Kool and the Gang????? Can this be true? Has anybody else heard this?

I don't see the rockers who paid big bucks to see Halen sit through Kool and the Gang? Not a good mix, I predict they get dropped mid-way through the tour.

http://prince.org/msg/8/3...?&pg=2

It's true - LOL

I'm going to see them on March 17th. Can't wait to see Ed play guitar!

Funkcreep said:

Kool and the Gang????? Can this be true? Has anybody else heard this?

I don't see the rockers who paid big bucks to see Halen sit through Kool and the Gang? Not a good mix, I predict they get dropped mid-way through the tour.

I think it's a good idea.Rock fans being exposed to R&B/funk is a good thing (and vice versa).It's sorta like when Stevie Wonder opened for the Rolling Stones in the early 70s.

Funkcreep said:

Kool and the Gang????? Can this be true? Has anybody else heard this?

I don't see the rockers who paid big bucks to see Halen sit through Kool and the Gang? Not a good mix, I predict they get dropped mid-way through the tour.

YES! I have been rubbing my eyes and shaking my head thinking "misprint" ever since I first read that. Whoever came up with this idea better have an empty box in their office, ready to pack.

This could be a serious Prince opening for The Stones moment, except it'd be happening to one of the most successful funk/R&B pop bands ever. I have to admit, though, I almost bought tix just to see what happens if they sing "Joanna"

SoulAlive said:

Funkcreep said:

Kool and the Gang????? Can this be true? Has anybody else heard this?

I don't see the rockers who paid big bucks to see Halen sit through Kool and the Gang? Not a good mix, I predict they get dropped mid-way through the tour.

I think it's a good idea.Rock fans being exposed to R&B/funk is a good thing (and vice versa).It's sorta like when Stevie Wonder opened for the Rolling Stones in the early 70s.

I hope you're right, but Stevie was at his peak with some jams like "Higher Ground" he could appease with. "Celebration" will be fine, but will "Summertime" or "Ladies Night" be well-received?

JumpUpOnThe1 said:

Funkcreep said:

Kool and the Gang????? Can this be true? Has anybody else heard this?

I don't see the rockers who paid big bucks to see Halen sit through Kool and the Gang? Not a good mix, I predict they get dropped mid-way through the tour.

YES! I have been rubbing my eyes and shaking my head thinking "misprint" ever since I first read that. Whoever came up with this idea better have an empty box in their office, ready to pack.

This could be a serious Prince opening for The Stones moment, except it'd be happening to one of the most successful funk/R&B pop bands ever. I have to admit, though, I almost bought tix just to see what happens if they sing "Joanna"

It was Dave's idea to have Kool and The Gang open for VH after he was them play at a festival:

http://www.billboard.com/...1552.story

How cool would it be to see Eddie Van Halen sit in on a couple Kool and the Gang songs?

RodeoSchro said:

How cool would it be to see Eddie Van Halen sit in on a couple Kool and the Gang songs?

Not sure if his rhythm chops would be up for this one...



...Kool and the Gang (from their 1st album)



Music for adventurous listeners


tA

Tribal Records

SoulAlive said:

Funkcreep said:

Kool and the Gang????? Can this be true? Has anybody else heard this?

I don't see the rockers who paid big bucks to see Halen sit through Kool and the Gang? Not a good mix, I predict they get dropped mid-way through the tour.

I think it's a good idea.Rock fans being exposed to R&B/funk is a good thing (and vice versa).It's sorta like when Stevie Wonder opened for the Rolling Stones in the early 70s.

The Meters, and I think also the Staples Singers, opened for the stones in the 70's too - back in the good old days before folks' taste got hopelessly segmented.

ReddishBrownOne said:

SoulAlive said:

I think it's a good idea.Rock fans being exposed to R&B/funk is a good thing (and vice versa).It's sorta like when Stevie Wonder opened for the Rolling Stones in the early 70s.

The Meters, and I think also the Staples Singers, opened for the stones in the 70's too - back in the good old days before folks' taste got hopelessly segmented.

Ike and Tina opened for the Stones, too--I think.

Rddie is a great and very underrated rhythm guitar players.And yes he have rhythm chops.

I've read a few reports from recent Van Halen show and

it says Van Halen were ok but little bit stiff,on the other side

Kool and a Gang tore the house down

ReddishBrownOne said:

SoulAlive said:

I think it's a good idea.Rock fans being exposed to R&B/funk is a good thing (and vice versa).It's sorta like when Stevie Wonder opened for the Rolling Stones in the early 70s.

The Meters, and I think also the Staples Singers, opened for the stones in the 70's too - back in the good old days before folks' taste got hopelessly segmented.

Soulive...

[img:$uid]http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b59/jbodine/Music%20II/Soulive%20at%20HOB/sl.jpg[/img:$uid]

...opened a few East coast dates on one of their tours.


Totally agree regarding segmented tastes. Practically myopic.
I remember the shows that Bill Graham used to put on at The Fillmore East that many times had extremely eclectic lineups.
Nobody whined or bitched. They just enjoyed the music.


Music for adventurous listeners


tA

Tribal Records

Jboogiee said:

Yes Kool is opening. The tour kicked off on Feb. 18 & they're getting a good response from the VH crowd. Here's a clip from opening night.

I think people are underestimating the crossover appeal that Kool & The Gang had.

I remember seeing them at a music festival in Columbia, SC 10 years ago. The Barkays

opened that particular stage for them and i swear by the time Kool & The Gang took

the stage the crowd swelled to enormous proportions only to be topped by Ray Charles

the following night. Also both bands enjoyed the height of their success around 1984.

thebanishedone said:

Kool and a Gang have one great rock song that can put many Van Halen rockers to shame .Song name is Misled

"Misled" is one of their finest 80s singles.

phunkdaddy said:

Jboogiee said:

Yes Kool is opening. The tour kicked off on Feb. 18 & they're getting a good response from the VH crowd. Here's a clip from opening night.

I think people are underestimating the crossover appeal that Kool & The Gang had.

I remember seeing them at a music festival in Columbia, SC 10 years ago. The Barkays

opened that particular stage for them and i swear by the time Kool & The Gang took

the stage the crowd swelled to enormous proportions only to be topped by Ray Charles

the following night. Also both bands enjoyed the height of their success around 1984.

Actually sounds like an interesting combo to me...

I think it's a great combo. Both bands have the party vibe so it makes sense to me.

Seeing them on the 24th. Can't wait!

SPYZFAN1 said:

I think it's a great combo. Both bands have the party vibe so it makes sense to me.

Seeing them on the 24th. Can't wait!

Kool and The Gang should play a rocked-out 24-7 Spyz-style version of "Jungle Boogie"!

DerekH ..now that would be something wouldn't it? (lol)..I see the guitarist (from K&TG) has the new EVH Wolfgang model. Maybe Eddie gave it to him? Very cool.

I was thinking it would be really cool to see The Time open for VH. That would be amazing.

Just bought my son a ticket to the concert as a birthday present. He's a big Eddy Van Halen fan...

So Kool and them are getting a good reception. Awesome.

Most of the responses that I've read on the VH sites have been good and receptive for K&TG.

I only saw one (slightly racist) U-Tube diss toward K&TG but there's always gonna be a stuck in the past, close minded, stonewash jean-tennis sneaker, mullet wearing stupid f&ck out there somewhere.

The way I look at it is the close minded one dimensionals will stay out in the parking lot while everybody else (including myself) will be getting down to the "spirit of the boogie".

SPYZFAN1 said:

DerekH ..now that would be something wouldn't it? (lol)..I see the guitarist (from K&TG) has the new EVH Wolfgang model. Maybe Eddie gave it to him? Very cool.

The VH fans wouldn't be expecting a hard-rocking style "Jungle Boogie" from K&TG! haha! I read that Eddie donated 75 guitars to the public schools in LA, maybe he had another one for K&TG, too. That's cool that he's giving out free guitars.

Is he playing the "Frankenstein" guitar on this new tour? Fender put out a nearly-exact replica version of it a few years ago and Eddie endorsed it.

From what I've read he's mainly playing the new black Wolf. The Frankenstien (with a Wolf neck) is being played on a few songs. And 2 Charvel - Art Series guitars (that he painted) are being used also.

The Charvels he sells for charity after each show. Fans are paying anywhere from $9.000 to $12.000 for them.

SPYZFAN1 said:

I only saw one (slightly racist) U-Tube diss toward K&TG but there's always gonna be a stuck in the past, close minded, stonewash jean-tennis sneaker, mullet wearing stupid f&ck out there somewhere.

excellent discription of their general audience back in the day