American funk and soul band War fall firmly in the latter category. Ian Carter spoke to sole original member Lonnie Jordan.
I’ve had interviews rescheduled a few times over the years, but ‘attending the unveiling of my star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame’ is a better reason than most.
So it is that a week later than planned I am on a Zoom call with frontman Lonnie Jordan - he in the States, me in Brighton - looking back on the ceremony, attended by surviving past members of the band alongside various children and grandchildren.
The transatlantic time difference, and the fact Lonnie’s camera was firmly OFF, gave me some concerns that I may have dragged the 70s funk icon out of bed (less Low Rider, more Slow Riser?) but he was quick to gather his thoughts on the ceremony.
“What I would say is it’s probably 30 years too late,” he said. And he has a fair point.
Formed in Long Beach, California, in 1969, War released some of the most progressive albums of the 70s and 80s, including the iconic Why Can’t We Be Friends?, which is commemorating its 50th anniversary. So why so long for the Walk of Fame recognition?
“I think it’s because people just don’t know how to categorise us,” he muses. “People can’t put us down as one thing, we’re not just funk or R&B. It was a good event but mostly for the children and grandchildren. If we had been easier to categorise it may have happened sooner.”
Their appearance at Love Supreme is a relatively rare trip to the UK, a country which plays an important role in the War story - not least their jam with Jimi Hendrix in London the night before his death.
The latest visit forms part of a small tour combining festivals with club dates - not that Lonnie seems to mind where he appears.
“There’s no difference to how we perform whether it’s a festival or a smaller club. We get the same reaction and people still wanna hear us.”
So what can Love Supreme expect? “The songs people know, that’s what we’re going to play. If I went to see a band and they played things I don’t know, I’d be p****d off that’s for sure.”
War join headliners Jacob Collier and Maxwell at this year’s Love Supreme, alongside Smokey Robinson, Nile Rogers & Chic, En Vogue and many more. Tickets are on sale now.