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Podcasts Take Two
George Clinton: 'I ain't done nothing yet'
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Oct 23, 2014
Listen • 9:01
George Clinton: 'I ain't done nothing yet'
The master of funk stopped by Take Two to discuss when funk was a bad word and why he chose to finally pen a memoir.
George Clinton has written a memoir
George Clinton has written a memoir, "Brothas Be, Yo Like George, Ain't that Funkin' Kinda Hard on You?"
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GEORGIOS KEFALAS
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George Clinton spoke in studio about his new memoir.
George Clinton spoke in studio about his new memoir.
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William Thoren
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President of Southern California Public Radio Bill Davis took a photo with George Clinton at the KPCC studio Thursday.
President of Southern California Public Radio Bill Davis took a photo with George Clinton at the KPCC studio Thursday.
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Bill Davis
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George Clinton signs his memoir at a book store.
George Clinton signs his memoir at a book store.
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William Thoren
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Deepa Fernandes filled in and interviewed George Clinton for Take Two on Thursday.
Deepa Fernandes filled in and interviewed George Clinton for Take Two on Thursday.
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William Thoren
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George Clinton's memoir addresses his battle for rights to the music he's made.
George Clinton's memoir addresses his battle for rights to the music he's made.
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William Thoren
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"Morning Edition" host Steve Julian also grabbed a photo with grandaddy of funk George Clinton.
"Morning Edition" host Steve Julian also grabbed a photo with grandaddy of funk George Clinton.
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Steve Julian
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George Clinton told Take Two that he'd been planning to write a memoir for many years.
George Clinton told Take Two that he'd been planning to write a memoir for many years.
(
William Thoren
)
George Clinton told Take Two
George Clinton told Take Two that funk used to be a bad word.
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William Thoren
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George Clinton hangs out with Take Two fill-in host Deepa Fernandes and show producer Leo Duran.
George Clinton hangs out with Take Two fill-in host Deepa Fernandes and show producer Leo Duran.
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William Thoren
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"I ain't done nothing yet," George Clinton told KPCC, noting he still doesn't feel like he's made it.
"I ain't done nothing yet," George Clinton told KPCC, noting he still doesn't feel like he's made it.
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William Thoren
)

The master of funk stopped by Take Two to discuss when funk was a bad word and why he chose to finally pen a memoir.

You go to a concert nowadays and you may hear a great band, maybe even see an inspiring light show and some cool costumes and props.

But how many people can say they went to a concert and saw a spaceship land center stage? Well, if you happened to be in the audience in the mid-'70s or mid-'90s when this guest slinked out of the top of one such spaceship, then you know we are talking about the Mothership and its iconic head pilot, known by many as Dr. Funkenstein, but by his mother, simply as George.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjKFCYzqq-A

George Clinton has a new book out this week. It's his memoir: "Brothas Be, Yo Like George, Ain't that Funkin' Kinda Hard on You?"

Clinton joined Take Two in the studio to talk about the memoir and why, after years of writing so much music, he decided to pen a book. 

(KPCC staff was so excited to have him in the studio, that it resulted in some fan photos, seen in the slideshow above.)

INTERVIEW HIGHLIGHTS

It strikes me that 'funk' used to be a bad word?



Lots of words used to be bad. It's just communication. Whatever period you're in, words change their meaning. Funk used to be one of those words. You'd get smacked upside your head if you say that. It was too close to… you know.

What about the connotations of the word 'funk'?



My grandparents thought we were insinuating the other word. It's always nasty but nasty's good too.

Then you have a whole genre of music that you're one of the pioneers of that it's named after. 



Funk is the DNA for hip-hop. A lot of techno music, disco, a lot of rock music. Chili Peppers is a good example, that's rock as funky as you can get. Funk just is in everything.

How is it different writing a book from writing music? 



This book, I had one intention. It's my story on trying to recapture for my heirs and my family all the copyright and ownership of all the music you're talking about. That’s my whole reason for writing the book. I'm not finished otherwise, I'd still be out here jamming. We are going to the Supreme Court fighting over ex-lawyers and managers and record companies over this music that's going into the Smithsonian.

 Is it easier to write a book than music?



It's easier because I've been planning to write the book all that time we were doing that crazy stuff. I wasn't doing it for nothing. I knew I had to put this down. So I've been planning to do this for a long time.

Early on, you were rejected, essentially, by Motown and that's something in the book that really surprised me.



We were too late. By the time we got there The Temptations had that look and style sewed up. We were short and chubby and they were 6-feet and thin, so it was about a look and we didn't fit that so we decided we'd do totally the opposite. 

When did you feel like you had made it? 



I still don't feel like I've made it. If you feel like that, you ain't got nowhere else to go. It's like catching up with happy; if you catch up with happy where is there to go? You're bored. 



I need something to aspire to; I need some place I haven't done yet. As soon as I hear Eminem, Kendrick Lamarr, that kind of fresh, you think, 'I ain't done nothing yet.' 



As soon as I hear old musicians … or parents say, "That ain't music" I run to that music, that's the music I want. Because it's going to be the next music. Kids love the music that gets on your nerve.