WAR STRUTS OUT THEIR FIRST RELEASES IN 14 YEARS WITH DVD & CD PACKAGES
WAR: What is it good for? The most memorable hits of all time, including “Cisco Kid,” “Low Rider” and “The World is a Ghetto.” On October 14, 2008, War will release three special commemorative packages, containing their greatest hits live in concert. Distributed by Rhino Records/Warner Music Group, this Avenue Records multi-disc onslaught will include a live DVD, a Blu-Ray DVD and a double CD. These three packages mark the band’s first live releases.
Recorded at a sold-out performance at The Grove in Anaheim, California, in late December, 2007, the sets also contains a fold-out poster of the band. The legendary band War has slated their first releases in 14 years, all three titled Greatest Hits Live, definitive sets that will ensure the band’s continuing status as part of the collective consciousness of American popular culture. War always told the truth, sang it straight and left an indelible impression on music fans.
The tracks that grace these packages have been sampled by artists including 2Pac, Ice Cube, Ice-T, Method Man, Redman, The Geto Boys, The Beastie Boys and, countless other rap artists, and R&B artists like Janet Jackson and Barry White. War tracks have been covered by funk royalty like George Clinton, and rockers ZZ Top. War’s impact on musicians of virtually all genres has been immense.
With the band’s long-hailed, musical virtuosity, and influences that include jazz, rock, funk, soul, R&B and Latin, War has impacted its fans, as well as other musicians, regardless of race, generation or genre. This is the one “War” that has truly brought people together.
Long before the late Eazy-E and NWA released their multi-platinum selling Straight Outta Compton, and artists like DJ Quik and The Game proudly proclaimed it as their home turf, War’s lead singer and founding band member Lonnie Jordan was already putting Compton on the musical map, making it his home base, as he recorded an international string of chart-topping songs, hit after hit.
Next year will mark the critically acclaimed band’s fortieth year. Jordan acknowledges that the demand for a live album from War has fervently existed for many years. Jordan remarks, “The performance in this package shows that War is still going strong. We’ve never broken up,” he says. “We now have several generations of fans, and we’re very proud of that.”
War’s Greatest Hits Live packages are fully loaded with ammo, consisting of classic tracks and radio staples, just a few of which include “Spill the Wine,” “Slippin’ Into Darkness,” “All Day Music,” “Gypsy Man,” “Me and Baby Brother,” “Galaxy” and “Outlaw.” The four-disc set will also include an exclusive poster. A medley on the DVDs includes covers of “I Want To Take You Higher” and Sam And Dave’s “Shotgun.”
“The World Is A Ghetto,” which is also featured on these sets, was honored as the Pop Album of the Year in 1972 by Billboard
Magazine.
During the past four decades, War has released 19 albums and has achieved ten top 10 Billboard Pop and R&B singles. War’s music is familiar to baby boomers, as well as to younger generations.
The band’s songs have been used in national advertising campaigns by companies as diverse as Burger King, Nokia, Chevy and Miller Lite, Kodak and more.
Their songs are heard in major motion pictures, including Lethal Weapon, Boogie Nights, Fridays and Gone In 60 Seconds, as well as on hit television shows that have included Beverly Hills 90210, My Name is Earl and The Simpsons. Their songs are also featured on popular video games, such as Grand Theft Auto IV and Skate 2.
International history was made when “Why Can’t We Be Friends” was played in space, as NASA beamed the track to Soviet cosmonauts and U.S. astronauts in 1975. This historical song will also be featured on this live set that is mastered by Stanley Johnson and produced by War’s original and current producers Jerry Goldstein and Lonnie Jordan.
Today, millions of cell phone users worldwide listen to War’s ring tones. Still an international success, earlier this year, War played a highly-publicized reunion concert with acclaimed vocalist Eric Burdon (“Spill the Wine”) at London’s Royal Albert Hall, and just this past June, WAR was seen performing on national television during the NCLR ALMA Awards, at which they were introduced by comedian George Lopez, who called their song “Low Rider” the “Chicano National Anthem.”
Nomar Garciaparra of the L.A. Dodgers and San Diego Padres player Khalil Greene both use the song as entrance music when they come up to bat. Now you can see and hear all live, along with their other greatest hits, on these three special packages.
For more info www.war.com
PRESS CONTACTS: Phyllis Pollack
Just months after being released from prison and and reuniting with Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, group member Flesh-N-Bone is back in prison for violating his probation. Flesh, born Stanley Howse, was pulled over yesterday (April 2) in Canyon County, California, for driving with a defective brake light. A search of his vehicle turned up unnamed narcotics and a firearm, in direct violation of his probation. Flesh was released from prison in July of 2008, after serving over nine years in prison, which derailed his career as a member of Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, a rap group that has sold over 30 million records. He appeared on the group’s critically acclaimed 1994 debut Creepin on Ah Come Up and the follow up full length, E. 1999 Eternal, released in 1995. Flesh released his debut solo album T.H.U.G.S.: Trues Humbly United Gatherin’ Souls in 1996. A year later, he was arrested when police raided his home and found a stolen gun and explosives. In September of 1999, Flesh was finally sentenced to ten years for threatening a friend with an AK-47. Flesh-N-Bone is currently being held at the Santa Clarita jail and is not eligible for bond.
