War

War fused rock, jazz, funk, Latin and R&B to create a unique sound. Bass player Lonnie Jordan explained, "We never thought we'd hit because we were too different. People wanted us to be like the Chambers Brothers or Sly and the Family Stone. But we just let it flow and played."

They started out as The Creators, playing clubs in the Los Angeles area, where they became the first Black band booked on the Sunset Strip. This band evolved into Nite Shift (named because drummer Harold Brown worked at a steel yard at night), and backed up football player Deacon Jones for a while. They had trouble keeping the band together because members kept getting drafted to the Vietnam War.

In 1969, record executive Steve Gold put the band together with Eric Burdon, who was previously a member of The Animals. They recorded two albums as "War with Eric Burdon" before Burdon left the band.