迷幻战役

The War on Drugs is an American rock band from Philadelphia which was formed in 2005. The band consists of Adam Granduciel (vocals, guitar), David Hartley (bass guitar), Robbie Bennett (keyboards), Charlie Hall (drums), Jon Natchez (saxophone, keyboards), Anthony LaMarca (guitar), and Eliza Hardy Jones (percussion, keyboards).

Founded by close collaborators Granduciel and Kurt Vile, The War on Drugs released their debut studio album, Wagonwheel Blues, in 2008. Vile departed shortly after its release to focus on his solo career, with Granduciel serving as the band's sole constant member thereafter. The band's second studio album Slave Ambient was released in 2011 to favorable reviews and a lengthy tour. The band's third album, Lost in the Dream, was released in 2014 following extensive touring and a period of loneliness and clinical depression for primary songwriter Granduciel. The album was released to widespread critical acclaim and increased exposure.

Previous collaborator Hall joined the band as its full-time drummer during the recording process, with saxophonist Natchez and additional guitarist LaMarca accompanying the band for its world tour. Signing to Atlantic Records, the six-piece band released their fourth album, A Deeper Understanding, in 2017, which won the Grammy Award for Best Rock Album at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards. The band released their fifth album, I Don't Live Here Anymore, in 2021.

History

Beginnings and Wagonwheel Blues (2003–2008)

In 2003, frontman Adam Granduciel moved from Oakland, California, to Philadelphia, where he met Kurt Vile, who had also recently moved back to Philadelphia after living in Boston for two years. The duo began writing, recording and performing music together. Vile remembered, "Adam was the first dude I met when I moved back to Philadelphia in 2003. We saw eye-to-eye on a lot of things. I was obsessed with Bob Dylan at the time, and we totally geeked-out on that. We started playing together in the early days and he would be in my band, the Violators. Then, eventually I played in The War On Drugs."

Granduciel and Vile began playing together as The War on Drugs in 2005. Regarding the band's name, Granduciel said, "My friend Julian and I came up with it a few years ago over a couple bottles of red wine and a few typewriters when we were living in Oakland. We were writing a lot back then, working on a dictionary, and it just came out and we were like 'hey, good band name' so eventually when I moved to Philadelphia and got a band together I used it. It was either that or The Rigatoni Danzas. I think we made the right choice. I always felt though that it was the kind of name I could record all sorts of different music under without any sort of predictability inherent in the name." While Vile and Granduciel formed the backbone of the band, they had a number of accompanists early in the group's career, before finally settling on a lineup adding Charlie Hall as a drummer and organist, Kyle Lloyd as a drummer, and Dave Hartley on bass. Granduciel had previously toured and recorded with the Capitol Years, and Vile has several solo albums. The group gave away its Barrel of Batteries EP for free early in 2008. Their debut LP for Secretly Canadian, Wagonwheel Blues, was released in 2008.

After the album's release and then a European tour, Vile departed from the band to focus on his solo career, saying, "I only went on the first European tour when their album came out, and then I basically left the band. I knew if I stuck with that, it would be all my time and my goal was to have my own musical career." Mike Zanghi, also a member of Kurt & the Violators, joined the band at the time with Vile. Vile said, "Mike was my drummer first and then when The War on Drugs' first record came out I thought I was lending Mike to Adam for the European tour but... he just played with them all the time so I kind of had to like, while they were touring a lot, figure out my own thing."

Slave Ambient (2008–2012)

The lineup had several changes and by the end of 2008, Kurt Vile, Charlie Hall, and Kyle Lloyd all had exited the group. At the time Granduciel and Hartley were joined by drummer Mike Zanghi, whom Granduciel played with in Kurt Vile's backing band, the Violators. After recording much of the band's forthcoming studio album, Slave Ambient, Zanghi quit the band in 2010. Drummer Steven Urgo joined the band, with keyboardist Robbie Bennett being added at about the same time. Regarding Zanghi's exit, Granduciel said, "I loved Mike. But you have things like friendship, and he's down to tour and he's a great guy."

In 2012, Patrick Berkery replaced Urgo as the band's drummer.

Lost in the Dream (2013–2015)

On December 4, 2013, the band announced the upcoming release of its third studio album, Lost in the Dream (March 18, 2014). The band streamed the album in its entirety on NPR's First Listen site for a week before its release. Award-winning alt-country rocker Ryan Adams said on Twitter that Lost in the Dream was a perfect album.