Formed in Detroit, Michigan in 1979 by Don Fagenson (AKA Don Was) and David Weiss (AKA David Was), Was (Not Was) offered up a exciting mixture of funk, soul, pop, rock, jazz, and disco. Fagenson and Weiss shared a deep love of Detroit’s musical history, but also had a sense of humor. In combining the two elements. Was (Not Was) created a unique style of music that appealed to alternative and mainstream audiences alike. With vocalists Sweet Pea Atkinson and Harry Bowens and a cast of musicians – including Bruce Nazarian, Wayne Kramer, and Marcus Belgrave – the Was brothers released their self-titled album in 1981. The release included the band’s first club hit “Out Come the Freaks” as well as “Where Did Your Heart Go?”, later covered by Wham! Their second album, Born to Laugh at Tornadoes, was released in 1983, and included Atkinson, Bowens, and guest vocalists Ozzy Osbourne, Doug Fieger (The Knack), Mel Tormé, Mitch Ryder, Carol Hall, and Madonna. The Was brothers began producing, writing, and playing in other projects outside of Was (Not Was), which delayed the release of their next album, What Up, Dog? (1988). Their funkiest album so far, What Up, Dog? featured the band’s biggest hit, “Walk the Dinosaur”, which landed in the Top 20 worldwide, reaching Number 7 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart. In 1990, Was (Not Was) released the album Are You Okay? The band’s cover of “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone” charted in the Top 20 in many countries but missed the Hot 100 in the U.S. The band took a long hiatus, which allowed Don Was and Dave Was to continue their production and soundtrack work. In 2008, the band returned with the album Boo!, which featured the Was brothers, Atkinson, and Bowens joined by guests Kris Kristofferson, Marcus Miller, Booker T. Jones, and Wayne Kramer. Throughout the years, there have been various Was (Not Was) compilations released in different markets, but Boo! proved to be the band’s final studio album. Sweet Pea Atkinson died of a heart attack on May 5, 2020.
