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New Jersey and Florida. Right now I’m in Orlando with my cousin Tony, we have a studio. I have a home in New Jersey where I live with my family, my two sons.
Where in London would you recommend for a first date?
Someone’s coming over? Haha. I like the InterContinental at the O2. You got the mall there for concerts, you have a nice shopping area. You should’ve asked me these questions when I was 18 years old!
What would be your perfect day here?
I’ll get on that Uber taxi right up and down the river or I get somebody with a boat. We go out and hang out on the river. How far do that river go? To the next ocean or something? I’ll get lost. Everyone will say, ‘What’s the matter with him? Why you get on the boat and get lost in the ocean?’
What shops do like in London?
Harrods sounds good, that’s the one that’s like Macy’s.
Have you been good this year? Then you can get on the Kool cruise ship and have the time of your life
What are you up to at the moment?
Well right now, we’re zooming. But for work, I have Le Kool Champagne in the US and I’m talking to distributors in the UK. I came up with the name ‘Le’ because I wanna have that French vibe — champagne is not champagne if it don’t come from the home country. Next year Kool & the Gang will be 60 — we kind of missed out on our 50th, but we’re not going to miss out on our 60th.
Where would you celebrate in London?
I remember Ronnie Scott’s, we’d hang out there at a younger age and at Piccadilly Circus, too.
What’s your favourite Kool & the Gang album or track?
‘Ladies’ Night’, that is one of my favourite records. ‘Jungle Boogie’, ‘Celebration’, ‘Cherish’. It’s kind of hard to have a favourite, there’s been so many over the years.
What’s on your current playlist?
I like what Bruno Mars is doing. He’s like a young Kool & the Gang. There are various artists that I listen to like Gregory Porter and sometimes I just listen to classical music. We did 18 shows with the German Philharmonic Orchestra at the Night of the Proms. Yeah, very high-brow, try to keep ’em moving!
Who is the best dressed member of Kool & the Gang?
Well, he’s not living any more but it was DT. Dennis Thomas was the one that used to wear the caps and he was very stylish.
Who is your hero?
In terms of an artist, I like what Marvin Gaye was doing over the years. Stevie Wonder, even the Rolling Stones, come on!
What was the last thing you googled?
I don’t do that Google stuff! I got my grand-daughter. I got my son. He goes on the internet, he runs my Instagram and Facebook. When it comes to the digital highway, I’m just pulling up to the ramp.
What’s your personal mantra?
I’m alive. I can live again. I thank God for all the blessings in the world cos in this business there’s a lot of hills and valleys. You live and learn and then you learn to live.
What’s your biggest extravagance?
Getting on a yacht in the Mediterranean to Sardinia or Monte Carlo. Just take a break! Cruising on the Med! How’s that?
Who will join you?
That depends on who’s been good. I sound like Santa Claus, ha ha, have you been good this year? Then you can get on the Kool cruise ship and have the time of your life. Come take a cruise on the Med with Kool!
