Average White Band - Work To Do

[pretorious700]

I love the fact that, being a musician myself, sometime Hamish plays guitar, and Alan plays bass, and vice versa....these guys understood about music and ego.

[tyronetheupsetter]

There is never a compromise with True Talent. Sounds better to my old 2011 ears than it did in the early 70's. Explain that!

[sevensman]

AWB...too much!!! These guys are on it.

[MrJimboscot]

the name of the band says it all they had a black drummer who died and was replaced by a white guy they like most Scot's dont have racisim in them

[funkydrumr51]

The Isley Brothers wrote and recorded the original version, but I have little doubt they would give props to AWB, who A) did it justice and B) made the song infinitely more popular and gave it probably another 10 years of sales life.

[departments2006]

Great funkage. Nothing to do with imaginary gods, just pure love of the groove and a shit load of practice...

[joyycita]

You have to bring race into this. I was a 14 yo black girl back in 1974 when i first heard music by them. I have all their albums from the 70's. I neve runderstood why they were called the "average white band", when i was young and dumb. THey were far from average. They have more soul than alot of black artists. They were way ahead of their time. I love a band that incorporates horns into the music. Classic Music....Artist's of today need to take a page from AWB's playbook

[dhll1956]

@joyycita It was a play on words because they specialized in funk and were good. I was an 18 year old Black woman and loved AWB

[bassistdc]

Add Alan to my list of great singing bass players. Awesome band.

[ssdivizion]

Great tune,great talented people,positive energy is around when U listen this great great funky tune,especially if U are with beautiful girl and make love on balcony of some hotel that is close to the sea,an U just enjoy and enjoy.......;o)

[brownmajic48]

I like AWB's version, but the Isley's got this one by far. Their's is more funkier.

[bigwe33]

fantasic!!! They don't make them like this anymore.

[Virpatrick]

BTW, plain to see Alan gorrie's mentor was James Jamerson...Alan's sunburst Fender P bass says all !... he uses to play a natural finish P bass & a MM stingray for all that period ♪

They are among the best Funk / Soul bands from planet earth.

Thanks for uploading this treasure MoondogMayne!

[RyogaVee]

These brothas are cut from the same cloth as Michael McDonald. White cats got mad soul. Much Respect!

[comna]

everybody had soul back then they up there JAMIN

[harpye312]

die beste soulband aus europa

[7thJewelProductions]

ABOVE Average White Band...real talk!

[RikJamezBich]

holy shit check out lead vocals doubling on a pretty tough bass line.

[Bigg3464]

hamish was killin it on backup vocals! That's some Scottish Soul right there!

[Bigg3464]

Hamish was killin it

[blakdog90]

vocally they weren't that soulful, but their beat and rhythm was on point.

overall good music,..... haven't seen any whiteboys even come close since.

[fnkdrmmr]

See more on Steve Ferrone at SoulDrummers . com

[Cornbreadhunter]

I'm continually amazed by the directions (or tangents) these musical posts take....

[baj7557]

GO AWB!!

[pngaia]

Try an Average White Band , done by an Above Average Maori Band

[haweye79]

Zapwatt I feel your pain but you're just not being real , in America we label everyone and everything. Right or wrong, Good or bad..

[grimrepa187]

The lead singer is the bass player... this is pure awesomeness

[haweye79]

Let's be fair these was some "Bad@ss" white boys........Granted most of there hits were covers but they were hot in there presentation and we may never see another "white band " quite like this.........The brothers could sing there @ss off and play with a little soul....Ya Digg !!

[zapwatt]

@haweye79  Let's all please stop qualifying.

[Khultan]

@haweye79 Damn, still using 'white' term, hunh?

[scatmando]

@Khultan Dont worry they are only EMBRACING black American music culture.

Dont let the white bit wind you up.

[Khultan]

@scatmando Fair enough.

[scatmando]

@haweye79 OMG Someone with a bit of honesty.

Thanks for being an African American with a bit of balls to say what you said.

The AWB were bad ass white boys who could groove with the best of them.

All the very best from Bonnie Scotland.

[Cornbreadhunter]

The Funkiest Scotsmen that ever existed...

[jdogg66]

@Cornbreadhunter yes indeed!

[tonespule]

I wish people would stop using the racial comparision and enjoy the music. I am sure these guys werent after that, just loved to play this music. all musical talent came from God above not from man of any race creed or color.

[jpenn311]

@tonespule Yes, I agree

[scatmando]

@tonespule I totally agree 100%, but its the blacks with the big chip on there shoulders. I only said that I prefered the AWBs version of Work to do, and that maybe I was being a tad 1 sided as Im Scotch. Well fuck me for days I got fuck all but hassle from some coon saying that the AWBs were stealing black American music culture. The guy is a clown and his name said it all........... Outrundaylite. Haha what a fud.

[slimdudeDJC]

@tonespule Just so you'll know, those who make those kind of comments are particularly younger people with hardly any life experience. Most of the Average White Band's fans are from the 70s and 80s(I was a teen in the 70s) So they still maintain a MATURE fan base in the elder black community. They were/are very talented musicians. I applaud their efforts in recreating funky music that's solid to the core. Others I admire are Teena Marie, Wild Cherry, Hall&Oates, Bozz Scaggs, & others I cant name

[Virpatrick]

@tonespule Agree your wise comments, Most people make use of youtube to show their frustation... they don't pay too much attention to Great Music...

I do ... Well done AWB!

[waldomatic]

@tonespule just went to see them in Brighton and you are totally right: they just love to play this music and they are very good at it, excellent gig...as for the God part I don't see it that way but anybody's free to believe in what they choose.

[dawggybonz]

@waldomatic Sunny Brighton?

[JAtk2381]

@tonespule Perfectly stated.. 32yr old blk male. 1luv

[MarieEC11]

@tonespule no, music did not come from god, we were born with it

[buckley54]

complete crap Hamish on hair

[curtnevan]

Hey luvureally, real simple: What little AWB recorded contains some of the best music of that kind, and with an original enough sound as to be instantly recognized. That is a trademark of the GREAT bands, and I don't need to compare them in order to appreciate ALL of them.

Of course we all have our favorites. Great. Make love, not argument......................

Gotta Go- I Got Work To Do!

[curtnevan]

To luvureally:

All I said was that no band ever did it better. Not more, not longer, not more successfully. While you mentioned several great bands (and a couple of questionables), it's like chocolate and vanilla. One is not better than the other, it's simply a matter of taste. I choose appreciation over comparison. It's all good......................

[luvureally]

So you're saying no band has done more, longer or successfully than AWB? Now I am confused. Isley Bros had a successful commercial run that lasted from 1959 -2003. Multiple platinum and gold albums. EW&F, Sly, Parliament, Ohio Players, War, Maze also had long successful careers while selling millions of records. Meters, EW&F, Isleys, Sly,

P-Funk, War were true pioneers in funk/soul & very innovative. LTD's Jeffrey Osborne one of greatest soul/r&b singers ever.

[hkherring]

ps think the osmond was a real group noooooooooo they did not want the jackson on top of the world but they could not hold back the waters

[hkherring]

time timing place and era thats what make the diffrent. look at the time do you realy think elvis was all that noooooooooo. but they pushed him. my child was not part of the star war era but we push him to beleave in it and his room tells the story so dont compare. AWB give of themselfs so on that note. ( CUT THE CAKE)

[curtnevan]

I love Funk, R&B, and Soul. No band ever has done it better than AWB! When I was told they were a bunch of white guys from Scotland, I thought my leg was being pulled. Sorry I never got to see them live in the 70's. No Excuse! I was born in '54...

[luvureally]

@curtnevan "I love Funk, R&B, and Soul. No band ever has done it better than AWB!"

I can think of more than a few, EW&F, Sly & Family Stone, Isley Brothers, Rose Royce, Parliament/Funkadelic, LTD, Bootsy's Rubber Band, Rufus, Mandrill, Graham Central Station, Tower of Power, Maze, Ohio Players, New Birth, War, Neville Brothers, The Meters, Mother's Finest, Maze.

[hoffa54]

made it ok for us honkys, crackers, to listen to soul music. i think at 56 y.o., i have earned the right to say that. peace

[bshahiyd]

AWB'S name should have been AAWB Above Average White Band. Emanating from Scotland (Europe) unequivocally the most talented band from that continent, including the Beatles!!

[mastertung7]

i totally agree the beatles were waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa­aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay over rated....i repeat , wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyoverated,si­nging about drugs, while high,.any folks have a nerve tro talk bout rap music being ,bad because of content,.and iam not even a big rap lover ,just . for fairness.period.the stones are far better than the beatles.

[fadguru]

Just chiming in... I visited this because I love AWB's stuff Great band. But guys, their body of work isn't even in the same building as the Beatles. Critics of music usually don't base their criticism on which song topics are predominant. Why were the Beatles and Stones so great? They did not follow....They Led.

[dantean]

Uhhh, the earth's other 6 billion people disagree about the Beatles' importance--including every musician to matter in the last 1/2 century. You probably know better though, huh? You with your job at the gas station. By the way, spelling and grammar aren't required for your job making change and wiping off people's windshields, right?

[mastertung7]

it could be .18 billion others, what does that matter? billions of the worlds, ppl. belive in god as well...and know he is good, what do u believe?, to seem cool you would say" oh i dont believe in god" and answer this if you will ,what is the greatest job position on earth,ACCORDING TO THE CREATOR OF EARTH?, call a spade a spade,.if u are true to self.would you and do you advocate glorifying drug use, and getting paid for it, then live with yourself...like i said..they were OVER RATED,

[dantean]

Most Important Bands Ever

Vote Count:

Average White Band - 2

Beatles - 6,000,000,000

I loved "Pick Up The Pieces" and "Work To Do" but if you think this make them the greatest "white band" ever (whatever that's supposed to be about) you're what's known as an idiot. The guys in AWB would tell you THAT!

[honeegrrl]

Hmm let's see, The Isley Brothers sung this song and so did Vanessa Williams. I like all three versions.

[ayatsubame]

@honeegrrl Don't forget the The Main Ingredient cover with Cuba Gooding, Sr. Also pretty good IMO.

[ndcoach29]

@honeegrrl me too! i love all three, but i sure do love me some AWB!!

[ondabayou11]

Alan Gorrie & Hamish Stuart, the two lead vocalists, have GOT to be the most soulful white boys in the history of music.....Daryl Hall falls right in there close, though.

[luvthesax]

Don't forget Michael McDonald and Robin Thicke. But back to AWB.  Just the bomb!

[rockdiga]

All them mfkers are cold..But Awb..is just Excellent Dont forget the big homie Remy Shand

[rufus317]

Bobby Caldwell

[mastertung7]

they have the title from hall and oates ,i agree...oates cant sing alick, and both these cats here both have unique voices, totally

[AUGUSTALLEN28]

Are you Kidding? John Oates can sing his behind off.Maybe you never heard him and/or knew that it was him singing. Daryl is not the only one leading on vocals,you have to listen to the whole album.Daryl sang lead on most of the hits.

[MoondogMayne]

I posted the set with Ben E. King and Luther Vandross from the Montreux concert.

[GangstaGodBiggy]

What a great version. One thing that is really hammered home here is just how good Alan Gorrie was at ad-libbing when the group was stretching out a song. He never seemed to run out of things to say and it always fit with the rhythm and the drama of the moment. The Isleys were great but you have to credit AWB on this one. They should have included this on their original live album Sensational.

[saanzacs]

On the contrary, we have the Montreux concert on DVD! That was a huge gig!

[tantie1959]

Great song as AWB are superb but nothing better than the original singers of this song in 1974 by the Isley Brothers.

[saanzacs]

Is that Sam Clayton of Little Feat on percussion?

[j33rb]

Actually the bass player and founder of AWB (Alan) sings the lead on this song on the debut AWB album as well.

[Brtstarr]

Interesting, the bass player sings lead on this take. The bearded guitar player sings lead on the other versions.