Editing War (band)

{{Use American English|date=October 2024}}
{{Short description|American rhythm and blues band}}
{{distinguish|Warband (disambiguation){{!}}Warband}}
{{More citations needed|date=January 2022}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2024}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name             = War
| image            = War in 2024.jpg
| caption          = War performing in Bethesda, Maryland, 2024
| alt              = 
| background       = group_or_band
| alias            = Eric Burdon and War {{hlist|(1969–70|1976)}}
| origin           = [[Long Beach, California]], U.S.
| genre            = {{hlist|[[Rhythm and blues|R&B]]|[[progressive soul]]|{{nowrap|[[jazz fusion]]}}|[[rock music|rock]]<br><small>(see [[#Musical style|musical style]] section)</small>
}}
| years_active     = 1969–present
| label            = {{hlist|[[MGM Records|MGM]]|[[United Artists Records|United Artists]]|[[MCA Records|MCA]]|Avenue}}
| spinoffs         = [[Lowrider Band]]
| associated_acts  = {{hlist|[[Eric Burdon]]|[[The Animals]]|War Band|Señor Soul|[[Lowrider Band]]}}
| website          = https://war.com/
| current_members  = {{hlist|[[Lonnie Jordan|Leroy "Lonnie" Jordan]]|James Zota Baker|{{nowrap|Scott Martin}}|{{nowrap|Stanley Behrens}}|{{nowrap|Sal Rodriguez}}|{{nowrap|[[Marcos J. Reyes|Marcos Reyes]]}}|{{nowrap|Trevor Huxley}}}}
| past_members     = {{hlist|[[Eric Burdon]]|[[Harold Ray Brown]]|[[Howard E. Scott]]|{{nowrap|[[Lee Oskar]]}}|B. B. Dickerson|Thomas "Papa Dee" Allen|[[Charles Miller (musician)|Charles Miller]]|Ron Hammon|[[Pat Rizzo]]|[[Luther Rabb]]|Alice Tweed Smith|{{nowrap|Ricky Green}}|{{nowrap|Tetsuya "Tex" Nakamura}}|[[Rae Valentine]]|{{nowrap|Kerry Campbell}}|{{nowrap|Charles Green}}|{{nowrap|[[J. B. Eckl]]}}|{{nowrap|Lance Ellis}}|{{nowrap|Smoky Greenwell}}|{{nowrap|Sandro Alberto}}|{{nowrap|Richard Marquez}}|{{nowrap|Kenny Hudson}}|{{nowrap|Fernando Harkless}}|{{nowrap|Stuart Ziff}}|{{nowrap|Pancho Tomaselli}}|{{nowrap|Mitch Kashmar}}|{{nowrap|David Urquidi}}|{{nowrap|David “Pug” Rodriguez}}}}
}}
'''War''' (originally called '''Eric Burdon and War''') is an American [[rhythm and blues|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 (War song)|The World Is a Ghetto]]", "[[The Cisco Kid (song)|The Cisco Kid]]", "[[Why Can't We Be Friends? (song)|Why Can't We Be Friends?]]", "[[Low Rider]]", and "[[Summer (War song)|Summer]]").<ref name="BurdonCraig2002">{{cite book |last1=Burdon |first1=Eric |last2=Craig |first2=Jeff Marshall |title=Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=J0zyp_XoKq4C&pg=PA106 |access-date=April 25, 2011 |date=October 2, 2002 |publisher=Da Capo Press |isbn=978-1-56025-448-5 |pages=105–6}}</ref><ref name="Buckley2003">{{cite book |last=Buckley |first=Peter |title=The Rough Guide to Rock |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=haEfq-nKqjgC&pg=PR7-IA1099 |access-date=April 25, 2011 |date=October 28, 2003 |publisher=Rough Guides |isbn=978-1-84353-105-0 |page=vii}}</ref> A musical crossover band, War became known for its eclectic blend of [[funk]],<ref name="Cosgrove">{{cite book|title=Harlem 69: The Future of Soul|first=Stuart|last=Cosgrove}}</ref> [[soul music|soul]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/peace-sign-mw0000113050 |title=War - Peace Sign |last=Henderson |first=Alex |website=[[AllMusic]]|access-date=January 15, 2017}}</ref> [[jazz]], and [[rock music|rock]],<ref name="Maui News">{{cite web|url=https://www.mauinews.com/entertainment/2024/10/war-the-legendary-classic-rock-band-coming-to-maui/|title=WAR, the legendary classic rock band, coming to Maui|date=October 4, 2024|publisher=Maui Times|accessdate=October 29, 2024}}</ref> 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 (magazine)|Billboard]]'''s best-selling album of 1973.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/charts/yearend_chart_display.jsp?f=The+Billboard+200&g=Year-end+Albums&year=1973 |title=Year End Charts - Year-end Albums - The Billboard 200 |magazine=Billboard |access-date=August 6, 2009 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080214165824/http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/charts/yearend_chart_display.jsp?f=The+Billboard+200&g=Year-end+Albums&year=1973 |archive-date = February 14, 2008}}</ref> The band transcended racial and cultural barriers with a multi-[[ethnicity|ethnic]] lineup. War was subject to many lineup changes over the course of its existence, leaving member [[Lonnie Jordan|Leroy "Lonnie" Jordan]] as the only original member in the current lineup; four other members created a new group called the [[Lowrider Band]].

==History==
===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]], Morris "B. B." Dickerson, and [[Lonnie Jordan]] to the lineup. [[Lee Oskar]] and [[#Original|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 Melvyn “Deacon” Jones from Richmond Indiana, a rhythm and blues artist. Deacon Jones, as he was referred to, is often confused with Deacon Jones, the American football player who was from the same era. The band then changed their name from Nightshift to War.

Nightshift was conceived by record producer [[Jerry Goldstein (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, Los Angeles|North Hollywood]], backing Deacon Jones, the blues artist, 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]], [[gang]]s, 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 the United States. The subtitle of a 1970 review in the ''[[NME|New Musical Express]]'' of their first UK gig in London's [[Hyde Park, London|Hyde Park]] read: "Burdon and War: Best Live Band We've Ever Seen".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/eric-burdon--war-hyde-park-london|author=Richard Green|work=New Musical Express |date=September 19, 1970|title=Eric Burdon & War: Hyde Park, London}}</ref> Their show at [[Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club|Ronnie Scott's Club]] in London on September 16, 1970, is historically notable for being the last public performance for [[Jimi Hendrix]],<ref>{{cite book |last=Brown |first=Tony |title=Jimi Hendrix: The Final Days |year=1997 |publisher=Omnibus Press |isbn=978-0-7119-5238-6 |page=107}}</ref> who joined them onstage for the last 35 minutes of Burdon and War's second set; a day later he was dead. A second Eric Burdon and War album, a [[double album|two-disc set]] titled ''[[The Black-Man's Burdon]]'' was released in 1970. During the subsequent tour, Burdon collapsed on the stage during a concert, caused by an asthma attack, and the band continued the tour without him<ref>{{cite web|url=https://berlinspectator.com/2019/05/03/the-animal-eric-burdon-to-raise-roofs-in-germany-1/|work=The Berlin Spectator|title=The Animal Eric Burdon raise roofs in Germany|date=May 3, 2019}}</ref> 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.<ref name="The Book of Golden Discs">{{cite book|first=Joseph|last=Murrells|year=1978 |title=The Book of Golden Discs |edition=2nd|publisher=Barrie and Jenkins Ltd|location=London |page=[https://archive.org/details/bookofgoldendisc00murr/page/305 305] |isbn=0-214-20512-6|url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/bookofgoldendisc00murr/page/305}}</ref> In 1972, they released ''[[The World Is a Ghetto]]'' which was even more successful. Its second single, "The Cisco Kid", shipped gold,<ref name="Larkin">{{cite book|title=[[Encyclopedia of Popular Music|The Virgin Encyclopedia of Popular Music]] |editor=Colin Larkin |editor-link=Colin Larkin |publisher=[[Virgin Books]]|date=1997|edition=Concise|isbn=1-85227-745-9|pages=1230/1}}</ref> and the album attained the number one spot on [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]],<ref name="Billboard 200">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/war/chart-history/tlp/|title=War Album & Song Chart History (Billboard 200)|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|access-date=August 20, 2019}}</ref> and was ''Billboard'' magazine's Album of the Year as the best-selling album of 1973.

{{quote box|quoted=1|quote=This band lives up to its name. The powerful, deceptively torpid groove evokes the pace of inner-city pleasures like 'All Day Music' and '[[Summer (War song)|Summer]].' But however jokey and off-the-cuff they sound, they're usually singing about conflict, often racial conflict—the real subject of '[[The Cisco Kid (song)|The Cisco Kid]]' and '[[Why Can't We Be Friends?]],' which many take for [[novelty song]]s.|source=— ''[[Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies]]'' (1981)<ref name="CG">{{cite book|last=Christgau|first=Robert|author-link=Robert Christgau|year=1981|title=[[Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies]]|publisher=[[Ticknor & Fields]]|isbn=089919026X|chapter=Consumer Guide '70s: W|chapter-url=https://www.robertchristgau.com/get_chap.php?k=W&bk=70|access-date=March 22, 2019|website=Robertchristgau.com}}</ref>|width=21%|align=right|style=padding:8px;}}

''[[Deliver the Word]]'' (1973), the next album, contained the hits "[[Gypsy Man (song)|Gypsy Man]]" and a studio version of "[[Me and Baby Brother]]" (previously issued as a live recording), which peaked at No. 8 and #15 on the Billboard chart. The album went on to sell nearly 2 million copies.{{citation needed|date=April 2010}} The 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 bigger hits.<ref name="Larkin"/>

In 1976, War released a greatest hits record that 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|Blue Note]]. 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), and its title single was inspired by ''[[Star Wars (film)|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 (musician)|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 LAX 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".<ref name="Larkin"/> It 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). On Papa Dee Allen died of a brain [[aneurysm]] which struck him onstage in August of 1988. He was 57 years old.

===1990s: Reformations===
[[File:War (US band, 1992).jpg|thumb|War in 1992]]
[[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 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 lineup of supporting musicians and still under the management and production of Jerry Goldstein, and released a new album, [[Peace Sign (War album)|''☮'']] in 1994.

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.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bankvergleich.com/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090109115646/http://www.altlaw.org/v1/cases/1369164 |url-status=dead |title=Banken und Finanzprodukte im Vergleich|archive-date=January 9, 2009|website=BankVergleich.com}}</ref> 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]]. They have yet to record a studio album.

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 lineup. Both the "new" War and the Lowrider Band 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.

===21st century===
[[File:Lonnie Jordan.jpg|thumb|Lonnie Jordan in concert in 2008. Jordan is the only remaining original member of the band]]
On April 21, 2008, Eric Burdon performed "Spill the Wine" with War in concert at the London Royal Albert Hall, released as ''[[Greatest Hits Live (War album)|Greatest Hits Live]]'' on Avenue / [[Rhino Records]], who also reissued much of War's back catalog that year.

War were unsuccessfully nominated for induction into the [[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]] in 2009<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newsday.com/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081109065241/http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/music/ny-etrockhall0922,0,3257546.story|url-status=dead|title=Newsday &#124; Long Island's & NYC's News Source|archive-date=November 9, 2008|website=Newsday.com}}</ref> and 2014.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Greene |first=Andy |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/green-day-nine-inch-nails-smiths-nominated-for-rock-and-roll-hall-of-fame-20141009 |title=Green Day, NIN, the Smiths Nominated for Rock Hall of Fame |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=October 9, 2014 |access-date=August 25, 2015}}</ref>

In 2014, War released a new studio album, ''Evolutionary'' as a double CD, the second disc being a reissue of their ''Greatest Hits'' album from 1976.

==Musical style==
According to music writer [[Colin Larkin]], their "potent fusion of funk, R&B, rock and [[Latin music|Latin]] styles produced a progressive soul sound",<ref name="Larkin"/> while [[Martin C. Strong]] calls them "one of the fiercest progressive soul combos of the '70s".<ref name="Strong">{{cite book|page=901|last=Strong|first=Martin C.|author-link=Martin C. Strong|year=2000|title=The Great Rock Discography|publisher=Canongate|isbn=9780862418274}}</ref> The liner notes to the 2003 greatest hits album ''The Very Best of War'' described the band's sound as a mix of "rock, jazz, Latin, and R&B",<ref>Liner notes — ''The Very Best of War'', 2003 compilation. pg. 4</ref> while [[The Maui News]] described the band's sound in an October 2024 article as blending "R&B, rock, Latin music, jazz, and [[blues]]."<ref name="Maui News" /> 

The band has been described as: progressive soul,<ref name="Larkin" /><ref name="Strong" /> [[funk rock]],<ref name="Cosgrove" /> [[psychedelic soul|black rock]],<ref>{{cite news|last=Palmer|first=Robert|author-link=Robert Palmer (American writer)|page=D20|title=Jazz Pop—A 'Failed Art Music' Makes Good|date=February 13, 1977|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|quote=...War, the black rock group.|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1977/02/13/archives/jazz-popa-failed-art-music-makes-good.html|access-date=March 18, 2018}}</ref> [[Jazz fusion#Jazz-rock|jazz-rock]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/deliver-the-word-mw0000613898 |title=War - Deliver the Word |last=Hanson |first=Amy |website=[[AllMusic]]|access-date=January 15, 2017}}</ref> [[Latin rock]]<ref name="Clarke1990">{{cite book|author=Donald Clarke|title=The Penguin Encyclopedia of Popular Music|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=M7FZAAAAYAAJ|year=1990|publisher=Penguin Books|isbn=978-0-14-051147-5|page=1212}}</ref> and [[Latin jazz]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.chron.com/entertainment/music/article/PVPLAYLIST0824-13175306.php|title=Houston author chronicles War, the funk, rock, soul and Latin music band|author=Dansby, Andrew|date=August 24, 2018|newspaper=The Houston Chronicle|access-date=March 20, 2021}}</ref>

==Members==
===Current===
* [[Lonnie Jordan|Leroy "Lonnie" Jordan]] – keyboards, lead vocals (1969–present)
*James Zota Baker – guitar, vocals (1998–2002, 2023–present)
* Scott Martin – saxophone, flute (2017–present)
* Stanley Behrens – harmonica (2011–present)
* Sal Rodriguez – drums, percussion, vocals (1990–present)
* [[Marcos J. Reyes|Marcos Reyes]] – percussion (1998–present)
* Rene Camacho &ndash; bass (2014&ndash;present)
[[File:WarOriginalLineup_01.jpg|thumb|War lineup in 1976]]

===Original===
* [[Eric Burdon]] – vocals (1969–1971, 2008)
* [[Howard E. Scott]] – guitar, vocals (1969–1994)
* [[Lee Oskar]] – harmonica and vocals (1969–1994)
* Thomas "Papa Dee" Allen – percussion and vocals (1969–1988; died 1988)
* [[Charles Miller (musician)|Charles Miller]] – saxophone and vocals (1969–1979; died 1980)
* B. B. Dickerson – bass and vocals (1969–1979; died 2021)<ref>{{cite web |title=War Band Bassist B. B. Dickerson Founding Member Dead at 71 |url=https://www.tmz.com/2021/04/04/war-band-bassist-bb-dickerson-dead-dies-why-cant-we-be-friends/ |website=TMZ |access-date=April 5, 2021 |date=April 4, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |last=Iasimone |first=Ashley |title=Morris 'B. B.' Dickerson, Founding Member of War, Dies at 71 |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/bb-dickerson-dead-war-founding-member-9550962/ |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |date=April 3, 2021}}</ref>
* [[Lonnie Jordan|Leroy "Lonnie" Jordan]] – keyboards, vocals (1969–present)
* [[Harold Ray Brown]] – drums and vocals (1969–1994)

===Past===
* Ron Hammon – drums and percussion (1979–1996)
* [[Pat Rizzo]] – saxophone, flute, and vocals (1979–1983, 1993–1995; died 2021)
* [[Luther Rabb]] – bass and vocals (1979–1984; died 2006)
* Alice Tweed Smith – percussion and vocals (1979–1981)
* Ricky Green – bass and vocals (1984–1989)
* Tetsuya "Tex" Nakamura – harmonica and vocals (1993–2006)
* [[Rae Valentine]] – keyboards, percussion, and vocals (1993–2001)
* Kerry Campbell – saxophone (1993–1998)
* Charles Green – saxophone and flute (1993–1995)
* [[J. B. Eckl]] – guitar and vocals (1994–1996)
* Lance Ellis – saxophone and flute (1994–2020)
* Smoky Greenwell – harmonica (1994–1996)
* Sandro Alberto – guitar and vocals (1996–1998)
* Richard Marquez – drums and percussion (1996–1997)
* Kenny Hudson – percussion (1997–1998)
* Fernando Harkless – saxophone (1998–2011)
* Stuart Ziff – guitar, vocals (2002–2023)
* Pancho Tomaselli – bass, vocals (2003–February 2015)
* Mitch Kashmar – harmonica, vocals (2006–2011)
* David Urquidi – saxophone, flute (2011–2017)
* David "Pug" Rodriguez – percussion and vocals (2011–201?)

===Timeline===
<div align="center">
{{#tag:timeline|
ImageSize = width:1200 height:630 
PlotArea = left:100 bottom:105 top:10 right:10
Alignbars = justify
DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy
Period = from:01/01/1969 till:{{#time:d/m/Y}}
TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy

Colors =

  id:vocals value:red       legend:Lead_vocals
  id:guitar value:green     legend:Guitar
  id:keys   value:purple    legend:Keyboards
  id:bass   value:blue      legend:Bass
  id:drums  value:orange    legend:Drums
  id:percus value:claret    legend:Percussion
  id:wind   value:tan2 legend:Saxophone
  id:wind2  value:skyblue   legend:Flute
  id:harm   value:yellow    legend:Harmonica
  id:lines1 value:black     legend:Studio_albums
  id:lines2 value:gray(0.7) legend:Live_albums
  id:bars   value:gray(0.9)

BackgroundColors = bars:bars

Legend = orientation:vertical position:bottom columns:3
ScaleMajor = unit:year increment:2 start:1970
ScaleMinor = unit:year increment:1 start:1969

BarData =
  bar:Burdon     text:Eric Burdon
  bar:Scott      text:Howard E. Scott
  bar:Eckl       text:J. B. Eckl
  bar:Alberto    text:Sandro Alberto
  bar:Baker      text:James Zota Baker
  bar:Ziff       text:Stuart Ziff
  bar:Jordan     text:Leroy Jordan
  bar:Valentine  text:Rae Valentine
  bar:Dickerson  text:B. B. Dickerson
  bar:Rabb       text:Luther Rabb
  bar:Green      text:Ricky Green
  bar:Tomaselli  text:Pancho Tomaselli
  bar:Huxley     text:Trevor Huxley
  bar:Brown      text:Harold Ray Brown
  bar:Hammon     text:Ron Hammon
  bar:Rodriguez  text:Sal Rodriguez
  bar:Marquez    text:Richard Marquez
  bar:Allen      text:Papa Dee Allen
  bar:Smith      text:Alice Tweed Smith
  bar:Hudson     text:Kenny Hudson
  bar:Reyes      text:Marcos Reyes
  bar:Rodriguez2 text:David Rodriguez
  bar:Miller     text:Charles Miller
  bar:Rizzo      text:Pat Rizzo
  bar:Campbell   text:Kerry Campbell
  bar:Green2     text:Charles Green
  bar:Ellis      text:Lance Ellis
  bar:Harkless   text:Fernando Harkless
  bar:Urquidi    text:David Urquidi
  bar:Martin     text:Scott Martin
  bar:Oskar      text:Lee Oskar
  bar:Nakamura   text:Tex Nakamura
  bar:Greenwell  text:Smoky Greenwell
  bar:Kashmar    text:Mitch Kashmar
  bar:Behrens    text:Stanley Behrens

PlotData=
  width:11 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from shift:(10,-4)

  bar:Burdon     from:start      till:01/01/1971 color:vocals
  bar:Burdon     from:start      till:01/01/1971 color:percus  width:3
  bar:Burdon     from:21/04/2008 till:21/04/2008 color:vocals
  bar:Jordan     from:start      till:end        color:keys
  bar:Jordan     from:start      till:end        color:vocals width:3
  bar:Brown      from:start      till:01/01/1994 color:drums
  bar:Brown      from:start      till:01/01/1994 color:vocals width:3
  bar:Oskar      from:start      till:01/01/1994 color:harm
  bar:Oskar      from:start      till:01/01/1994 color:vocals width:3
  bar:Scott      from:start      till:01/01/1994 color:guitar
  bar:Scott      from:start      till:01/01/1994 color:vocals width:3
  bar:Allen      from:start      till:30/08/1988 color:percus
  bar:Allen      from:start      till:30/08/1988 color:vocals width:3
  bar:Dickerson  from:start      till:01/01/1979 color:bass
  bar:Dickerson  from:start      till:01/01/1979 color:vocals width:3
  bar:Miller     from:start      till:14/06/1980 color:wind
  bar:Miller     from:start      till:14/06/1980 color:vocals width:3
  bar:Miller     from:start      till:14/06/1980 color:wind2  width:7
  bar:Hammon     from:01/01/1979 till:01/01/1996 color:drums
  bar:Hammon     from:01/01/1979 till:01/01/1996 color:percus width:3
  bar:Rizzo      from:01/01/1979 till:01/01/1983 color:wind
  bar:Rizzo      from:01/01/1993 till:01/01/1995 color:wind
  bar:Rizzo      from:01/01/1979 till:01/01/1983 color:wind2  width:7
  bar:Rizzo      from:01/01/1993 till:01/01/1995 color:wind2  width:7
  bar:Rizzo      from:01/01/1979 till:01/01/1983 color:vocals width:3
  bar:Rizzo      from:01/01/1993 till:01/01/1995 color:vocals width:3
  bar:Rabb       from:01/01/1979 till:01/01/1984 color:bass
  bar:Rabb       from:01/01/1979 till:01/01/1984 color:vocals width:3
  bar:Smith      from:01/01/1979 till:01/01/1981 color:percus
  bar:Smith      from:01/01/1979 till:01/01/1981 color:vocals width:3
  bar:Green      from:01/01/1984 till:01/01/1989 color:bass
  bar:Green      from:01/01/1984 till:01/01/1989 color:vocals width:3
  bar:Nakamura   from:01/01/1993 till:01/01/2006 color:harm
  bar:Nakamura   from:01/01/1993 till:01/01/2006 color:vocals width:3
  bar:Valentine  from:01/01/1993 till:01/01/2001 color:keys
  bar:Valentine  from:01/01/1993 till:01/01/2001 color:percus width:7
  bar:Valentine  from:01/01/1993 till:01/01/2001 color:vocals width:3
  bar:Campbell   from:01/01/1993 till:01/01/1998 color:wind
  bar:Green2     from:01/01/1993 till:01/01/1995 color:wind
  bar:Green2     from:01/01/1993 till:01/01/1995 color:wind2  width:3
  bar:Ellis      from:01/01/1994 till:01/01/2020 color:wind
  bar:Ellis      from:01/01/1994 till:01/01/2020 color:wind2  width:3
  bar:Eckl       from:01/01/1994 till:01/01/1996 color:guitar
  bar:Greenwell  from:01/01/1994 till:01/01/1996 color:harm
  bar:Eckl       from:01/01/1994 till:01/01/1996 color:vocals width:3
  bar:Alberto    from:01/01/1996 till:01/01/1998 color:guitar
  bar:Alberto    from:01/01/1996 till:01/01/1998 color:vocals width:3
  bar:Marquez    from:01/01/1996 till:01/01/1997 color:drums
  bar:Marquez    from:01/01/1996 till:01/01/1997 color:percus width:3
  bar:Hudson     from:01/01/1997 till:01/01/1998 color:percus
  bar:Harkless   from:01/01/1998 till:01/01/2011 color:wind
  bar:Baker      from:01/01/1998 till:01/01/2002 color:guitar
  bar:Baker      from:01/01/1998 till:01/01/2002 color:vocals width:3
  bar:Tomaselli  from:01/01/2003 till:01/02/2015 color:bass
  bar:Tomaselli  from:01/01/2003 till:01/02/2015 color:vocals width:3
  bar:Huxley     from:01/02/2015 till:end        color:bass
  bar:Kashmar    from:01/01/2006 till:01/01/2011 color:harm
  bar:Kashmar    from:01/01/2006 till:01/01/2011 color:vocals width:3
  bar:Urquidi    from:01/01/2011 till:01/01/2017 color:wind
  bar:Urquidi    from:01/01/2011 till:01/01/2017 color:wind2  width:3
  bar:Reyes      from:01/01/1998 till:end        color:percus
  bar:Rodriguez  from:01/01/1990 till:end        color:drums
  bar:Rodriguez  from:01/01/1990 till:end        color:percus width:7
  bar:Rodriguez  from:01/01/1990 till:01/01/2022        color:vocals width:3
  bar:Behrens    from:01/01/2011 till:end        color:harm
  bar:Martin     from:01/01/2017 till:end        color:wind
  bar:Martin     from:01/01/2017 till:end        color:wind2  width:3
  bar:Ziff       from:01/01/2002 till:01/01/2023        color:guitar
  bar:Ziff       from:01/01/2002 till:01/01/2023        color:vocals width:3
  bar:Rodriguez2 from:01/01/2011 till:01/01/2019        color:percus
  bar:Rodriguez2 from:01/01/2011 till:01/01/2019        color:vocals width:3
  bar:Baker      from:01/01/2023 till:end color:guitar
  bar:Baker      from:01/01/2023 till:end color:vocals width:3

LineData =

  at:01/04/1970 color:lines1 layer:back
  at:01/12/1970 color:lines1 layer:back
  at:01/04/1971 color:lines1 layer:back
  at:01/11/1971 color:lines1 layer:back
  at:01/11/1972 color:lines1 layer:back
  at:01/01/1973 color:lines2 layer:back
  at:01/08/1973 color:lines1 layer:back
  at:16/06/1975 color:lines1 layer:back
  at:01/11/1976 color:lines1 layer:back
  at:01/01/1976 color:lines1 layer:back
  at:01/11/1977 color:lines1 layer:back
  at:01/01/1978 color:lines1 layer:back
  at:01/01/1979 color:lines1 layer:back
  at:01/06/1979 color:lines1 layer:back
  at:01/01/1980 color:lines2 layer:back
  at:01/01/1982 color:lines1 layer:back
  at:01/01/1983 color:lines1 layer:back
  at:01/06/1983 color:lines1 layer:back
  at:01/01/1985 color:lines1 layer:back
  at:01/01/1994 color:lines1 layer:back
  at:01/01/2008 color:lines2 layer:back
  at:01/01/2014 color:lines1 layer:back

}}
</div>

==Discography==
{{Main|War discography}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Official website|http://www.war.com/}}
* {{IMDb name|0911271}}
* [http://elr.lls.edu/documents/09.Henslee.pdf Article documenting legal proceedings / history between Jerry Goldstein and original members of War]
* [http://www.lowriderband.com/ Lowrider band]

{{War (U.S. band)}}
{{Eric Burdon}}
{{Billboard Year-End number one albums 1970–1989}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:1969 establishments in California]]
[[Category:American funk musical groups]]
[[Category:American funk rock musical groups]]
[[Category:American musical octets]]
[[Category:American musical septets]]
[[Category:Jam bands]]
[[Category:MCA Records artists]]
[[Category:MGM Records artists]]
[[Category:Musical groups established in 1969]]
[[Category:Musical groups from Los Angeles]]
[[Category:Progressive soul music groups]]
[[Category:Rock music groups from California]]
[[Category:American rhythm and blues musical groups]]
[[Category:American jazz fusion ensembles]]
[[Category:United Artists Records artists]]
[[Category:War (band)| ]]