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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZWAS, DonDon Was (b Don Fagenson, 13 September 1952, Detroit), bassist, composer, producer; and lyricist/flautist David Weiss (a jazz critic in Los Angeles) formed Was (Not Was), who made a slick, affectionate pastiche of black pop. Their first album Was (Not Was) '81 on Ze had vocalists Sir Harry Bowens (sweet doo-wop) and Sweet Pea Atkinson (more R&B-ish) plus eleven backing singers; quirkily amusing Born To Laugh At Tornadoes '83 on Geffen had guest vocalists Mitch Ryder, Ozzy Osbourne, Mel Tormé; single 'Spy In The House Of Love' '87 was a typically cluttered, noisy piece of neo-disco, or what was described as black 'dance' music', albeit skilfully done. What Up, Dog? '88 on Chrysalis included Frank Sinatra Jr; Are You Okay? '90 had Iggy Pop, Leonard Cohen and the Roches. The live act was said to be good value, but in the 1990s Was had turned to studio work, producing the B-52's, Willie Nelson, Bonnie Raitt, Iggy Pop, the Rolling Stones, many others. He won Grammys, was a music consultant on motion pictures and became a filmmaker himself (a documentary about Brian Wilson). In 2012 he became president of Blue Note Records. |