I came to the music of The Animals over twenty years after they took the UK pop charts by storm. They were, I must admit, slightly before my time, and my admiration only flourished when my interest for sixties music as a whole took off.
The Animals were formed in Newcastle during 1962 and 1963.
Originally called 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). The band changed their name to The Animals based on the reputation of their behaviour.
First UK hit was in 1964 with Baby Let Me Take You Home reaching No21 in the charts. A succession of hits followed, masterminded by producer Mickie Most (later a judge on New Faces), but internal wrangling led to a split in 1966, with Eric Burdon re-forming the group. Alan Price went on to a long and successful solo career. Chas Chandler moved into music management, significantly Jimi Hendrix and Slade.
UK chart history : 17 hits between 1964 and 1982 (15 of these were between 64-69).
Essential listening : House Of The Rising Sun (their only UK No1, it also topped the US charts), Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood, We Gotta Get Out Of This Place, San Franciscan Nights (credited to Eric Burdon & The Animals).
Andy Summers, more famously a member of The Police was originally a member of The Animals.
More information on The Animals can be found on Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Animals
Videos appear on You Tube.
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