War was a long-running funk-rock band from southern California, who was commercially viable, at least into the 1990s. Eric Burdon, formerly of The Animals, was the lead vocalist on their first hit, Spill the Wine, back in 1970, but others took the reins shortly after that.
On the Billboard 100, the very peaceful tune called Summer, which was appropriately released on June 21, 1976, debuted on the chart on July 10 and spent 16 weeks there, eventually getting to #7. On the soul charts, it also started moving on July 10, and spent 14 weeks, reaching #4. It was declared a gold record, selling over 500,000 units.
Here is Summer, by War. The band “is not happy about being slighted for a spot in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The band was nominated but lost out… War is most annoyed about losing a spot to The Beastie Boys.
“Vocalist and founding member of War Howard Scott told TMZ, ‘We were cranking out gold records when they were still in diapers. 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!’ and added, ‘Felt like I was kicked in the back of my britches.'”
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Sad to read about the death, at the age of 68, of composer Marvin Hamlisch. Writer Mark Evanier said: “I can’t recall ever hearing a bad word about Marvin Hamlisch, not even from Theater People… He was the guy who wrote the tunes for A Chorus Line, after all. And so many other fine works. The first time I saw him or heard his name was when he was Groucho’s pianist for those sad one-Marx shows near the end of the comedian’s career.” To paraphrase a song of his: Nobody did it better.
Others took the “reins,” sir, not the “reigns.” I know you don’t mind it when someone points stuff like this out!
No, I don’t mind, though I get annoyed when I muff something I know.
I have noticed, though, that some of our mutual acquaintances HATE being corrected publicly, and I generally e-mail them directly.
You’re right Roger, War should have been inducted and honored years ago. But I think the Beastie Boys were brought in hurriedly because Adam Rausch was dying of cancer.
BTW, feel free to correct my crappy grammar and usage anytime and as publicly as you wish. Ignore my snarly replies, I need the education.
The picture above does not represent the original artists of WAR, who most deservedly belonged in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame years ago. There is only one original WAR artist in that picture. Four remaining original artists of WAR have been touring under the LOWRIDER BAND name for 16 years now. They, the LOWRIDER BAND, lost the WAR name they made famous, to a greedy producer in federal court, and aren’t “allowed” to advertise themselves as the original artists of WAR. This is probably a huge reason that WAR isn’t inducted, because of these BS WAR name legalities and there being basically two WAR bands. Until that one from fake WAR reunites with his WAR brothers of the LOWRIDER BAND, I don’t ever see WAR getting inducted. The more legitimate WAR band is the LOWRIDER BAND, despite the loss of their WAR name.