The Case of the backup band becoming bigger than ever- WAR heyday

In the late 1960s, Eric Burdon discovered this band called War. He liked their funk and soul jams. Together they made two albums. The first album has the classic hit song “Spill the Wine.” The rest of the albums are long jams and cover versions of songs that were popular at the time.

In the rock era, there were back up bands that were able to stand on their own, but didn’t. The E Street band backed Ronnie Spector on a song, Meatloaf on Bat Out of Hell, and they backed up other performers at the Rock N Roll Hall Of Fame dinners. They never had a hit on their own as a band. Neil Young and Crazy Horse made classic albums for decades. Crazy Horse did tour on their own, but didn’t have hits on their own.

Eric Burdon decided to leave the band. The second album didn’t sell. That left the backup band War on their own.

Their first album didn’t sell well. Their second album, “All Day Music” had classic War songs. There was the title track, “Me and Baby Brother, and “Slipping into Darkness.” The album sold well but not great.

They toured and found fans with their urban jazz tunes. They could play long jams and radio friendly songs.

War broke out as not just a back up band. They became a band to find.