Hate to sound like a teetotaler sitting on the fence, but both bands are equally good to me. Both are: - interracial heavy funk bands with strong jazz/Latin/rock influences; - both bands are big reasons why most early '70s funk groups had conga players; - both recorded uneven albums; - and unfortunately, both bands lasted long enough to have a disco phase.
But I'd take War and Mandrill over Malo and El Chicano!! Good God, you talk about bands who are only as good as their hits!
War had better singles, could jam a groove till the next morning but couldn't fashion an album like Mandrill.
I agree, War's LP's weren't that consistent, but I will stand by every last note of Deliver The Word, from Genesis to "Amen." That is just a well-done record all the way through. And I just bought their 1974 live album recently; for a collection of long jams, it holds up really well!
Actually I think Mandrill ONLY came into their own in the context of a long player. I think it depends what kind of musical chunk you might feel more inclined to listen to.
I'll admit, besides a few random 45's, the only Mandrill album I have is a best-of and it's pretty good! But I think the single edit of "Fencewalk" is far superior to it's LP counterpart. On the album version, there was this instrumental bridge that took a long time to develop. On the single, right after the verse is finished, it's ON, bro...they get rid of the buildup and cut to the chase. Somebody hollers "hunh!," then that horn section bears down real hard, followed by a SICK acid-rock guitar solo, and the party is already in full swing by then. This 45 version is ALWAYS a staple of my soul/funk nights.
Having said that, both bands had plenty of cheese to spare but Mandrill had a few tunes here and there which I found more awesome than anything I ever heard from War and/or 'funky' Eric Burdon
I like Eric Burdon, and I like War, but those albums they did together were mostly horrible (although I do like "Spill The Wine").
Mandrill= A group known for being sampled amongst the typical soulstrutta/loop digga WAR= GENIUS BROWN MUSIC WITH ACTUAL HITS THUS RELEVANT TO A LARGER AMOUNT OF PEOPLE.
Mandrill= A group known for being sampled amongst the typical soulstrutta/loop digga WAR= GENIUS BROWN MUSIC WITH ACTUAL HITS THUS RELEVANT TO A LARGER AMOUNT OF PEOPLE.
Mandrill= A group known for being sampled amongst the typical soulstrutta/loop digga WAR= GENIUS BROWN MUSIC WITH ACTUAL HITS THUS RELEVANT TO A LARGER AMOUNT OF PEOPLE.
Mandrill= A group known for being sampled amongst the typical soulstrutta/loop digga WAR= GENIUS BROWN MUSIC WITH ACTUAL HITS THUS RELEVANT TO A LARGER AMOUNT OF PEOPLE.
"but you aint brown..."
He definitely doesn't seem like it.
And didn't Mandrill have more actual Latinos in the crew???
Mandrill= A group known for being sampled amongst the typical soulstrutta/loop digga WAR= GENIUS BROWN MUSIC WITH ACTUAL HITS THUS RELEVANT TO A LARGER AMOUNT OF PEOPLE.
"but you aint brown..."
He definitely doesn't seem like it.
And didn't Mandrill have more actual Latinos in the crew???
true, but i'm sayin' the barrio is all about WAR. Just like the hood rides hard for Mariah.
Played back to back both of these albums are fantastic, but i think war got the better deal on the popular vote. Eric burdon is very well known for having much more exposure in other groups. Having the track in cheech & chongs up in smoke certainly did not hurt them for fame.
Mandrill= A group known for being sampled amongst the typical soulstrutta/loop digga WAR= GENIUS BROWN MUSIC WITH ACTUAL HITS THUS RELEVANT TO A LARGER AMOUNT OF PEOPLE.
Mandrill had hit singles; you can look it up in Billboard's R&B chart books (and I remember hearing "Fencewalk" and "Hang Loose" on the radio as a child). It's just that: (a) unlike War, they never crossed over pop (b) you don't hear them played to death on black oldies shows (or "dusties" shows, as we call them in Chicago). Black dusties shows can be very selective, and just 'cause an artist had chart hits doesn't mean they'll be in rotation.
They had their moment in the light, they weren't just some obscure crate-digger thang.
Played back to back both of these albums are fantastic, but i think war got the better deal on the popular vote. Eric burdon is very well known for having much more exposure in other groups. Having the track in cheech & chongs up in smoke certainly did not hurt them for fame.
Yeah, but War were already established by the time "Low Rider" was used (three years later) in Up In Smoke, so it's not like that made their career. Didn't hurt, though, as you said.
Mandrill= A group known for being sampled amongst the typical soulstrutta/loop digga WAR= GENIUS BROWN MUSIC WITH ACTUAL HITS THUS RELEVANT TO A LARGER AMOUNT OF PEOPLE.
Mandrill had hit singles; you can look it up in Billboard's R&B chart books (and I remember hearing "Fencewalk" and "Hang Loose" on the radio as a child). It's just that: (a) unlike War, they never crossed over pop (b) you don't hear them played to death on black oldies shows (or "dusties" shows, as we call them in Chicago). Black dusties shows can be very selective, and just 'cause an artist had chart hits doesn't mean they'll be in rotation.
They had their moment in the light, they weren't just some obscure crate-digger thang.
Mandrill= A group known for being sampled amongst the typical soulstrutta/loop digga WAR= GENIUS BROWN MUSIC WITH ACTUAL HITS THUS RELEVANT TO A LARGER AMOUNT OF PEOPLE.
Mandrill had hit singles; you can look it up in Billboard's R&B chart books (and I remember hearing "Fencewalk" and "Hang Loose" on the radio as a child). It's just that: (a) unlike War, they never crossed over pop (b) you don't hear them played to death on black oldies shows (or "dusties" shows, as we call them in Chicago). Black dusties shows can be very selective, and just 'cause an artist had chart hits doesn't mean they'll be in rotation.
They had their moment in the light, they weren't just some obscure crate-digger thang.
Young Phonics: SONNED!
Just another day for Pickwick! dude can not be faded with knowledge of music. I'll gladly take a sonning from dude.
I will say though, I hear WAR a lot on the radio while only Mandrill's "Fencewalk" seems to just get play on the Sunday shows, which typically go a bit further than normal.
Comments
Fencewalk + Dont Mess With People > War
I challenge you to a duel
Seriously I can't get with that. Mandrill has breaks... War has classics.
Mandrill has classics as well.
I saw them live at the Brooklyn Bandshell around '98. Brooklyn/NYC cats knew all their songs.
Local Black/Latin EXP classic.
War had more of a pop presence.
It's true, I don't tingle scamps [color:white] anymore [/color]
On the West Coast, War>Mandrill in the "local Black/Latin EXP"
No doubt. And War's hits still gets played on Local B/L Exp radio herr in NYC.......
But Mandrill is like Benard King to War's Patrick Ewing
- interracial heavy funk bands with strong jazz/Latin/rock influences;
- both bands are big reasons why most early '70s funk groups had conga players;
- both recorded uneven albums;
- and unfortunately, both bands lasted long enough to have a disco phase.
But I'd take War and Mandrill over Malo and El Chicano!! Good God, you talk about bands who are only as good as their hits!
I agree, War's LP's weren't that consistent, but I will stand by every last note of Deliver The Word, from Genesis to "Amen." That is just a well-done record all the way through. And I just bought their 1974 live album recently; for a collection of long jams, it holds up really well!
I'll admit, besides a few random 45's, the only Mandrill album I have is a best-of and it's pretty good! But I think the single edit of "Fencewalk" is far superior to it's LP counterpart. On the album version, there was this instrumental bridge that took a long time to develop. On the single, right after the verse is finished, it's ON, bro...they get rid of the buildup and cut to the chase. Somebody hollers "hunh!," then that horn section bears down real hard, followed by a SICK acid-rock guitar solo, and the party is already in full swing by then. This 45 version is ALWAYS a staple of my soul/funk nights.
I like Eric Burdon, and I like War, but those albums they did together were mostly horrible (although I do like "Spill The Wine").
mandrill takes the race in photo finish
Mandrill= A group known for being sampled amongst the typical soulstrutta/loop digga
WAR= GENIUS BROWN MUSIC WITH ACTUAL HITS THUS RELEVANT TO A LARGER AMOUNT OF PEOPLE.
"but you aint brown..."
WAR.
But damn! there are like 3 or 4 albums of Mandrill that are really dope.
He definitely doesn't seem like it.
And didn't Mandrill have more actual Latinos in the crew???
That's where I stand...
true, but i'm sayin' the barrio is all about WAR. Just like the hood rides hard for Mariah.
ewef!
VS.
Mandrill had hit singles; you can look it up in Billboard's R&B chart books (and I remember hearing "Fencewalk" and "Hang Loose" on the radio as a child). It's just that:
(a) unlike War, they never crossed over pop
(b) you don't hear them played to death on black oldies shows (or "dusties" shows, as we call them in Chicago). Black dusties shows can be very selective, and just 'cause an artist had chart hits doesn't mean they'll be in rotation.
They had their moment in the light, they weren't just some obscure crate-digger thang.
Exactly.
Dudes played w/ EW&F/IsleyBros/Commodores and hung w/ them. And probably blew them off the stage when in NYC.
Yeah, but War were already established by the time "Low Rider" was used (three years later) in Up In Smoke, so it's not like that made their career. Didn't hurt, though, as you said.
Has that clip of them playing live on Soul Train in '73 made it to Youtube yet?
Young Phonics: SONNED!
Just another day for Pickwick! dude can not be faded with knowledge of music. I'll gladly take a sonning from dude.
I will say though, I hear WAR a lot on the radio while only Mandrill's "Fencewalk" seems to just get play on the Sunday shows, which typically go a bit further than normal.