War’s up for the R & R Hall of Fame!

War – the artists we croozers know and love as The Lowriders – is among the 2009 nominees for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. What an honor, so very well deserved and a long time coming. I saw War in 1975 in St. Louis at Kiel Auditorium. It was a pivotal night for me, because it was the last rock concert I ever saw from the outside looking in. The next day, I went to work for the promoter and experienced firsthand how the sausage is made. The following morning I arrived at the office in full afterglow, gushing and thanking my new bosses for such a phenomenal show. Then I promptly got called on the carpet for not coming backstage to say hello and meet the artists. Argh. The Average White Band opened. Color aside, they were anything but. I loved ‘em then, love ‘em now and am grabbing myself a Post-it so I can remember to write ‘em in on Roger’s surveys. I digress, but I always do. OK, so…then it was time for War. The crowd calmed down, the lights dimmed to pitch black and there before us, looming large on the stage, was a crackly ol’ black & white flick of Cisco Kid. Suddenly, the silhouettes of the musicians claimed the stage. The familiar strains kicked in and that was that. We were theirs for the night – and far, far beyond. Much has been written about this unique and diverse group, musically and ethnically, far more eloquently than I could attempt. But suffice it to say, that show remains locked in whatever brain cells of mine are still functioning. Could have been at a blues club in Sacramento, then again could have been in the Lido line, where I told Howard Scott I was at that show. “St. Louis. That would have been Kiel Auditorium. Yes, I remember. We opened with Cisco Kid,” he said, filling in the details before I could. Now, I’ve seen many a memorable show – many with you guys. First concert ever, The Beatles. A string of Springsteen’s legendary sound checks and the shows that went with them. And this one. Don’t ask me for a Top Ten list. But Top 25? They’re there. So, congratulations again and again to the Lowriders, the artists formerly known as War. Vote early. Vote often. Let’s get these guys in the Hall of Fame! Peace out.