War (band)

Not to be confused with Warband.

War
War performing in Bethesda, Maryland, 2024
Background information
Also known asEric Burdon and War
  • (1969–70
  • 1976)
OriginLong Beach, California, U.S.
Genres
Years active1969–present
Labels
SpinoffsLowrider Band
Members
Past members
Websitehttps://war.com/

War (originally called Eric Burdon and War) is an American R&B and progressive soul band from Long Beach, California, formed in 1969.

The band is known for several hit songs in the 1970s (including "Spill the Wine", "The World Is a Ghetto", "The Cisco Kid", "Why Can't We Be Friends?", "Low Rider", and "Summer").[1][2] A musical crossover band, War became known for its eclectic blend of funk,[3] soul,[4] jazz, and rock,[5] an amalgam of the different sounds and styles the band members heard living in the racially-diverse ghettos of Los Angeles.

Their album The World Is a Ghetto was Billboard's best-selling album of 1973.[6] The band transcended racial and cultural barriers with a multi-ethnic lineup. War was subject to many lineup changes over the course of its existence, leaving member Leroy "Lonnie" Jordan as the only original member in the current lineup; four other members created a new group called the Lowrider Band.

  1. ^ Burdon, Eric; Craig, Jeff Marshall (October 2, 2002). Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood. Da Capo Press. pp. 105–6. ISBN 978-1-56025-448-5. Retrieved April 25, 2011.
  2. ^ Buckley, Peter (October 28, 2003). The Rough Guide to Rock. Rough Guides. p. vii. ISBN 978-1-84353-105-0. Retrieved April 25, 2011.
  3. ^ Cosgrove, Stuart. Harlem 69: The Future of Soul.
  4. ^ Henderson, Alex. "War - Peace Sign". AllMusic. Retrieved January 15, 2017.
  5. ^ "WAR, the legendary classic rock band, coming to Maui". Maui Times. October 4, 2024. Retrieved October 29, 2024.
  6. ^ "Year End Charts - Year-end Albums - The Billboard 200". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 14, 2008. Retrieved August 6, 2009.