| The Animals | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England |
| Genre(s) | Blues-rock, R&B, psychedelic rock, rock and roll |
| Years active | 1962–1969 1977 1983–1984 |
| Label(s) | UK Columbia, UK Decca, MGM |
| Members | |
| Eric Burdon Hilton Valentine Billy Watts Paula O'Rourke Red Young Tony Braunagel Bobby Furgo |
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| Former members | |
| Alan Price Chas Chandler John Steel Dave Rowberry Barry Jenkins John Weider Vic Briggs Zoot Money Andy Summers Danny McCulloch Dave Meros Dean Restum Martin Gerschwitz Bernie Pershey Aynsley Dunbar Neal Morse |
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The Animals were an English music group of the 1960s known in the United States as part of the British Invasion. Known for their gritty, bluesy sound and deep-voiced frontman Eric Burdon, as exemplified by their signature songs "The House of the Rising Sun" and "We Gotta Get Out Of This Place", the band balanced tough, rock-edged pop singles against rhythm and blues-oriented album material. The Animals underwent numerous personnel changes and emerged as an exponent of psychedelic rock before dissolving at the end of the decade.
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Formed in Newcastle upon Tyne during 1962 and 1963 when Burdon joined the Alan Price Rhythm and Blues Combo, the original line-up comprised Eric Burdon (vocals), Alan Price (organ and keyboards), Hilton Valentine (guitar), John Steel (drums), and Bryan "Chas" Chandler (bass).
They were dubbed "animals" because of their wild stage act and the name stuck. [1] The Animals' moderate success in their hometown and a connection with Yardbirds manager Giorgio Gomelsky motivated them to move to London in 1964, in time to be grouped with the British Invasion. They performed fiery versions of the staple rhythm and blues repertoire (Jimmy Reed, John Lee Hooker, Nina Simone, etc). Signed to the UK Columbia subsidiary of EMI, a rocking version of the standard "Baby Let Me Follow You Down" (retitled "Baby Let Me Take You Home") was their first single. It was followed in June 1964 by the transatlantic number one hit "House of the Rising Sun". Burdon's howling vocals and the dramatic arrangement created arguably the first folk rock hit. Whether the arrangement was inspired by Bob Dylan's version of the song (which in turn was inspired by folk singer Dave Van Ronk) or by blues singer Josh White's (who recorded it twice in 1944 and 1949) or by singer/pianist Nina Simone (who recorded it in 1962 on Nina at the Village Gate, predating Dylan's interpretation) remains a dispute, as does whether all five Animals deserved credit for the arrangement and not just Price.
The Animals' two-year chart career, masterminded by producer Mickie Most, featured singles that were intense, gritty pop covers such as Sam Cooke's "Bring It On Home To Me" and the Nina Simone number "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood". In contrast their album tracks stayed with rhythm and blues, with Hooker's "Boom Boom" and Ray Charles' "I Believe to My Soul" being notable examples. Burdon's powerful, deep voice and the use of keyboards as much as or more than guitars were two elements that made the Animals' sound stand out.
By May 1965 the group were starting to feel internal pressures. Price left due to personal and musical differences as well as a fear of flying on tour;[2] he went on to a successful career as a solo artist and with the Alan Price Set. Mickey Gallagher filled in for him on keyboards for a short time until Dave Rowberry replaced him and was on hand for the hit working-class anthems "We Gotta Get out of This Place"[3] and "It's My Life". Around that time, an Animals Big Band made a one-time appearance.[4]
Many of The Animals' hits had come from Brill Building songwriters recruited by Most; the group, and Burdon in particular, felt this too restrictive. As 1965 ended, the group switched to Decca Records and producer Tom Wilson, who gave them more artistic freedom. In early 1966 MGM Records, their American label, collected their hits on The Best of The Animals; it became their best-selling album in the US. In February 1966 Steel left and was replaced by Barry Jenkins; a leftover cover of Goffin-King's "Don't Bring Me Down" was the last hit as The Animals.
By this time their business affairs "were in a total shambles" according to Chandler (who went on to manage Jimi Hendrix) and the group disbanded. Even by the standards of the day when artists tended to be financially naïve the Animals made very little money, eventually claiming mismanagement and theft on the part of their manager Michael Jeffery.
A group with Burdon, Jenkins, and new sidemen John Weider (guitar/violin/bass), Vic Briggs (guitar/piano), and Danny McCulloch (bass) were formed under the name Eric Burdon and the Animals (or sometimes Eric Burdon and the New Animals) in October 1966 and changed direction. The hard driving blues was transformed into Burdon's version of psychedelia as the former heavy drinking Geordie (who later said he could never get used to Newcastle "where the rain comes at you sideways") relocated to California and became a spokesman for the Love Generation.
Some of this group's hits included "San Franciscan Nights"[5], "Monterey" (a tribute to the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival), and "Sky Pilot".
Their sound was much heavier than the original group. Burdon screamed more and louder on live versions of "Paint it Black" and "Hey Gyp". In 1968 they had a more experimental sound on songs like "We Love You Lil" and the 19 minute record "New York 1963 - America 1968". The songs had a style of being silent at the beginning and then becoming psychedelic and raw straight to the end with screaming strange lyrics and 'scrubbing' instruments.
There were further changes to this lineup: George Bruno (also known as Zoot Money, keyboards) was added in April 1968, and in July 1968 Andy Summers (guitar) - later of The Police - replaced Briggs and McCulloch.
By 1969 these Animals had dissolved and Eric Burdon joined forces with a Latin group from Long Beach California called War.
The original Animals line-up of Burdon, Price, Valentine, Chandler, and Steel reunited for a benefit concert in Newcastle in 1968, then for an album in 1977 aptly called Before We Were So Rudely Interrupted. The album received critical praise but there was no record company tour or promotion. Burdon and Valentine also recorded some demos at this time.
They reunited again in 1983 for the album Ark and a world tour, supplemented by Zoot Money on keyboards, Nippy Noya on percussion and Steve Grant on guitar.
On September 9 they had their first gig in New York with an sold-out audience at the Mid Hudson Civic Center. The following tour included also a Wembley Stadium concert on December 31 which was released on the "Rip it To Shreds" live album in 1984 when they disbanded. The concert at the Royal Oak Theatre on November 29 1983 was released on February 27 2008 as "Last Live Show". It already wasn't their last concert. They also shot a rare video of the reunion.
The first single "The Night" reached #48 at the US Pop Singles and #34 at the Mainstream Rock Charts. It was also a big hit in Greece. They released a second single called "Love Is For All Time". Their tour included also songs like "Heart Attack", "No More Elmore" (both released a year earlier by Burdon), "Oh Lucky Man" (from the 1973 album by Price), "It's Too Late", "Tango " and "Young Girls" (later released on Burdon's compilation, The Night)
Chandler died in 1996, putting an end to the full original line-up.
During the 1990s and 2000s there have been several groups calling themselves Animals in part:
The original Animals were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994. Their influence can be heard in artists as varied as The Doors, Joe Cocker, The Cult, Frijid Pink, The Chocolate Watchband, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Janis Joplin, David Johansen, and Fine Young Cannibals. In 2003, the band's version of "House of the Rising Sun" ranked number 122 on Rolling Stone magazine's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time list. Their 1965 hit single "We Gotta Get out of This Place" was ranked number 233 on Rolling Stone's The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time list that was compliled in 2004. Both songs are included in The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll.
| The Animals (1962-1965) |
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| The Animals (1965) |
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| The Animals (1965-1966) |
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| The Animals (1966) |
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| Eric Burdon and the Animals (December 1966-1968) |
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| Eric Burdon and the Animals (1968) |
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| Eric Burdon and the Animals (April 1968- February 1969) |
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| Eric Burdon and the Animals (February 1969 - 1975) |
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| The Animals (Reunion :1975 -1976) |
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| The Animals (Reunion : September 1983-April 1984) |
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| The Animals (1984-1992) |
Split |
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| Valentine's Animals (1992) |
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| Animals II (1992-1994) |
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| Animals II (1994-1999) |
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| The Animlas (1999-2001) |
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| The Animals (2001) |
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| Animals and friends (2001-2003) |
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| Animals and friends (2003-present) |
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