The Animals

One of the most successful
bands to emerge in the 1960s British R&B boom, The Animals won widespread
respect for the rugged authenticity with which they tackled blues-rooted pop,
due in part to the wild singing of front man Eric Burdon. Moving to London from
Newcastle in 1964, they struck it big with their howling version of the old
blues favorite “House of the Rising Sun”, a Number 1 in both Britain and
the US that proved influential to future rock, folk, and blues. It triggered an
impressive run of hits, including “Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood”, “We
Gotta Get Out of This Place”, “Bring It On Home to Me”, and “I'm
Crying”. By 1965, however, the band began to fall apart, following the
departure of keyboard player Alan Price, who went on to a successful solo
career. Gradually other members departed and the band disbanded, though their
front man kept them going for a while as Eric Burdon and the Animals, and later,
the New Animals. There were various reunions with different line-ups in the
1970s and 1980s, but disputes about ownership of the Animals name continued
while Burdon embarked on a colorful solo career. The group was inducted
into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994. The band’s guitarist, Hilton
Valentine, passed away January 29, 2021.