WAR to reissue two iconic albums & play first UK show in 16 years

TWO REISSUES OF ICONIC ALBUMS ANNOUNCED
 
THE WORLD IS A GHETTO:
50TH ANNIVERSARY COLLECTOR’S EDITION
&
GREATEST HITS
 
BOTH RELEASED JULY 19TH 2024
VIA RHINO / WARNER MUSIC
PRE-ORDER NOW HERE

 

PERFORMING FIRST UK SHOW IN 16 YEARS
JUNE 21ST 2024  - CHAKA KHAN’S MELTDOWN
AT THE ROYAL FESTIVAL HALL, LONDON
TICKETS AVAILABLE HERE

 
In 1973, the best-selling album in America declared by Billboard Magazine wasThe World Is a GhettobyWAR, and to continue the 50th anniversary celebrations of this iconic album,The World Is A Ghetto: 50th Anniversary Collector’s Editionis to be released as a 4CD boxset, complementing the release of the critically acclaimed limited edition 5-LP version from November 2023’s Record Store Day. In addition, the classic original Greatest Hitspackage containing tracks fromThe World Is A Ghettoand more will be available on CD and vinyl.
 
Both will be released on July 19th2024 and are available for pre-order now fromhttps://war.lnk.to/TWIAGTCS
 
The World Is A Ghetto: 50th Anniversary Collector’s Editioncollection was curated by WAR’s producer, Jerry Goldstein, founding member Lonnie Jordan, and Jeremy Levine. It includes the recently remastered original album, as well as six bonus tracks and “the making of” recordings that trace the evolution of each of the six original album tracks from the first note to the master take. All were first released on the vinyl box set and this is the first time they will be on CD and streaming platforms.
 
The original 1976Greatest Hitscollection brings together WAR’s classic collection of tracks including universal favourites ‘Why Can't We Be Friends’, ‘Low Rider’, and ‘Cisco Kid’ as well as the loved deeper cuts including ‘Gypsy Man’ and ‘Southern Part of Texas’ that demonstrate the breadth, fusion, and originality of the band’s sound and influences. It will be released on CD and vinyl.
 
The World Is A Ghetto: 50thAnniversary Collector’s Editionsix bonus tracks were recorded during the sessions for the album and include original jams that later developed into future WAR songs.  For example, versions of ‘War Is Coming’ and ‘L.A. Sunshine’ that would appear on Platinum Jazz in 1977. The liner notes were done by Jerry Goldstein and Lonnie Jordan and share insights into the “making of” recordings introduced in the set.
 
Goldstein states these tracks show the songs taking shape in the studio.“The nice part about all these ‘making of’ tracks is that the final take of all of these tracks is the actual final master that we used in The World Is A Ghetto, without edits, without overdubs, just raw.”Jordan cleverly adds,“Then we turned it around… R-A-W to W-A-R.”
 
In 1972,The World Is a Ghettosoared to the top of the Billboard album and R&B charts, becoming Billboard’s No. 1 Album of the Year for 1973, generating two gold singles, including the title track and ‘The Cisco Kid’, which shipped gold and remains WAR’s highest-charting song on the Billboard Hot 100. This album also marked the beginning of an extended period of creative and commercial triumph for WAR, which boasts 17 gold, platinum, or multi-platinum albums in the band’s remarkable career.
 
Today, WAR’s music provides an inexhaustible source of inspiration for R&B and hip-hop artists. Samples from four of the six songs onThe World Is A Ghettohave appeared on tracks by artists like A$AP Mob, Geto Boys, Janet Jackson, and a hip-hop supergroup featuring Method Man, Redman, and Cypress Hill.
 
As part of their continued anniversary celebrations, WAR will perform their first UK show in 16 years as they headline the Royal Festival Hall in London on June 21st2024 as part of Chaka Khan’s Meltdown festival. They then return to the States for an extensive run of shows throughout the summer. Full listings can be found at war.com/tour
 
THE WORLD IS A GHETTO: 50THANNIVERSARY COLLECTOR’S EDITION
5-LP Track Listing
 
LP One: Original Album
Side One

The Cisco Kid

City, Country, City

Four-Cornered Room

 
Side Two

Where Was You At?

Beetles In The Bog

The World Is A Ghetto

 
LP Two: Bonus Tracks
Side One

L.A. Sunshine – Original Jam *

War Is Coming – Original Jam *

 
Side Two

Lonnie’s Wednesday Night Jam *

Lee’s Latin Jam *

Blues For Papa Dee *

This Is My Song Milton James *

 
LP Three: Making of the Tracks
Side One
The Making Of ‘The Cisco Kid’
 
Side Two
The Making Of ‘Where Was You At?’ *
 
LP Four: Making of the Tracks
Side One
The Making Of ‘City, Country City’ *
 
Side Two
The Making Of ‘Four-Cornered Room’ *
 
LP Five: Making of the Tracks
Side One
The Making Of ‘The World Is A Ghetto’ *
 
Side Two 
The Making Of ‘Beetles In The Bog’ *
 
* previously only released on 5-LP set

WAR – GREATEST HITS
Side 1
1 All Day Music
2 Slippin' Into Darkness
3 The World Is A Ghetto
4 The Cisco Kid
5 Gypsy Man
 
Side 2
1 Me And Baby Brother
2 Southern Part Of Texas
3 Why Can't We Be Friends ?
4 Low Rider
5 Summer

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