''The Music Band'' is an album by

War War is an intense armed conflict between states, governments, societies, or paramilitary groups such as mercenaries, insurgents, and militias. It is generally characterized by extreme violence, destruction, and mortality, using regular o ...

, released on

MCA Records MCA Records was an American record label owned by MCA Inc., which later became part of Universal Music Group. Pre-history MCA Inc., a powerful talent agency and a television production company, entered the recorded music business in 1962 wit ...

in March 1979. In 1979, War considered changing its name to The Music Band, possibly regarding its old name as too aggressive for modern times. (They had formed in 1969 during the

Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...

.) But by the time this album was released, they decided to keep the name War, and make "The Music Band" the title of a series of albums, of which this is the first. The album marked the group's first personnel changes since lead vocalist

Eric Burdon Eric Victor Burdon (born 11 May 1941) is an English singer. He was previously the lead vocalist of R&B and rock band the Animals and funk band War. He is regarded as one of the British Invasion's most distinctive singers with his deep, powe ...

's departure in 1971.

B.B. Dickerson BB, Bb, or similar, may refer to: In arts and entertainment *BB, abbreviation for a catalogue of works by Béla Bartók * ''BB'' (album), by Mod Sun (2017) *"BB Talk", 2015 song by Miley Cyrus * BB (Transformers), a character in the franchi ...

(bass) left during the sessions, but appears on some tracks, while others feature his replacement,

Luther Rabb Luther James Rabb (September 7, 1942 – January 22, 2006) was an American singer, musician, and songwriter, from Seattle, Washington, who gained notoriety as the lead vocalist of the jazz rock group Ballin' Jack and in later years as a member ...

. Composer credits can be used to determine which bassist played on which tracks. Another new member was Alice Tweed Smith (credited as just Tweed Smith on this album), the group's first female vocalist, and also the first member not to be included in composition credits, which had always included the entire group previously. The cover art appears rather plain at first glance, but the printing method was somewhat elaborate. Instead of normal four-colour printing, it used cardboard painted solid red, with metallic silver print. (Black print also appears on the back.) Embossing was also used, especially on the back cover where ink-free embossing illustrates a tall marching bandleader's

shako A shako (, , or ) is a tall, cylindrical military cap, usually with a visor, and sometimes tapered at the top. It is usually adorned with an ornamental plate or badge on the front, metallic or otherwise; and often has a feather, plume (see hackle) ...

hat, the logo for the Music Band series. (The next album's innersleeve photo would show the band posing with a cardboard cut-out man wearing this hat, and the cartoon face that had appeared on the cover of ''

Why Can't We Be Friends? ''Why Can't We Be Friends?'' is the seventh studio album by American funk band War, released on June 16, 1975 by United Artists Records. Two singles from the album were released: the title track backed with "In Mazatlan", and "Low Rider" back ...

'' in 1975.) The inner gatefold for this album has a full colour photo of the group (without either Dickerson or Rabb, but with new member Smith), and the album also came with a lyric and credits innersleeve. The track listing on the back cover shows songs in a different order from their actual appearance. An edited version of "Good, Good Feelin'" was released as a single (and thus the longer album version is subtitled "original un-cut disco mix"), backed with "Baby Face (She Said Do Do Do Do)" from the earlier ''

Galaxy A galaxy is a system of stars, stellar remnants, interstellar gas, dust, dark matter, bound together by gravity. The word is derived from the Greek ' (), literally 'milky', a reference to the Milky Way galaxy that contains the Solar System. ...

'' album (1977). "I'm the One Who Understands" was later re-recorded for the album, ☮ ''(Peace Sign)'' (1994).

Track listing

Side one

#"The Music Band" {

Papa Dee Allen War (originally called Eric Burdon and War) is an American funk/rock music, rock/soul music, soul band from Long Beach, California, known for several hit songs (including "Spill the Wine", "The World Is a Ghetto (War song), The World Is a Ghett ...

, Harold Brown,

Lonnie Jordan Leroy Jordan (born November 21, 1948) is an American singer-songwriter. He is a founding member of the American funk band War. Jordan had a number of roles over the years, acting as vocalist and playing guitar, piano, synthesizer, and percussion ...

, Charles Miller,

Lee Oskar Lee Oskar (born 24 March 1948) is a Danish harmonica player, notable for his contributions to the sound of the rock-funk fusion group War, which was formed by Howard E. Scott and Harold Brown, his solo work, and as a harmonica manufacturer. H ...

Howard E. Scott Howard E. Scott (born March 15, 1946) is an American funk/rock guitarist and founding member of the successful 1970s funk band War. Biography Scott grew up in Compton, California. He began playing bass at a very young age under the guidance of ...

, Jerry Goldstein) – 8:28 #"Corns and Callouses (Hey Dr. Shoals)" (Allen, Brown, Jordan, Miller, Oskar, Luther Rabb, Scott, Milton Myrick, Goldstein) – 7:25 #"I'm the One Who Understands" (Allen, Brown, Dickerson, Jordan, Miller, Oskar, Scott, Goldstein) – 6:08

Side two

#"Good, Good Feelin' (original un-cut disco mix)" (Allen, Brown, Jordan, Miller, Oskar, Rabb, Scott, Goldstein) – 7:43 #"Millionaire" (Allen, Brown, Dickerson, Jordan, Miller, Oskar, Scott) – 6:14 #"All Around the World" (Allen, Brown, Dickerson, Jordan, Miller, Oskar, Scott, Goldstein) – 7:47

Personnel

;War *

– percussion, lead and background vocals * Harold Brown – drums, percussion, lead and background vocals *

– bass, lead and background vocals *

– organ, piano, synthesizer, guitar, percussion, lead and background vocals * Charles Miller – saxophones, lead and background vocals *

– harmonicas, lead and background vocals *

– bass, lead and background vocals *

Howard Scott Howard Scott (April 1, 1890 – January 1, 1970) was an American engineer and founder of the Technocracy movement. He formed the Technical Alliance and Technocracy Incorporated. Early life Little is known about Scott's background or his early lif ...

– guitar, lead and background vocals *Alice Tweed Smith – lead and background vocals, percussion

Technical personnel

*Jerry Goldstein in association with Lonnie Jordon and Howard Scott – producers *Chris Huston – recording engineer and remix engineer **Ed Barton and Chris Huston – recording engineers on "All Around the World" *Doug Pakes, Rob Perkins, Simon Richards, Jim Hill – second engineers *Wally Traugett – mastering engineer *George Osaki, Lee Oskar – art direction *Alan Bergman – photography {{DEFAULTSORT:Music Band 1979 albums War (American band) albums MCA Records albums Albums produced by Jerry Goldstein (producer)