music
Carey and Usher , was a childhood friend . The two met in Dupri ’ s hometown of Atlanta .
Bell was also amember of the ’ ��s R & B boy band P . O . V . “ We had a production deal with Warner Bros .,” he says . “ They put out a single for us and we went around Europe and the United States , and toured the world .”
David Lee Roth of Van Halen asked Kool & the Gang , formed in Jersey City inthe ����s , to open the band ’ s reunion tour in ���� after he saw the guys deliver abig set at the ���� Glastonbury festival in England . Van Halen used to cover Kool ’ s Hollywood Swinging when they were coming up in the ’ ��s , says Bell . “ David Lee Roth and the guys were checking me out and giving me props ��Hey man , you ’ re good� ’” he says .
It was good times on the road . �et Eddie Van Halen , who passed away on Oct . � , ���� due to tongue cancer , mostly kept to himself .
“ One day backstage me and Eddie connected ,” says Bell .“ He opened up . He said , �I had cancer ,’ and he showed me his tongue . ( I was saying to myself ) �Wow , that ’ s deep . Eddie Van Halen is showing me his tongue .’ It was kind of a humbling moment for both of us .”
Bell continues to play many roles for Kool & the Gang , including executive�producing their ���� hit single , Sexy . Will Anderson sang
�ORN TO �R��OR� ( Top ) �ell performing on New Year ’ s Eve ���� at the �ard Rock in Atlantic City . ( Above ) ���year old �ell with his father during an ��o�� �a�a�i�e photo shoot .
the lead . “( Bell ) has his hands in on the process ,” says Anderson , a West Chester , Pennsylvania , native .“ As time went by , Istarted to reali�e how talented he was . As we started working on songs together , he would have the ideas . He ’ d have input on melodies , what sounded right . All around the board� He ’ s business savvy , making connections , network� ing , introducing this person to that person . And on the music side , he ’ s putting the productions together , coming up with ideas . He ’ s got music all inhim , obviously .”
Anderson , who joined Kool & the Gang in ���� , also sang the lead on Bell ’ s ���� single , R . O . Y . A . L . T . Y .,
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MAY 2021 MONTCLAIR MAGAZINE