Beefs 2011: War Blast Beastie Boys for Beating Them to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
... Kudos and acclaim for Brooklyn hip-hop icons the Beastie Boys reached a high yesterday (December 7) when it was announced the trio would be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame next April, but classic funksters
War have let it be known that they aren't happy about the nod. While it might come off as a case of sour grapes, considering
War were among the nominees that didn't make the grade, the band's beef with the Beasties is more than just petty jealousy. Speaking with TMZ, vocalist and founding member Howard Scott expressed that he was "shocked" to learn the Beastie Boys made it in over his act, because
War's music was the backdrop for some of their earliest jams. Pointing to the rap act's sampling of
War's well-known 1975 number "Low Rider" for their "Slow Ride," off 1986's Licensed to Ill, Scott said "How could the Beastie Boys get in before us when they sampled
War's music on their first album?! I'll eat their platinum records!" The singer also tossed in a few low blows by going the ageist route: "We were cranking out gold records when they were still in diapers." The Beasties have yet to respond to the diss, but we have a feeling they'll take the high road and just ignore it. The induction ...
[ read more ]I Am War (Atreyu, Bleeding Through) Sign With Razor & Tie
... I Am
War, an outfit who feature Atreyu frontman Alex Varkatzas and Bleeding Through vocalist Brandan Schieppati, have inked a deal with Razor & Tie. The band plan to release their debut album through the label in the spring. Meanwhile, you can find a demo of their track "The Poisoning" below: I Am
War (Atreyu, Bleeding Through) Sign With Razor & Tie ...
[ read more ]War Revisited
War
(1968-)
Lonnie Jordan (keyboards, bass, vocals)
Harold Brown (drums, vocals)
B.B. Dickerson (bass)
Charles Miller (saxophone, flute, vocals) 1968 - 1980.
Lee Oskar (harmonica, vocals)
Papa Dee Allen (percussion, vocals)
Howard E. Scott (guitar, vocals)
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War fused Rock, Jazz, Funk, Latin and R&B. Says Jordan, "We never thought we'd hit because we were too different. People wanted us to be like the Chambers Brothers or Sly and the Family Stone. But we just let it flow and played." (thanks, Amy - Chicago, IL)
They started out as The Creators, playing clubs in the Los Angeles area, where they became the first black band booked on the Sunset Strip. This band evolved into Nite Shift (named because Brown worked at a steel yard at night), and backed up football player Deacon Jones for a while. They had trouble keeping the band together because members kept getting drafted to the Vietnam War.
In 1969, record executive Steve Gold put the band together with Eric Burdon, who was previously a member of The Animals. They recorded 2 albums as "War with Eric Burdon" before Burdon left the band.
As Brown remembers it, manager Steve Gold said, "You guys are really a motley crew. I've got a great idea, let's just call you War." Lee Oskar says that he and Eric Burdon were riding along and saw a billboard with Yoko Ono talking peace - the direct opposite of War, which gave them the idea.
Around 1966, they had an offer to be Otis Redding's backup band. They couldn't take the gig because their keyboard player was too young to go on the road.
War spent a lot of time with Jimi Hendrix, and played with him the night he died when they jammed together at a club in London called Ronnie Scott's. Hendrix and Burdon were good friends, and Burdon was deeply affected by the death of Hendrix.
We asked the question, "On what songs did you do your best playing, or are you particularly proud of?" Here are the responses:
Howard Scott:
The intro of "
The World Is A Ghetto": Most unique and notable guitar intro using a Wah Wah pedal
The most meaningful song recorded: "
Why Can't We Be Friends?"
The most fun: "
The Cisco Kid"
Harold Brown:
Funk Drumming: "
Slippin' Into Darkness"
Most sensitive drumming with dynamics: "Seven Tin Soldiers"
Pure Jam: "
Low Rider"
Most exact drumming: "Cisco Kid"
Lee Oskar:
First Musical Eureka (Harp and Sax Blend): "Sun O Son" first War Album
Inspired Melody from Harp: "City Country City"
Most played harp melody: "Low Rider"
In the mid-1990s, Far Out Productions (producer and songwriter Jerry Goldstein) went to federal court and won the use of the name War. The band's original keyboardist Lonnie Jordan began touring using that name under Goldstein's guidance, and the other 4 surviving members (Oskar, Dickerson, Scott and Brown), formed The Lowrider Band. (Thanks to Harold Brown for speaking with us about War. Learn more about the Lowrider Band at
lowriderband.com.)
Comments:
Kristine W
Only Madonna, Beyoncé, Janet Jackson and Rihanna have more #1 Dance hits than Kristine.
Michael Bolton
Into the vaults for this talk with Bolton from the '80s when he was a focused on writing songs for other artists.
Charlie Benante of Anthrax
The drummer for Anthrax is also a key songwriter. He explains how the group puts their songs together and tells the stories behind some of their classics.
Pam Tillis
The country sweetheart opines about the demands of touring and talks about writing songs with her famous father.
Lonnie Jordan and all the side men (players-writers) of their music have left a HUGH imprint.
The music from 30 yrs ago is the echo still heard today.