Biography
Few acts in the 1980s combined such deliberate oddity with commercial success as Was (Not Was), whose pair of Top 20 singles stood out amid a catalog built on skewed yet danceable funk and disco grooves. Their surreal songwriting mined comedy from scenarios ranging from an accidental strangulation to an impromptu Las Vegas ceremony, while their recordings routinely featured an eclectic roster of guests that included Leonard Cohen, Ozzy Osbourne, Doug Fieger, Mel Torme, Kris Kristofferson, Wayne Kramer, and Frank Sinatra, Jr. Rather than a conventional band, Was (Not Was) served as an umbrella for the compositions of Detroit-area writers and producers Don Was and David Was, who assembled a revolving lineup of supporting players; vocalists Sweet Pea Atkinson and Sir Harry Bowens nevertheless supplied a consistent front line that anchored the project’s identity across multiple releases. Early critical acclaim and a devoted following greeted the unconventional dance numbers on their 1981 self-titled debut, and the 1983 follow-up Born to Laugh at Tornadoes allowed the duo to expand those ambitions with major-label resources. Mainstream visibility arrived with 1988’s What Up, Dog?, whose singles “Walk the Dinosaur” and “Spy in the House of Love” finally translated the group’s rhythmic appeal to a broader radio audience.
Don Was, born Don Fagenson, and David Was, born David Weiss, conceived the project after years of friendship that began in the Detroit suburb of Oak Park, Michigan. The pair’s shared misfit sensibility and off-kilter humor shaped their earliest songwriting efforts in high school, among them the canine-growl-accompanied “(My Oh My) I Forgot My Wallet.” Both later attended the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor; after graduation David relocated to Los Angeles to work as a jazz critic, while Don remained in Detroit, producing sessions, performing locally, and forming pickup bands for club dates. Short of funds in 1979, Don contacted David about starting a new recording venture. With seed capital borrowed from David’s parents, they booked studio time in Detroit, enlisted local R&B singers Sweet Pea Atkinson and Sir Harry Bowens, and recorded the energetic dance track “Wheel Me Out.” Issued by the edgy dance imprint Ze Records, the single gained traction through club play and press on both sides of the Atlantic; a follow-up, “Out Come the Freaks,” repeated the pattern. Ze then financed a full album, and the 1981 LP Was (Not Was) incorporated contributions from jazz trumpeter Marcus Belgrave, ex-MC5 guitarist Wayne Kramer, and keyboardist Luis Resto, who would later collaborate extensively with Eminem. In 1982 Sweet Pea Atkinson released the solo album Don’t Walk Away, backed by the same core Was (Not Was) musicians.
Sufficient media attention led to a more generous contract with Geffen, and 1983’s Born to Laugh at Tornadoes emerged as a sleeker, more lyrically extravagant affair that embraced sonic variety. Ozzy Osbourne handled lead vocals on “Shake Your Head (Let’s Go to Bed),” while Mel Torme crooned “Zaz Turned Blue.” Marketing difficulties at Geffen prevented the record from meeting sales projections, and the label reportedly pressed Don and David to replace Atkinson and Bowens with more conventional pop voices. The pair declined, leaving Was (Not Was) without a home until the European imprint Fontana and U.S. label Chrysalis stepped in. Their first release for the new partners, 1988’s What Up, Dog?, adopted a comparatively direct approach with fewer guest appearances, although Frank Sinatra, Jr. did perform “Wedding Vows in Vegas.” Radio embraced “Walk the Dinosaur,” which reached number seven on the pop chart, and “Spy in the House of Love,” which peaked at number 16.
Having achieved mainstream traction, the group indulged its experimental side on 1990’s Are You Okay?, recruiting Iggy Pop, Leonard Cohen, and the Roches for additional vocal spots. Tracks such as “How the Heart Behaves” and a cover of the Temptations’ “Papa Was a Rolling Stone” received R&B and club airplay, yet the album produced no further pop hits and underperformed commercially despite favorable notices. After issuing the 1992 compilation Hello Dad … I’m in Jail, Was (Not Was) quietly disbanded. Don Was subsequently built a prominent career as a producer for clients including the Rolling Stones, Bonnie Raitt, Willie Nelson, the B-52’s, and Neil Diamond, and later served as an A&R executive, while David Was concentrated on writing, radio segments, and television work. The Was brothers reconvened in 2008 for the album Boo!, which attracted limited attention before the project again entered hiatus. Sweet Pea Atkinson, the sole performer to appear on every Was (Not Was) release, suffered a fatal heart attack in Los Angeles on May 4, 2020, at age 74.
Don Was, born Don Fagenson, and David Was, born David Weiss, conceived the project after years of friendship that began in the Detroit suburb of Oak Park, Michigan. The pair’s shared misfit sensibility and off-kilter humor shaped their earliest songwriting efforts in high school, among them the canine-growl-accompanied “(My Oh My) I Forgot My Wallet.” Both later attended the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor; after graduation David relocated to Los Angeles to work as a jazz critic, while Don remained in Detroit, producing sessions, performing locally, and forming pickup bands for club dates. Short of funds in 1979, Don contacted David about starting a new recording venture. With seed capital borrowed from David’s parents, they booked studio time in Detroit, enlisted local R&B singers Sweet Pea Atkinson and Sir Harry Bowens, and recorded the energetic dance track “Wheel Me Out.” Issued by the edgy dance imprint Ze Records, the single gained traction through club play and press on both sides of the Atlantic; a follow-up, “Out Come the Freaks,” repeated the pattern. Ze then financed a full album, and the 1981 LP Was (Not Was) incorporated contributions from jazz trumpeter Marcus Belgrave, ex-MC5 guitarist Wayne Kramer, and keyboardist Luis Resto, who would later collaborate extensively with Eminem. In 1982 Sweet Pea Atkinson released the solo album Don’t Walk Away, backed by the same core Was (Not Was) musicians.
Sufficient media attention led to a more generous contract with Geffen, and 1983’s Born to Laugh at Tornadoes emerged as a sleeker, more lyrically extravagant affair that embraced sonic variety. Ozzy Osbourne handled lead vocals on “Shake Your Head (Let’s Go to Bed),” while Mel Torme crooned “Zaz Turned Blue.” Marketing difficulties at Geffen prevented the record from meeting sales projections, and the label reportedly pressed Don and David to replace Atkinson and Bowens with more conventional pop voices. The pair declined, leaving Was (Not Was) without a home until the European imprint Fontana and U.S. label Chrysalis stepped in. Their first release for the new partners, 1988’s What Up, Dog?, adopted a comparatively direct approach with fewer guest appearances, although Frank Sinatra, Jr. did perform “Wedding Vows in Vegas.” Radio embraced “Walk the Dinosaur,” which reached number seven on the pop chart, and “Spy in the House of Love,” which peaked at number 16.
Having achieved mainstream traction, the group indulged its experimental side on 1990’s Are You Okay?, recruiting Iggy Pop, Leonard Cohen, and the Roches for additional vocal spots. Tracks such as “How the Heart Behaves” and a cover of the Temptations’ “Papa Was a Rolling Stone” received R&B and club airplay, yet the album produced no further pop hits and underperformed commercially despite favorable notices. After issuing the 1992 compilation Hello Dad … I’m in Jail, Was (Not Was) quietly disbanded. Don Was subsequently built a prominent career as a producer for clients including the Rolling Stones, Bonnie Raitt, Willie Nelson, the B-52’s, and Neil Diamond, and later served as an A&R executive, while David Was concentrated on writing, radio segments, and television work. The Was brothers reconvened in 2008 for the album Boo!, which attracted limited attention before the project again entered hiatus. Sweet Pea Atkinson, the sole performer to appear on every Was (Not Was) release, suffered a fatal heart attack in Los Angeles on May 4, 2020, at age 74.
Albums
