Universal Music Enterprises has acquired the rights to the catalog of WAR, the band that created such oft-covered and much-sampled funk-rock classics as "Why Can't We Be Friends?," "Low Rider," "Spill The Wine," "The Cisco Kid," "Slippin' Into Darkness" and "Summer." WAR is the centerpiece of a long-term exclusive license agreement which brings the entire Avenue Records catalog to UMe. Celebrating the 40th anniversary of the band on its own -- several WAR albums will be made available for digital download for the first time and fans will be able to obtain a free classic track via Facebook. WAR is also currently in the studio preparing a new album.
Making their digital premieres on May 3rd will be 1997's Coleccion Latina, which brings together WAR's favorite tracks for Latin fans, and two original 1979 albums, The Music Band and The Music Band 2.
In May, WAR will stage its always very popular annual show at the Greek Theater in Los Angeles. The May 28th concert will additionally feature Tower of Power and Tierra. This spring and summer, WAR will perform coast-to-coast, including Fiesta Atlanta (May 1), the California State Fair (July 23) and the Los Angeles County Fair (September 16).