War was a crossover phenomenon that finally and forever fused rock, jazz, Latin and R&B. Transcending cultural barriers with a multi-ethnic line-up, War was a musical melting pot and an enduring influence. On Peace Sign (Avenue Records #71706), the band's 18th major label album, War proves to be as relevant as ever, and as funky. In the early Eighties, disco and its formulaic beats-per-minute put a damper on War's phenomenal success - after selling more than 23 million records. Including a triple platinum selling album (The World Is A Ghetto), two double platinum selling albums (Greatest Hits and Why Can't We Be Friends?), four platinum selling albums (Deliver The Word, WAR Live, All Day Music, and Platinum Jazz), three gold selling albums (Eric Burdon Declares WAR, Galaxy, The Music Band, and the newest platinum addition, The Best of War.and more), and six gold singles.

Appropriately, it was a new street music - rap and hip-hop - which helped bring War back. War's grooves were being sampled by artists of the new art form and songs such as " Slippin ' Into Darkness," "The Cisco Kid," and "Low Rider" were being discovered by a new audience. The 1992 Rap declares War album collection of these rap -and- WAR tracks marked the band's re-introduction. Peace Sign marks its rebirth.

From the first notes of the funky "Peace Sign," you know this is War. Whether the loco "Wild Rodriguez" or the pop "What If" with its positive message of "What if everybody gave up their guns and dope/ There'd be a lot more joy and hope" whether East L.A.," its sixties pop marrying a salsa beat and Jose' Feliciano singing in Spanish; or the soulful protest of "Homeless Hero"., or the silky smooth "U.B.O.K." and "The Smuggler," War's extended songs with jazzy horn breaks and social consciousness are both gritty an lyrical, infectious and easy. War reaches into the soul and moves people.

It's not surprise that recent movies such as Dazed and Confused, Mi Vida Loco, Colors, and TNT's The Cisco Kid have featured vintage music by War. But it's the present and future that interests the band members.

When the gold albums stopped coming in the early Eighties. They took to the streets again, playing every waterhole from West to East and across Europe and Japan, Though it change its stage clothes, War never changed its music for the sake of economics. In the seven years before the band was transformed into War, it had a following in R&B clubs backing the likes of Marvin Gaye and Little Willie John. At the same time it was breaking down the walls when it became the first local black group booked on the Sunset Strip, playing rock clubs such as the legendary Cinnamon Cinder on bills with white teenagers such as The Ventures.