albums and side projects). 

Buy, Borrow from the Library, or Pass
Definitely borrow. If you're a fan and you can pick it up used, it's definitely worth reading.