Questlove publishes new book 'Mo' Meta Blues'

The Roots’ drummer/bandleader Questlove’s musical memoir ‘Mo Meta Blues’ is out now, offering a glimpse at the man beneath the afro.

The book, co-written by Ben Greenman, focuses on Questlove’s musical influence, his full-time role as musical director for Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, and how playing Fishbone’s ‘Lyin’ Ass Bitch’ during Michelle Bachman’s appearance on the show almost got him fired.

Questlove discusses about the project’s nucleus in a new interview with Rolling Stone, syaing: “You have to understand – I am more used to social media, which allows you to ramble and kind of color outside the lines. Thats how I got the book deal in the first place, off the strength of my liner notes for the Roots and my presence on Okayplayer, and my following on Twitter and Facebook.”

In the interview, he continues to say that he originally didn’t know what kind of book he wanted to write: “It went though so many drafts. I thought, ‘Let me make the ultimate mixtape book,’ or ‘Let’s talk music, but not me.’ I worked backwards. Chapter one was the hardest one to write, because it took me a second to think that my story sorta did matter. I didn’t think we had an exemplary rock star story.”

Most of all this book is aimed at ‘music nerds,’ who will delight to hear about the process by which Questlove selects music for guests on the Fallon show. You can peruse an excerpt here.