The War On Drugs

The War On Drugs Artistfacts

  • 2005-
    Adam GranducielVocals, guitar2005-
    David HartleyBass2005-
    Robbie BennettKeyboards2010-
    Charlie HallDrums2008, 2013-
    Jon NatchezSaxophone, keyboards2014-
    Anthony LaMarcaGuitar2014-
    Kurt VileElectric guitar2005-2009
  • Long before the band formed, Granduciel and his friend Julian came up with the name The War On Drugs after drinking some red wine. When Granduciel formed the band, he used it, partly because it didn't imply any particular genre. He explained to Mojo magazine: "It just appealed to me because it seemed to have everything. It had a feeling to it that seemed to encapsulate rock 'n' roll like 'war' and 'drugs.' It felt it was like every band wrapped up in one or something."
  • The War on Drugs' debut album Wagonwheel Blues was a collaboration between Adam Granduciel and his then-musical partner Kurt Vile. When Vile left shortly after its release to focus on his solo career, Granduciel assumed complete creative control of the band.
  • Adam Granduciel is a graduate of Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, where he studied painting and photography.
  • The War On Drugs' 2014 Lost in the Dream record topped numerous end-of-year lists of the best albums, including those of Consequence of Sound, Uncut, Q magazine, Paste and Under the Radar. In addition it came top of Metacritic's compilation of 139 different Top Ten lists for 2014 published by a variety of music sources.
  • Adam Granduciel was plagued for three or four years by a chronic back problem. It started out as a bulging disc, but gradually escalated from annoying too debilitating. By October 2016, when he was trying to complete A Deeper Understanding, the agony was unbearable.

    "It was bad, bad, bad, bad, bad," he told Q Magazine. "I was in pain all the time. I couldn't sit in a chair for more than a couple of minutes. I couldn't stand and hold a guitar for more than a minute. I was 8 months into making the record and I had to get it fixed or I wouldn't have been able to get it done."

    The War on Drugs frontman finally had surgery November 2016 and his ordeal inspired the song "Pain."
  • Granduciel became a father for the first time in 2019 when his partner, Breaking Bad star Krysten Ritter, gave birth to a son. They named him Bruce, after the frontman's hero, Bruce Springsteen.

Comments: 3

  • Richard Robinson from Ingham,lincolnshire,ukI saw these on tv at Glastonbury 2023 and was blown away on 2 counts, firstly they were excellent and secondly how I hadn't come across them before. I promptly went and bought all their albums. I was blown away again. The last 3 albums are all outstanding. I know they have been touring but hope Adam's muse is hanging in there for another album. I think the future of rock is in good hands!
  • Chris Moloney from Dallas, TexasLooking forward to the show here on Jan. 21, 2022
  • Seth Winner from Pueblo, CoReally Looking Forwand To Your Concert, February 18th At The Mission Ballroom In Denver, CO. Your Music Is "OFS' (Out F--king Standing) Have All Your Albums and Have Consumed All Your You Tube Postings and Just Trying To Hold My Breath Until Your Newest Ambum Is Released In Late October, 2021, But Most Of All I Gotta See You Guys Work Your Mystical Magic... Can't Wait, Yet I Gonna Make It To See "The War On Drugs" Thanks For Coming Around To My Neck Of The Woods.
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