Harold Brown (music)
Encyclopedia
Harold Ray Brown was a founding member of War
, an American funk band in the 1970s and 2000s. Harold had a number of roles over the years, acting as drummer, percussion, vocalist and band leader.
Brown is the oldest of six children, and the only one in his family to pursue music. Beginning with the congas, Brown progressed to violin while in elementary school, and took up drums in junior high. He turned down a full scholarship to Valparaiso University
in 1964 in order to pursue music.
Brown was rooted in the very beginnings of War. In 1962, he met Howard E. Scott
at the Cozy Lounge in Long Beach, California
. They were fifteen years old at the time, and were hired to play in a band for a casual gig.
Brown started a band called the Creators in 1963 in Long Beach, while going to Long Beach Polytechnic High School
, to play for High School sock hops and car shows. Then in 1967, toward the end of the Vietnam war
, he and Howard Scott re-started the band with a new name, Night Shift
. Brown had been working as a machinist on the Night Shift. In February 1969 while playing a show at the Rag Doll Night Club in North Hollywood, California Eric Burdon and Lee Oskar jammed with the Night Shift. The band changed its name to War.
Brown left the band to attend college in 1983, majoring in computer science, with a minor in music. He then moved to New Orleans in 1986. In 2001, Brown went back to school to pursue his life-long hobby; he is now a historian and professional tour guide in New Orleans, and has recently formed a new band called the “Lowrider Band
” with three of the other original members of War: Howard E. Scott
, Morris “BB” Dickerson
, and Lee Oskar
. Brown also works with inner city youth during the summer, to promote good citizenship through the art of fine drumming.
War (band)
War is an American funk band from California, known for the hit songs "Low Rider", "Spill the Wine", "The Cisco Kid" and "Why Can't We Be Friends?". Formed in 1969, War was a musical crossover band which fused elements of rock, funk, jazz, Latin, rhythm and blues, and reggae...
, an American funk band in the 1970s and 2000s. Harold had a number of roles over the years, acting as drummer, percussion, vocalist and band leader.
Brown is the oldest of six children, and the only one in his family to pursue music. Beginning with the congas, Brown progressed to violin while in elementary school, and took up drums in junior high. He turned down a full scholarship to Valparaiso University
Valparaiso University
Valparaiso University, known colloquially as Valpo, is a regionally accredited private university located in the city of Valparaiso in the U.S. state of Indiana. Founded in 1859, it consists of five undergraduate colleges, a graduate school, a nursing school and a law school...
in 1964 in order to pursue music.
Brown was rooted in the very beginnings of War. In 1962, he met Howard E. Scott
Howard E. Scott
Howard E. Scott is an American funk/rock guitarist and founding member of the successful 1970s funk band War.-Biography:...
at the Cozy Lounge in Long Beach, California
Long Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
. They were fifteen years old at the time, and were hired to play in a band for a casual gig.
Brown started a band called the Creators in 1963 in Long Beach, while going to Long Beach Polytechnic High School
Long Beach Polytechnic High School
Long Beach Polytechnic High School, founded in 1895 as Long Beach High School, is a High school located at 1600 Atlantic Avenue in Long Beach, California, United States....
, to play for High School sock hops and car shows. Then in 1967, toward the end of the Vietnam war
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, he and Howard Scott re-started the band with a new name, Night Shift
Night Shift
A night shift is either a group of workers who work during the night, or the period in which they work. See shift work.Night Shift may also refer to:* Night Shift , a fictional team of supervillains in the Marvel Universe...
. Brown had been working as a machinist on the Night Shift. In February 1969 while playing a show at the Rag Doll Night Club in North Hollywood, California Eric Burdon and Lee Oskar jammed with the Night Shift. The band changed its name to War.
Brown left the band to attend college in 1983, majoring in computer science, with a minor in music. He then moved to New Orleans in 1986. In 2001, Brown went back to school to pursue his life-long hobby; he is now a historian and professional tour guide in New Orleans, and has recently formed a new band called the “Lowrider Band
Lowrider Band
The Lowrider Band consists of four of the five surviving original core group members of the multi-platinum selling band War: Howard E. Scott, B.B. Dickerson, Lee Oskar, and Harold Brown. These members lost the right in federal court to use and tour under the name "War" in the mid-1990s to Far Out...
” with three of the other original members of War: Howard E. Scott
Howard E. Scott
Howard E. Scott is an American funk/rock guitarist and founding member of the successful 1970s funk band War.-Biography:...
, Morris “BB” Dickerson
B.B. Dickerson
Morris "B.B." Dickerson was the bass player for the 1970s Latin–funk group War, and before that The Creators....
, and Lee Oskar
Lee Oskar
Lee Oskar is a Danish harmonica player, notable for his contributions to the sound of the rock-funk fusion group War, which he formed with Eric Burdon, his solo work, and as a harmonica manufacturer...
. Brown also works with inner city youth during the summer, to promote good citizenship through the art of fine drumming.
External links
- http://www.lowriderband.com
- http://www.Myspace.com/Lowriderband
- http://www.Myspace.com/Wardrums
- http://www.Facebook.com/Lowriderband
- http://www.facebook.com/harold.r.brown