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War (band)
Encyclopedia
War is an American
funk
band from California
, known for the hit songs "Low Rider", "Spill the Wine
", "The Cisco Kid" and "Why Can't We Be Friends?
". Formed in 1969, War was a musical crossover band which fused elements of rock
, funk
, jazz
, Latin
, rhythm and blues
, and reggae
. The band also transcended racial and cultural barriers with a multi-ethnic
line-up. The band has sold over 50 million records to date.
Although 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
singers such as Janet Jackson
to nu metal
band Korn
and hip hop
groups like TLC.
and Harold Brown formed a group called The Creators in Long Beach
, California
. Within a few years, they had added Charles Miller
, 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
. In 1968, the Creators became Nightshift (named because Brown worked nights at a steel yard) and started performing with Deacon Jones
, a football
player and singer.
The original War was conceived by record producer Jerry Goldstein ("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. 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.
and the United States
. A reviewer from England
's New Musical Express
called War "the best live band I ever saw" after their first UK gig in London's Hyde Park
. A second Eric Burdon and War album, a 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
(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 gold disc
by the R.I.A.A. in June 1972. In 1972 they released The World Is a Ghetto
which was even more successful. Its second single, "The Cisco Kid
" shipped gold, and the album attained the number one spot on 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. The next album, Why Can't We Be Friends?
was released in 1975. It included "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
", which, as a single, went gold and peaked at number 7 on the Billboard chart. Also released that year were Love is All Around
by Eric Burdon and War, containing mostly unreleased recordings from 1969 and 1970, and 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
. War's next project was a soundtrack album for the movie Youngblood
in 1978.
, 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 Victor Records
and recorded 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.
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 1993, War reformed with most surviving previous members (including original members Brown, Jordan, Oskar and Scott, and later members Hammon and Rizzo), augmented by a large line-up of supporting musicians and still under the management and production of Jerry Goldstein, and released a new album,
(Peace Sign)
(1994). This remains as War's latest original work.
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. 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.
. War were unsuccessfully nominated for 2009 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
. 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.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
funk
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
band from California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, known for the hit songs "Low Rider", "Spill the Wine
Spill the Wine
"Spill the Wine" is a 1970 song performed by Eric Burdon and War. Released as a single in May 1970 , it was War's first chart hit, peaking at number three. It was also a top three hit in Canada and Australia...
", "The Cisco Kid" and "Why Can't We Be Friends?
Why Can't We be Friends (song)
"Why Can't We Be Friends?" is a song by the band War. The song has a simple structure, with the phrase "Why can't we be friends?" being sung four times after each two-line verse amounting to over forty times in under four minutes. It was played in space when NASA beamed it to the linking of Soviet...
". Formed in 1969, War was a musical crossover band which fused elements of rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
, funk
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
, jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
, Latin
Latin American music
Latin American music, found within Central and South America, is a series of musical styles and genres that mixes influences from Spanish, African and indigenous sources, that has recently become very famous in the US.-Argentina:...
, rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
, and reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
. The band also transcended racial and cultural barriers with a multi-ethnic
Ethnic group
An ethnic group is a group of people whose members identify with each other, through a common heritage, often consisting of a common language, a common culture and/or an ideology that stresses common ancestry or endogamy...
line-up. The band has sold over 50 million records to date.
Although 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
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
singers such as Janet Jackson
Janet Jackson
Janet Damita Jo Jackson is an American recording artist and actress. Known for a series of sonically innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows, television and film roles, she has been a prominent figure in popular culture for over 25 years...
to nu metal
Nu metal
Nu metal is a subgenre of heavy metal. It is a fusion genre which combines elements of heavy metal with other genres, including grunge and hip hop...
band Korn
Korn
Korn is an American nu metal band from Bakersfield, California, formed in 1993. The current band line up includes four members: Jonathan Davis, James "Munky" Shaffer, Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu, and Ray Luzier. The band was formed as an expansion of L.A.P.D.The band released their first demo album,...
and hip hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
groups like TLC.
1960s: Beginnings
In 1962, Howard E. ScottHoward E. Scott
Howard E. Scott is an American funk/rock guitarist and founding member of the successful 1970s funk band War.-Biography:...
and Harold Brown formed a group called The Creators in Long Beach
Long Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. Within a few years, they had added Charles Miller
Charles Miller (musician)
Charles Miller was an American musician best known as the saxophonist and flutist for multicultural Californian funk band War.-Biography:...
, Morris "B. B." Dickerson and Lonnie Jordan
Lonnie Jordan
Leroy "Lonnie" Jordan was a founding member of War, an American funk band in the 1970s and 1980s. Jordan had a number of roles over the years, acting as vocalist and playing guitar, piano, synthesizer, and percussion...
to the lineup. Lee Oskar
Lee Oskar
Lee Oskar is a Danish harmonica player, notable for his contributions to the sound of the rock-funk fusion group War, which he formed with Eric Burdon, his solo work, and as a harmonica manufacturer...
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
Dore Records
Doré Records, pronounced "dorrie" and with an accent on the "e" was a sublabel of Era Records.It was founded in 1958 by Herb Newman and Lou Bedell. Their first big hit was "To Know Him Is To Love Him" by The Teddy Bears, written by Phil Spector who was a member of the group. Among the early staff...
while working with Tjay Contrelli, a saxophonist from the band Love
Love (band)
Love was an American rock group of the late 1960s and early 1970s. They were led by singer/songwriter Arthur Lee and lead guitarist Johnny Echols...
. In 1968, the Creators became Nightshift (named because Brown worked nights at a steel yard) and started performing with Deacon Jones
Deacon Jones
David D. "Deacon" Jones is a former American football defensive end in the National Football League for the Los Angeles Rams, San Diego Chargers, and the Washington Redskins. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1980.Jones specialized in quarterback sacks, a term attributed to him...
, a football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player and singer.
The original War was conceived by record producer Jerry Goldstein ("My Boyfriend's Back
My Boyfriend's Back (song)
"My Boyfriend's Back" was a hit song in 1963 for The Angels, an American girl group. It was written by the songwriting team of Feldman, Goldstein and Gottehrer . The recording was originally intended as a demo for The Shirelles, but ended up being released as recorded...
", "Hang on Sloopy
Hang on Sloopy
"Hang on Sloopy" is a song by the pop group The McCoys which was #1 in America in October 1965 and is the official rock song of the state of Ohio and The Ohio State University...
", "I Want Candy
I Want Candy
"I Want Candy" is a song written and originally recorded by The Strangeloves in 1965 that went to number 11 in the United States. It is a famous example of a song that uses the Bo Diddley beat.-Original version:...
") and singer Eric Burdon
Eric Burdon
Eric Victor Burdon is an English singer-songwriter best known as a founding member and vocalist of rock band The Animals, and the funk rock band War and for his aggressive stage performance...
(ex-lead singer of the British band the Animals
The Animals
The Animals were an English music group of the 1960s formed in Newcastle upon Tyne during the early part of the decade, and later relocated to London...
). 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. 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
Spill the Wine
"Spill the Wine" is a 1970 song performed by Eric Burdon and War. Released as a single in May 1970 , it was War's first chart hit, peaking at number three. It was also a top three hit in Canada and Australia...
", was a hit and launched the band's career.
1970s: Height of popularity
Eric Burdon and War toured extensively across EuropeEurope
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. A reviewer from England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
's New Musical Express
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
called War "the best live band I ever saw" after their first UK gig in London's Hyde Park
Hyde Park, London
Hyde Park is one of the largest parks in central London, United Kingdom, and one of the Royal Parks of London, famous for its Speakers' Corner.The park is divided in two by the Serpentine...
. A second Eric Burdon and War album, a two-disc set
Double album
A double album is an audio album which spans two units of the primary medium in which it is sold, typically records and compact discs....
titled The Black-Man's Burdon
The Black-Man's Burdon
The Black-Man's Burdon is a double LP by funk band Eric Burdon and War, released in December 1970 on MGM Records. It was the second of two albums by the group before Burdon left and the remaining band continued as War....
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 (War album)
War is the third album by funk group War, or their first following the departure of singer Eric Burdon and the group's name change from the original: Eric Burdon and War...
(1971) met with only modest success, but later that year, the band released All Day Music
All Day Music
All Day Music is the fourth album by funk group War, released November 1971 on United Artists Records."Slipping Into Darkness", backed with "Nappy Head", was War's first big hit since their name change from Eric Burdon and War...
which included the singles "All Day Music" and "Slippin' into Darkness". The latter single sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
by the R.I.A.A. in June 1972. In 1972 they released The World Is a Ghetto
The World Is a Ghetto
The World Is a Ghetto is the fifth album by the band War, released in late 1972 on United Artists Records.-Reception:The album attained the number one spot on Billboard, and was Billboard magazine's Album of the Year as the best-selling album of 1973...
which was even more successful. Its second single, "The Cisco Kid
The Cisco Kid
The Cisco Kid refers to a character found in numerous film, radio, television and comic book series based on the fictional Western character created by O. Henry in his 1907 short story "The Caballero's Way", published in the collection Heart of the West...
" shipped gold, and the album attained the number one spot on Billboard
Billboard charts
The Billboard charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs or albums in the United States. The results are published in Billboard magazine...
, and was Billboard magazine's Album of the Year as the best-selling album of 1973.
The next album, Deliver The Word
Deliver the Word
Deliver the Word is the sixth album by War, released in 1973 on United Artists Records.-Reception:The album featured two singles, "Gypsy Man" backed with "Deliver the Word" , and "Me and Baby Brother" backed with "In Your Eyes"...
(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. The next album, Why Can't We Be Friends?
Why Can't We Be Friends?
Why Can't We Be Friends? is the seventh studio album by War.-Reception:Recorded in 1974 and released on United Artists Records in June 1975. The title song reached #8 on Billboard's Hot 100. The original LP edition came with a poster. Two singles from the album were released: "Why Can't We Be...
was released in 1975. It included "Low Rider", and the title track, which were among the band's biggest hits.
In 1976, War released a greatest hits
Greatest hits
A greatest hits album is a music compilation album of successful, previously released songs by a particular artist or band...
record which contained one new song "Summer
Summer (War song)
"Summer" is a song by the band War, released as a single from their greatest hits album in 1976. "Summer" peaked at number seven on the Billboard Hot 100 pop singles chart, number four on the R&B chart, and number one on the Easy Listening chart....
", which, as a single, went gold and peaked at number 7 on the Billboard chart. Also released that year were Love is All Around
Love Is All Around (album)
Love Is All Around is an album by Eric Burdon and War . Released in 1976 on ABC Records, it contains tracks recorded during the band's brief existence from 1969 to 1971, but not found on their two albums from 1970...
by Eric Burdon and War, containing mostly unreleased recordings from 1969 and 1970, and Platinum Jazz
Platinum Jazz (album)
Platinum Jazz is a double album, the seventh studio album by War, released on Blue Note Records in 1976.The album is an unusual entry in War's discography in several aspects. Its first half is new material, while its second half is a compilation of tracks from previous albums...
, a one-off album for jazz label Blue Note Records
Blue Note Records
Blue Note Records is a jazz record label, established in 1939 by Alfred Lion and Max Margulis. Francis Wolff became involved shortly afterwards. It derives its name from the characteristic "blue notes" of jazz and the blues. At the end of the 1950s, and in the early 1960s, Blue Note headquarters...
. 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
Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, originally released as Star Wars, is a 1977 American epic space opera film, written and directed by George Lucas. It is the first of six films released in the Star Wars saga: two subsequent films complete the original trilogy, while a prequel trilogy completes the...
. War's next project was a soundtrack album for the movie Youngblood
Youngblood (1978 film)
Youngblood is a 1978 American film released by American International Pictures. It starred Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs and featured Bryan O'Dell in the title role. Ren Woods had a prominent supporting role...
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 BandThe Music Band
The Music Band is an album by War, released on MCA Records in 1979.In 1979, War considered changing its name to The Music Band, possibly regarding its old name as too aggressive for modern times...
, The Music Band 2
The Music Band 2
The Music Band 2 is an album by War, the second in their "Music Band" series, released on MCA Records in 1979.War had more personnel changes since the previous album in the series, earlier in 1979. Charles Miller left after recording one song, replaced by Pat Rizzo who is credited with playing...
, 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
The Music Band – Jazz
The Music Band – Jazz is an album by War, the fifth and final entry in their "Music Band" series, released on MCA Records in 1983. It consists of outtakes from sessions for their 1979 albums The Music Band and The Music Band 2, and features several lineups of the band which existed that year...
, 1983).
The group lost another member when Charles Miller (saxophone) was murdered in 1980. He had already been replaced by Pat Rizzo
Pat Rizzo
Pat Rizzo is an American saxophonist and flautist, best known for his work with funk band Sly and the Family Stone from 1972 to 1975.During this period Rizzo also performed with Tito Puente and Frank Sinatra. He started performing in the sixties with The Cufflinks...
(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 Victor Records
RCA Records
RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...
and recorded Outlaw
Outlaw (War album)
Outlaw is an album by War, released on RCA Victor Records in 1982.This was War's first album for RCA. Between this and the previous album on MCA, War released a single on LA Records, a company owned by their producer Jerry Goldstein: "Cinco de Mayo", which also appears on Outlaw, backed with...
(1982) which included the single plus additional singles "You Got the Power", "Outlaw", and "Just Because". This was followed by Life (is So Strange)
Life (is So Strange)
Life is an album by War, released on RCA Victor Records in 1983. It marked the end of a continuous string of albums by the group from 1970, and they would not record another album until a decade later...
(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
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
) which struck him onstage in 1988.
1990s: Reformations
SamplingSampling (music)
In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
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 1993, War reformed with most surviving previous members (including original members Brown, Jordan, Oskar and Scott, and later members Hammon and Rizzo), augmented by a large line-up of supporting musicians and still under the management and production of Jerry Goldstein, and released a new album,
(Peace Sign)Peace Sign (War album)
is an album by War, released on Avenue Records in 1994. Its title is a graphic of the peace symbol. It is often referred to as Peace Sign, the title of the first track, though arguably it could also be called Peace, the antonym of the group's name...
(1994). This remains as War's latest original work.
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. 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
Lowrider Band
The Lowrider Band consists of four of the five surviving original core group members of the multi-platinum selling band War: Howard E. Scott, B.B. Dickerson, Lee Oskar, and Harold Brown. These members lost the right in federal court to use and tour under the name "War" in the mid-1990s to Far Out...
. 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 LiveGreatest Hits Live (War album)
Greatest Hits Live is a live album by War. It was recorded in 2008 and finally their first release in 14 years. Lonnie Jordan was the only original member of the band playing on this album...
. War were unsuccessfully nominated for 2009 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is a museum located on the shore of Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It is dedicated to archiving the history of some of the best-known and most influential artists, producers, engineers and others who have, in some major way,...
. 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."Studio albums
| Year | Album details | Peak chart positions | Certifications | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
US R&B |
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| 1970 | Eric Burdon Declares "War"
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18 | 47 | |||
| The Black-Man's Burdon The Black-Man's Burdon The Black-Man's Burdon is a double LP by funk band Eric Burdon and War, released in December 1970 on MGM Records. It was the second of two albums by the group before Burdon left and the remaining band continued as War.... |
82 | — | ||||
| 1971 | War War (War album) War is the third album by funk group War, or their first following the departure of singer Eric Burdon and the group's name change from the original: Eric Burdon and War...
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190 | 42 | |||
| All Day Music All Day Music All Day Music is the fourth album by funk group War, released November 1971 on United Artists Records."Slipping Into Darkness", backed with "Nappy Head", was War's first big hit since their name change from Eric Burdon and War...
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16 | 6 | US: Gold | |||
| 1972 | The World Is a Ghetto The World Is a Ghetto The World Is a Ghetto is the fifth album by the band War, released in late 1972 on United Artists Records.-Reception:The album attained the number one spot on Billboard, and was Billboard magazine's Album of the Year as the best-selling album of 1973...
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1 | 1 | US: Gold | ||
| 1973 | Deliver the Word Deliver the Word Deliver the Word is the sixth album by War, released in 1973 on United Artists Records.-Reception:The album featured two singles, "Gypsy Man" backed with "Deliver the Word" , and "Me and Baby Brother" backed with "In Your Eyes"...
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6 | 1 | US: Gold | ||
| 1975 | Why Can't We Be Friends? Why Can't We Be Friends? Why Can't We Be Friends? is the seventh studio album by War.-Reception:Recorded in 1974 and released on United Artists Records in June 1975. The title song reached #8 on Billboard's Hot 100. The original LP edition came with a poster. Two singles from the album were released: "Why Can't We Be...
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8 | 1 | US: Gold | ||
| 1976 | Love Is All Around Love Is All Around (album) Love Is All Around is an album by Eric Burdon and War . Released in 1976 on ABC Records, it contains tracks recorded during the band's brief existence from 1969 to 1971, but not found on their two albums from 1970... ABC Records ABC Records was an American record label, founded in New York City in 1955 as ABC-Paramount Records. It originated as the main popular music label operated the Am-Par Record Corporation, the music subsidiary of the American Broadcasting Company . ABC-Paramount Records' first president was Samuel H.... |
140 | — | |||
| Platinum Jazz Platinum Jazz (album) Platinum Jazz is a double album, the seventh studio album by War, released on Blue Note Records in 1976.The album is an unusual entry in War's discography in several aspects. Its first half is new material, while its second half is a compilation of tracks from previous albums...
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6 | 7 | US: Gold | |||
| 1977 | Galaxy
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15 | 6 | US: Gold | ||
| 1979 | The Music Band The Music Band The Music Band is an album by War, released on MCA Records in 1979.In 1979, War considered changing its name to The Music Band, possibly regarding its old name as too aggressive for modern times...
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41 | 11 | US: Gold | ||
| The Music Band 2 The Music Band 2 The Music Band 2 is an album by War, the second in their "Music Band" series, released on MCA Records in 1979.War had more personnel changes since the previous album in the series, earlier in 1979. Charles Miller left after recording one song, replaced by Pat Rizzo who is credited with playing...
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111 | 34 | ||||
| 1982 | The Outlaw Outlaw (War album) Outlaw is an album by War, released on RCA Victor Records in 1982.This was War's first album for RCA. Between this and the previous album on MCA, War released a single on LA Records, a company owned by their producer Jerry Goldstein: "Cinco de Mayo", which also appears on Outlaw, backed with...
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48 | 15 | |||
| 1983 | The Music Band – Jazz The Music Band – Jazz The Music Band – Jazz is an album by War, the fifth and final entry in their "Music Band" series, released on MCA Records in 1983. It consists of outtakes from sessions for their 1979 albums The Music Band and The Music Band 2, and features several lineups of the band which existed that year...
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— | — | |||
| Life (is So Strange) Life (is So Strange) Life is an album by War, released on RCA Victor Records in 1983. It marked the end of a continuous string of albums by the group from 1970, and they would not record another album until a decade later...
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164 | 36 | ||||
| 1985 | Where There's Smoke
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— | — | |||
| 1994 | Peace Sign Peace Sign (War album) is an album by War, released on Avenue Records in 1994. Its title is a graphic of the peace symbol. It is often referred to as Peace Sign, the title of the first track, though arguably it could also be called Peace, the antonym of the group's name...
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200 | 52 | |||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart. | ||||||
Live albums
| Year | Album details | Peak chart positions | Certifications | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
US R&B |
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| 1974 | War Live War Live (album) War Live is the first live album by funk group War, recorded during a four-night engagement at Chicago's High Chapparral club and released on United Artists Records in 1974...
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13 | 1 | US: Gold | ||
| 1980 | The Music Band Live
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— | — | |||
| 2008 | Greatest Hits Live Greatest Hits Live (War album) Greatest Hits Live is a live album by War. It was recorded in 2008 and finally their first release in 14 years. Lonnie Jordan was the only original member of the band playing on this album...
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— | — | |||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart. | ||||||
Compilations
| Year | Album details | Peak chart positions | Certifications | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
US R&B |
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| 1976 | Greatest Hits
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6 | 12 | US: Platinum | ||
| Platinum Jazz Platinum Jazz (album) Platinum Jazz is a double album, the seventh studio album by War, released on Blue Note Records in 1976.The album is an unusual entry in War's discography in several aspects. Its first half is new material, while its second half is a compilation of tracks from previous albums... |
6 | 7 | US: Gold | |||
| 1982 | The Best of the Music Band
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— | — | |||
| 1987 | The Best of War... and More
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156 | — | US: Platinum | ||
| 1996 | The Best of Eric Burdon and War
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— | — | |||
| Anthology (1970–1994) The Very Best of War The Very Best of War is a double CD compilation by War which features tracks from 1970 to 1994. It was issued in 2003 on Avenue Records, distributed by Rhino Records, and is similar to an earlier compilation, Anthology 1970–1994 issued in 1994 by the same label.-Disc one:-Disc two:-Disc one:-Disc...
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— | — | ||||
| 1999 | Grooves and Messages
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— | — | |||
| 2003 | The Very Best of War The Very Best of War The Very Best of War is a double CD compilation by War which features tracks from 1970 to 1994. It was issued in 2003 on Avenue Records, distributed by Rhino Records, and is similar to an earlier compilation, Anthology 1970–1994 issued in 1994 by the same label.-Disc one:-Disc two:-Disc one:-Disc...
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— | — | |||
| "—" 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 Spill the Wine "Spill the Wine" is a 1970 song performed by Eric Burdon and War. Released as a single in May 1970 , it was War's first chart hit, peaking at number three. It was also a top three hit in Canada and Australia... " |
MGM | Eric Burdon Declares "War" (Eric Burdon and War) |
| "Magic Mountain" | non-album track | ||
| "They Can't Take Away Our Music They Can't Take Away Our Music They Can't Take Away Our Music is a song performed by Eric Burdon & War featuring Sharone Scott & The Beautiful New Born Children in 1970. It was released as a single in 1970 . This was their last single before they split in the same year... " |
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? Why Can't We be Friends (song) "Why Can't We Be Friends?" is a song by the band War. The song has a simple structure, with the phrase "Why can't we be friends?" being sung four times after each two-line verse amounting to over forty times in under four minutes. It was played in space when NASA beamed it to the linking of Soviet... " |
United Artists | Why Can't We Be Friends? |
| "In Mazatlan" | |||
| "Low Rider Low Rider "Low Rider" is a song written by the band War and appearing on their 1975 album Why Can't We Be Friends?. It reached number one on the Billboard R&B charts and peaked at number seven on the Pop Singles chart.... " |
United Artists | Why Can't We Be Friends? | |
| "So" | |||
| 1976 | "Summer Summer (War song) "Summer" is a song by the band War, released as a single from their greatest hits album in 1976. "Summer" peaked at number seven on the Billboard Hot 100 pop singles chart, number four on the R&B chart, and number one on the Easy Listening chart.... " |
United Artists | Greatest Hits |
| "All Day Music" | All Day Music | ||
| 1977 | "Magic Mountain" | ABC | B-side from 1970 |
| "Home Dream" | Guilty Guilty (1971 album) Guilty! is a 1971 album by Eric Burdon and Jimmy Witherspoon. It was the first release by Burdon after he left his band War.-History:... (1971, Eric Burdon and Jimmy Witherspoon Jimmy Witherspoon Jimmy Witherspoon was an American jump blues singer.-Early life and career:James Witherspoon was born in Gurdon, Arkansas. He first attracted attention singing with Teddy Weatherford's band in Calcutta, India, which made regular radio broadcasts over the U. S. Armed Forces Radio Service during... ) both tracks also on Love Is All Around (War featuring Eric Burdon) |
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| "L.A. Sunshine" | Blue Note | Platinum Jazz | |
| "Slowly We Walk Together" | |||
| "Galaxy" | MCA | Galaxy | |
| "Galaxy (part 2)" | |||
| 1978 | "Hey Señorita" | 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 | (Peace Sign) |
Members
- Thomas Sylvester "Papa Dee" Allen – percussion, vocals (1969–1988)
- Harold (Ray) Brown – drums, vocals (1969–1994, Lowrider Band 1996–present)
- Eric BurdonEric BurdonEric Victor Burdon is an English singer-songwriter best known as a founding member and vocalist of rock band The Animals, and the funk rock band War and for his aggressive stage performance...
– vocals (1969–1971) - Morris "B.B." Dickerson – bass, vocals (1969–1979, Lowrider Band 1996–present)
- Leroy "Lonnie" JordanLonnie JordanLeroy "Lonnie" Jordan was a founding member of War, an American funk band in the 1970s and 1980s. Jordan had a number of roles over the years, acting as vocalist and playing guitar, piano, synthesizer, and percussion...
– keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, vocals (1969–present) - Charles MillerCharles Miller (musician)Charles Miller was an American musician best known as the saxophonist and flutist for multicultural Californian funk band War.-Biography:...
– saxophoneSaxophoneThe saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
, clarinetClarinetThe clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
, fluteFluteThe flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
, vocals (1969–1979) - Lee OskarLee OskarLee Oskar is a Danish harmonica player, notable for his contributions to the sound of the rock-funk fusion group War, which he formed with Eric Burdon, his solo work, and as a harmonica manufacturer...
– harmonicaHarmonicaThe harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
, vocals (1969–1994, Lowrider Band 1996–present) - Howard E. ScottHoward E. ScottHoward E. Scott is an American funk/rock guitarist and founding member of the successful 1970s funk band War.-Biography:...
– guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, vocals (1969–1994, Lowrider Band 1996–present) - Ronnie (Ron) Hammon – drums, percussion (1979–1996)
- Luther Rabb – bass, vocals (1979–1984)
- Pat RizzoPat RizzoPat Rizzo is an American saxophonist and flautist, best known for his work with funk band Sly and the Family Stone from 1972 to 1975.During this period Rizzo also performed with Tito Puente and Frank Sinatra. He started performing in the sixties with The Cufflinks...
– 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)
- Kerry Campbell – saxophone (1993–1996)
- Charles GreenCharles GreenCharles Green may refer to:* Charles Green , British astronomer, traveled with James Cook* Charles Green , England's most famous balloonist of the 19th century...
– saxophone, flute (1993–1995) - Tetsuya "Tex" Nakamura – harmonica, vocals (1993–2006)
- Rae ValentineRae ValentineRae Valentine is the son of Harold Ray Brown Sr., the founder and original drummer of the musical band War. Rae produced and recorded on War's 1994 Peace Sign album and performed on tour as backing keyboards, percussion and vocals from 1993 to 2001...
– keyboards, percussion, vocals (1993–2001) - J. B. EcklJ. B. EcklJ. B. Eckl is a Canadian songwriter, producer, and recording artist. Eckl lives in Topanga Canyon, near Los Angeles, California.After doing some guitar session work with Latin pop producer K. C. Porter, Eckl signed as a staff songwriter for Porter's Insignia Music, a joint venture with Paramount...
– 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 ReyesMarcos J. ReyesMarcos Reyes is a percussionist with the funk group War since 1998. A native of Lamont, California he's traveled the world with the group to such places as London, Moscow, and Japan....
– 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)