Robert ‘Kool’ Bell On How Kool & The Gang Is Continuing To Celebrate The Good Times

Kool & the Gang’s indelible, danceable tunes are at home everywhere from wedding receptions to political conventions (both Democrat and Republican) to movies (including “Jungle Boogie” featured in “Pulp Fiction” and “Summer Madness” in “Rocky.”) And Kool & the Gang has even made it to space, with the mega-hit “Celebration” played as one of the wakeup songs on the Space Shuttle program’s final mission in 2011.

“My mother told my brother and I, Ronald (who was the major writer for ‘Celebration’), ‘People always like a good melody that’s easy to remember,’” Kool & the Gang co-founder and bassist Robert “Kool” Bell tells Pollstar. “‘Celebrate good times’! Or ‘Get Down On It.’ Those types of songs. It captivated our audience for so many years. I mean, you got The Muppets doing ‘Celebration.’”

The Bell brothers teamed up with five of their childhood friends — Robert “Spike” Mickens, Dennis “Dee Tee” Thomas, Ricky Westfield, George Brown and Charles Smith — to form an instrumental band in Jersey City, New Jersey, in 1964 known as the Jazziacs. Following several name changes, the group landed a record deal with De-Lite and released their debut self-titled album in 1969.

The band’s take on funk, R&B and jazz, highlighted by killer horn arrangements, caught on with audiences with the success of 1973’s Wild and Peaceful. Kool & the Gang leaned into disco, starting with the 1976 album Open Sesame, and continued thriving a few years later even in the midst of a backlash against the genre. The band’s popularity grew as they joined forces with producer Eumir Deodato and added lead vocalist James “J.T.” Taylor, who debuted on the 1979 album Ladies’ Night.

More than 50 years since the band’s launch, Kool & the Gang continues releasing music, with 2023’s People Just Wanna Have Fun marking its 26th LP. Kool & the Gang has been introduced to countless fans by being one of the most sampled bands ever, in tunes by Madonna, Miles Davis, DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince and more. The band has toured all over the world, including with some interesting pairings from the rock world.

“Over the years, we did 10 shows with Kid Rock, 48 shows with Van Halen, we’ve played with Elton John … Dave Matthews Band. … We used to say it’s called the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame — all these rockers we played with over the years — when are they going to give us some love? And they did and we thank them for that,” Bell says.

Though Taylor has departed the lineup and Bell is the only living original member, the Grammy Award-winning band keeps touring including appearances festivals on both sides of the Atlantic. The band has “a lot on the table for next year,” including working on the “Be Kool” musical and a tour presented by Le Kool Champagne and Accutron.

Bell says that being inducted “means a whole lot to me,” but that it’s bittersweet because his late bandmates “all wanted to be in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.” He adds, “I pray they’re looking down on me as the night goes down on Oct. 19th. It’s going to be a wonderful time.”