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Biography
Refimprove|date=September 2008Infobox musical artist| name = War| image = WarOriginalLineup_01.jpg| caption = Original lineup in 1976| image_size = 200| background = group_or_band| alias = Eric Burdon and War| origin = Long Beach, California|Long Beach , California , United States|U.S. | genre = Funk , electric blues , soul music|soul , R& B , funk rock , reggae fusion , Latin American music|Latin | years_active = 1969�present| label = MGM Records|MGM , United Artists Records|United Artists , MCA Records|MCA , Avenue Records|Avenue | associated_acts = Eric Burdon Lowrider Band The Animals Se�or Soul | website =| past_members = War (originally called Eric Burdon and War ) is an United States|American funk band from California , known for the hit songs " Low Rider (song)|Low Rider ", " Spill the Wine ", " The Cisco Kid#Music|The Cisco Kid ", " The World is a Ghetto (song)|The World is a Ghetto ", and " Why Can't We Be Friends (song)|Why Can't We Be Friends? ". Formed in 1969, War was a musical crossover band which fused elements of Rock music|rock , funk , jazz , Latin American music|Latin , rhythm and blues , and reggae .Allmusic|class=artist|id=p5788|pure_url=yes Allmusic biography page The band also transcended racial and cultural barriers with a multi- ethnic group|ethnic line-up. The band has sold over 50 million records to date.Citation needed|date=April 2010Although War's lyrics are often socio-political in nature, their music usually had a laid-back, California funk vibe. A particular feature of War's sound is the use of harmonica and saxophone playing melody lines in unison, sounding like a single instrument, for example in the melody of "Low Rider". The music has been sampled and recorded by many singers and groups, ranging from R& B / pop music|pop singers such as Janet Jackson to nu metal band Korn and hip hop music|hip hop groups like TLC (music)|TLC .
1960s: Beginnings
In 1962, Howard E. Scott and Harold Ray Brown|Harold Brown formed a group called The Creators in Long Beach, California|Long Beach , California . Within a few years, they had added Charles Miller (musician)|Charles Miller , B. B. Dickerson|Morris "B. B." Dickerson and Lonnie Jordan to the lineup. Lee Oskar and Papa Dee Allen later joined as well. They all shared a love of diverse styles of music, which they had absorbed living in the racially-mixed Los Angeles ghettos. The Creators recorded several singles on Dore Records while working with Tjay Contrelli , a saxophonist from the band Love (band)|Love . In 1968, the Creators became Nightshift (named because Brown worked nights at a steel yard) and started performing with Deacon Jones , a American football|football player and singer.
The original War was conceived by record producer Jerry Goldstein (" My Boyfriend's Back (song)|My Boyfriend's Back ", " Hang on Sloopy ", " I Want Candy ") and singer Eric Burdon (ex-lead singer of the British band the Animals ). In 1969, Goldstein saw musicians who would eventually become War playing at the Rag Doll in North Hollywood , backing Deacon Jones, and he was attracted to the band's sound. Jordan claimed that the band's goal was to spread a message of brotherhood and harmony, using instruments and voices to speak out against racism, hunger, gangs, crimes, and turf wars, and promote hope and the spirit of brotherhood.Citation needed|date=April 2010 Eric Burdon and War began playing live shows to audiences throughout Southern California before entering into the studio to record their debut album Eric Burdon Declares "War" . The album's best known track, " Spill the Wine ", was a hit and launched the band's career.
1970s: Height of popularity
Eric Burdon and War toured extensively across Europe and United States|the United States . A reviewer from England 's NME|New Musical Express called War "the best live band I ever saw" after their first UK gig in London's Hyde Park, London|Hyde Park .Citation needed|date=April 2010 A second Eric Burdon and War album, a double album|two-disc set titled '' The Black-Man's Burdon was released in 1970, before Burdon left the band in the middle of its European tour. They finished the tour without him and returned to record their first album as War.
War (War album)|War (1971) met with only modest success, but later that year, the band released All Day Music which included the singles "All Day Music" and "Slippin' into Darkness". The latter single sold over one million copies, and was awarded a music recording sales certification|gold disc by the R.I.A.A. in June 1972.cite book | first= Joseph | last= Murrells | year= 1978 | title= The Book of Golden Discs | edition= 2nd | publisher= Barrie and Jenkins Ltd | location= London | page= 305 | isbn= 0-214-20512-6 In 1972 they released The World Is a Ghetto which was even more successful. Its second single, " The Cisco Kid " shipped gold,Citation needed|date=April 2010 and the album attained the number one spot on Billboard charts|Billboard , and was Billboard magazine's Album of the Year as the best-selling album of 1973.
The next album, Deliver The Word (1973) contained the hits "Gypsy Man," and a studio version of "Me And Baby Brother" (previously issued as a live recording), which peaked at number 8 and 15 respectively on the Billboard chart. The album went on to sell nearly two million copies.Citation needed|date=April 2010 The next album, '' Why Can't We Be Friends? '' was released in 1975. It included " Low Rider (song)|Low Rider ", and the title track, which were among the band's biggest hits.
In 1976, War released a greatest hits record which contained one new song " Summer (War song)|Summer ", which, as a single, went gold and peaked at number 7 on the Billboard chart. Also released that year were Love Is All Around (album)|Love is All Around by Eric Burdon and War, containing mostly unreleased recordings from 1969 and 1970, and Platinum Jazz (album)|Platinum Jazz , a one-off album for jazz label Blue Note Records . The latter double album had cover art to match the greatest hits album, and was half new material and half compilation, focusing on (but not restricted to) instrumental music. The group continued to attain success with their next album, Galaxy (1977) whose title single was inspired by Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope|Star Wars . War's next project was a soundtrack album for the movie Youngblood (1978 film)|Youngblood in 1978.
1980s: The Music Band
In 1979, following the departure of B.B. Dickerson during recording sessions for their next album (replaced by Luther Rabb on bass who completed the album), the band considered changing their name to The Music Band, but decided at the last minute to continue as War, and use The Music Band as the title of a series of albums. The series originally consisted of two studio albums ( The Music Band , The Music Band 2 , both in 1979) and a live album ( The Music Band Live , 1980), but after the band left MCA in 1981 and had already made records for other labels, MCA expanded the series with a compilation ( The Best of the Music Band , 1982) and a third original album of left-over material ( The Music Band � Jazz , 1983).
The group lost another member when Charles Miller (saxophone) was murdered in 1980. He had already been replaced by Pat Rizzo (ex Sly and the Family Stone ) in 1979. Other new members joining at this time were Alice Tweed Smith (credited as "Tweed Smith" and "Alice Tweed Smyth" on various albums) on percussion and vocals (giving the band its first female vocalist), and Ronnie Hammon as a third drummer.
After making the one-off single "Cinco de Mayo" for LA Records in 1981 (Jerry Goldstein's own label, which also reissued Eric Burdon Declares "War" under the title Spill the Wine the same year), War signed with RCA Records|RCA Victor Records and recorded Outlaw (War album)|Outlaw (1982) which included the single plus additional singles "You Got the Power", "Outlaw", and "Just Because". This was followed by Life (is So Strange) (1983) from which the title track was also a single. War's records from 1979 to 1983 were not as successful as those from the preceding decade, and after the two RCA albums, the band's activities became sporadic. They did not record another full album until a decade later. The 1987 compilation album The Best of War ...and More included two new tracks, "Livin' in the Red" and "Whose Cadillac is That? ", and a remixed version of "Low Rider" (in addition to the original version). Papa Dee Allen died of a heart attack ( myocardial infarction ) which struck him onstage in 1988.
1990s: Reformations
Sampling (music)|Sampling of War by hip hop artists was prevalent enough to merit the compilation album Rap Declares War in 1992, which was sanctioned by the band.
In 1996, the group attempted to gain independence from Goldstein, but were unable to do so under the name "War" which remains a trademark owned by Goldstein and Far Out Productions. http://www.altlaw.org/v1/cases/1369164dead link|date=July 2011 In response, Brown, Oskar, Scott, and a returning B.B. Dickerson (who had not worked with War since 1979) adopted a name which referenced one of War's biggest hits: Lowrider Band . Lonnie Jordan opted to remain with Goldstein and create a new version of War with himself as the only original member. Some other musicians who had joined between 1983 and 1993 were also part of the new War. To date, neither the "new" War nor the Lowrider Band have recorded a studio album, but both bands are currently active as live performance acts.
1996 also saw the release of a double CD compilation, Anthology (1970�1994) , later updated in 2003 with a few track substitutions, as The Very Best of War . Another CD compilation from 1999, Grooves and Messages , included a second disc of remixes done by various producers.
2000s: Recent activity
On 21 April 2008, Eric Burdon and War reunited for the first time in 37 years to perform a one-time-only concert at the London Royal Albert Hall. The reunion was actually only between Eric Burdon and Lonnie Jordan, as the other original surviving members had not been asked to be a part of the reunion. The concert coincided with Avenue / Rhino Records ' Eric Burdon and War reissues which included Eric Burdon Declares "War" and ''The Black-Man's Burdon , plus compilations The Best of Eric Burdon and War and Anthology''. In 2008, Lonnie Jordan's edition of War released their only album so far, a live album / DVD of songs originally from 1969 to 1975: Greatest Hits Live (War album)|Greatest Hits Live . War were unsuccessfully nominated for 2009 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame . http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/music/ny-etrockhall0922,0,3257546.story Run-D.M.C., Metallica nominated for Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Associated Press September 22, 2008 There were rumours that Burdon would join them again in summer 2009, but it did not happen. In 2011, War played "Low Rider" and many other hits at the Rack n' Roll in Stamford, Connecticut with Remember September and Westchester School Of Rock.
Lawsuit
In early September 2010, original band members Harold Brown, Lee Oskar Levitin, Howard Scott, and Morris Dickerson, as well as Laurian Miller, daughter of original band member Charles Miller, collectively sued Pepsi Co. for more than $10 million. They claim that they are entitled to compensation for Pepsi's use of the song "Why Can�t We Be Friends? " in a commercial without permission. "They are asking for a jury trial and 'confiscation of unlawful profits' in a to-be-determined amount." War riled up over Pepsi ad , The Detroit Free Press , Saturday, September 4, 2010, p. 7D
Discography
Studio albums
Year
Album details
Peak chart positions
Certifications cite web
US cite web
US R& B cite web
1970
Eric Burdon Declares "War"
As "Eric Burdon and War"
Label: MGM Records
18
47
' The Black-Man's Burdon
As "Eric Burdon and War"
Label: MGM Records
82
�
1971
War
Label: United Artists Records
190
42
All Day Music
Label: United Artists Records
16
6
US: Gold
1972
The World Is a Ghetto
Label: United Artists Records
1
1
US: Gold
1973
Deliver the Word
Label: United Artists Records
6
1
US: Gold
1975
' Why Can't We Be Friends?
Label: United Artists Records
8
1
US: Gold
1976
Love Is All Around
As "Eric Burdon and War"
Label: ABC Records
140
�
Platinum Jazz
Label: Blue Note Records /United Artists Records
6
7
US: Gold
1977
Galaxy
Label: MCA Records
15
6
US: Gold
1979
The Music Band
Label: MCA Records
41
11
US: Gold
The Music Band 2
Label: MCA Records
111
34
1982
Outlaw
Label: RCA Records
48
15
1983
The Music Band � Jazz
Label: MCA Records
�
�
Life (is So Strange)
Label: RCA Records
164
36
1985
'Where There's Smoke
Label: Coco Plum
�
�
1994
Peace Sign
Label: Avenue Records
200
52
"�" denotes releases that did not chart.
Live albums
Year
Album details
Peak chart positions
Certifications
US
US R& B
1974
War Live
Label: United Artists Records
Double album
13
1
US: Gold
1980
The Music Band Live
Label: MCA Records
�
�
2008
Greatest Hits Live
Label: Rhino Records
Also issued as a DVD
�
�
"�" denotes releases that did not chart.
Compilations
Year
Album details
Peak chart positions
Certifications
US
US R& B
1976
Greatest Hits
Label: United Artists Records
Includes one new track
6
12
US: Platinum
Platinum Jazz
Label: United Artists Records
Double album
Half compilation, half rarities
6
7
US: Gold
1982
The Best of the Music Band
Label: MCA Records
�
�
1987
The Best of War... and More
Label: Avenue Records
Includes two new tracks and a remix
156
�
US: Platinum
1996
The Best of Eric Burdon and War
Label: MGM Records
Includes one new track
�
�
Anthology (1970�1994)
Label: Avenue Records
Double Album
�
�
1999
Grooves and Messages
Label: Avenue Records
Double album
Half compilation, half remixes
�
�
2003
The Very Best of War
Label: Avenue Records
Double Album
�
�
"�" denotes releases that did not chart.
Related albums
(year unknown): The Other Side of War Warms Your Heart (double LP, credited to War and apparently includes Brown, Dickerson and Jordan, possibly not an official release)
1992: Rap Declares War (various artists, with sampling taken from War)
1997: War Stories (solo album by Lonnie Jordan, includes cover versions of six songs previously recorded by War)
Singles
This is a list of their USA singles; additional singles were issued in other countries.
Year
Titles
Label
From the album
1970
" Spill the Wine "
MGM
Eric Burdon Declares "War" (Eric Burdon and War)
Magic Mountain "
non-album track
" They Can't Take Away Our Music "
MGM
''The Black-Man's Burdon (Eric Burdon and War)
"Home Cookin'"
1971
"Lonely Feelin'"
United Artists
War
"Sun Oh Son"
"All Day Music"
United Artists
All Day Music
"Get Down"
"Slippin' Into Darkness"
United Artists
All Day Music
"Nappy Head"
1972
"The World Is a Ghetto"
United Artists
The World Is a Ghetto
"Four Cornered Room"
1973
"The Cisco Kid"
United Artists
The World Is a Ghetto
"Beetles in the Bog"
"Gypsy Man"
United Artists
Deliver the Word
"Deliver the Word"
"Me and Baby Brother"
United Artists
Deliver the Word
"In Your Eyes"
1974
"Ballero"
United Artists
War Live
"Slippin' Into Darkness"
1975
Why Can't We Be Friends? "
United Artists
''Why Can't We Be Friends?
"In Mazatlan"
" Low Rider "
United Artists
''Why Can't We Be Friends?
"So"
1976
Summer "
United Artists
Greatest Hits
"All Day Music"
All Day Music
1977
"Magic Mountain"
ABC
B-side from 1970
"Home Dream"
Guilty (1971, Eric Burdon and Jimmy Witherspoon ) both tracks also on Love Is All Around (War featuring Eric Burdon)
"L.A. Sunshine"
Blue Note
Platinum Jazz
"Slowly We Walk Together"
"Galaxy"
MCA
Galaxy
"Galaxy (part 2)"
1978
"Hey Se�orita"
MCA
Galaxy
"Street Fighting Lady"
"Youngblood (Livin' in the Streets)"
United Artists
Youngblood (soundtrack)
"Youngblood (Livin' in the Streets) (part 2)"
"Sing a Happy Song"
United Artists
Youngblood (soundtrack)
"This Funky Music Makes You Feel Good"
1979
"Good, Good Feelin'"
MCA
The Music Band
"Baby Face (She Said Do Do Do Do)"
Galaxy
"I'm the One Who Understands"
MCA
The Music Band
"Corns and Callouses (Hey Dr. Shoals)"
"Don't Take It Away"
MCA
The Music Band 2
"The Music Band 2 (We are the Music Band)"
1980
"I'll Be Around"
MCA
The Music Band 2
"The Music Band 2 (We are the Music Band)"
1981
"Cinco de Mayo"
LA
Outlaw
"Don't Let No One Get You Down"
''Why Can't We Be Friends?
1982
"You Got the Power"
RCA Victor
Outlaw
"Cinco de Mayo"
"Outlaw"
RCA Victor
Outlaw
"I'm About Somebody"
"Just Because"
RCA Victor
Outlaw
"The Jungle (medley)"
1983
"Life (is So Strange)"
RCA Victor
Life (is So Strange)
"W.W. III"
1994
"Peace Sign" (12�inch single with 4 mixes)
Avenue
Members
Papa Dee Allen|Thomas Sylvester "Papa Dee" Allen � percussion , vocals (1969�1988)
Harold Ray Brown|Harold (Ray) Brown � drums , vocals (1969�1994, Lowrider Band 1996�present)
Eric Burdon � vocals (1969�1971)
B. B. Dickerson|Morris "B.B." Dickerson � bass (guitar)|bass , vocals (1969�1979, Lowrider Band 1996�present)
Lonnie Jordan|Leroy "Lonnie" Jordan � Keyboard instrument|keyboards , vocals (1969�present)
Charles Miller (musician)|Charles Miller � saxophone , clarinet , flute , vocals (1969�1979)
Lee Oskar � harmonica , vocals (1969�1994, Lowrider Band 1996�present)
Howard E. Scott � guitar , vocals (1969�1994, Lowrider Band 1996�present)
Ronnie (Ron) Hammon � drums, percussion (1979�1996)
Luther Rabb � bass, vocals (1979�1984)
Pat Rizzo � saxophone, flute, vocals (1979�1983, 1993�1995)
Alice Tweed Smith � percussion, vocals (1979�1981)
Ricky Green � bass, vocals (1984�1989)
Sal Rodriguez � drums, percussion, vocals (1990�present)
Rae Valentine � keyboards, percussion, vocals (1993�2001)
J. B. Eckl � guitar, vocals (1994�1996)
Sandro Alberto � guitar, vocals (1996�1998)
Fernando Harkles � saxophone (1996�present)
Richard Marquez � drums, percussion (1996�1997)
Kenny Hudson � percussion (1997�1998)
James "Zota" Baker � guitar, vocals (1998�2002)
Marcos J. Reyes|Marcos Reyes � percussion (1998�present)
Stuart Ziff � guitar, vocals (2002�present)
Francisco "Pancho" Tomaselli � bass, vocals (2003�present)
Mitch Kashmar � harmonica, vocals (2006�2011)
Smokey Greenwell - harmonica (1994�1996)
Stanley Behrens - harmonica (2011�present)
Further reading
Burdon, Eric. ''I Used to Be an Animal, but I'm All Right Now . Faber and Faber, 1986. ISBN 0-571-13492-0.
Burdon, Eric (with J. Marshall Craig). ''Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood: A Memoir''. Thunder's Mouth Press, 2001. ISBN 1-56025-330-4.
Egan, Sean. ''Animal Tracks - Updated and Expanded: The Story of The Animals, Newcastle's Rising Sons . Askill Publishing, 2012. ISBN 978-0-9545750-4-5.
References
Reflist
External links
Official website| http://www.wartheband.com/
http://www.bluesandsoul.com/feature/270/war_and_peace_and_music/ War interview by Pete Lewis, 'Blues & Soul' August 1995 (reprinted April 2008)
http://lowriderband.com/ Lowrider Band
http://www.songfacts.com/int/2007/05/harold-brown.html Songfacts interview with Harold Brown
IMDb name|0911271
http://elr.lls.edu/documents/09.Henslee.pdf Article documenting legal proceedings/ history between Jerry Goldstein and original members of WAR
War (band)Eric BurdonBillboard Year-End number one albums 1970�1989 DEFAULTSORT:War Category:American funk musical groups Category:American rock music groups Category:Musical groups from Los Angeles, California Category:Musical groups established in 1969 Category:MCA Records artists Category:Chicano rock musicians Category:1969 establishments in the United States
