1962–1969 Original run
Formed in Newcastle upon Tyne during 1962 and 1963 when Burdon joined the Alan Price Rhythm and Blues Combo, the original lineup was Burdon (vocals), Price (organ and keyboards), Hilton Valentine (guitar), John Steel (drums) and Bryan "Chas" Chandler (bass), [5] [6] they changed their name to the Animals.
By May 1965, the group was starting to feel internal pressures. Price left because of personal and musical differences, as well as his fear of flying while on tour. [7] He went on to a successful career as a solo artist and with the Alan Price Set. Mick Gallagher filled in for Price on keyboards [8] for a short time until Dave Rowberry replaced Gallagher. [9]
The Animals assembled a big band to play at the fifth annual British Jazz and Blues Festival in Richmond. The Animals Big Band made their one public appearance on 5 August 1965. In addition to Burdon, Rowberry, Valentine, Chandler and Steel, the band featured a brass/horn section of Ian Carr, Kenny Wheeler and Greg Brown on trumpet and Stan Robinson, Al Gay, Dick Morrissey and Paul Carroll on saxophone.
In February 1966, Steel left and was replaced by Barry Jenkins. Burdon began work on a solo album called Eric Is Here , By this time, the Animals' business affairs "were in a total shambles" according to Chandler (who went on to manage Jimi Hendrix and produce Slade) and the group disbanded.
A group with Burdon, Jenkins and new sidemen John Weider (guitar/violin/bass), Vic Briggs (guitar/piano) and Danny McCulloch (bass) was formed under the name Eric Burdon and Animals (or sometimes Eric Burdon and the New Animals) in December 1966. Zoot Money was added to the lineup in April 1968, initially as organist/pianist only, but upon McCulloch's departure, he also took on bass and occasional lead vocals. [10] In July 1968, Andy Summers (later the guitarist for the Police) replaced Briggs. Both Money and Summers were formerly of British psychedelic outfit Dantalian's Chariot. By December 1968, this incarnation of the Animals had dissolved.
1968– Reunions
The original Animals lineup of Burdon, Price, Valentine, Chandler and Steel reunited for a benefit concert in Newcastle in December 1968 and reformed in late 1975 to record again. [11] They embarked on a brief tour in 1976 and shot videos for their new songs such as "Lonely Avenue" and "Please Send Me Someone to Love". They released an album in 1977 that was aptly titled Before We Were So Rudely Interrupted . [12]
On 12 December 1982, Burdon performed with Price and a complete lineup, foreshadowing future events.
All five original band members reunited in 1983 for the album Ark and a world concert tour, supplemented by Zoot Money on keyboards, Nippy Noya on percussion, Steve Gregory on saxophone and Steve Grant on guitar.
In the 1990s, Danny McCulloch, from the later-1960s Animals, released several albums as the Animals. [13] The albums contained covers of some original Animals songs, as well as new ones written by McCulloch.
In 1992, Barry Jenkins joined a reconstituted version of the Animals, including "New Animals" members Vic Briggs and Danny McCulloch along with new percussionist Jack McCulloch and Phil Ryan instead of Eric Burdon on lead vocals. The band played the first rock concert held in Red Square, Moscow, as part of a benefit concert for the victims of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. [14]
Also in 1992, Hilton Valentine formed the Animals II from a local North East band he was playing with called The Alligators, and was joined by Steel in 1994 and Rowberry in 1999. Other members of this version of the band include Robert Kane (now vocalist with Dr. Feelgood), Steve Hutchinson, Steve Dawson (now guitarist with Geordie) and Martin Bland.
From 1999 until Valentine's departure in 2001, the band toured under the name the Animals. This version featured Tony Liddle on lead vocals backed by Valentine, Steel, Rowberry and Jim Rodford. Chris Allen occasionally depped for Rodford (while he was playing with The Zombies). Steve Farrell contributed backing vocals and hand percussion.
After Valentine left this line up in Summer 2001, Steel and Rowberry continued with Steve Dawson, who returned to replace Valentine until the Winter of 2002. The band then morphed into Animals and Friends, with Peter Barton on vocals, Rodford, and John E. Williamson on guitar. When Rowberry died in 2003, he was replaced by Mick Gallagher (who had briefly replaced Price in 1965). Danny Handley joined the band in 2009, initially as lead guitarist, but replaced Barton on lead vocals when Barton retired in 2012. Scott Whitley had a brief tenure in the band before Roberto "Bobby" Ruiz took over on bass. This successful lineup continues to tour the world with guests such as Steve Cropper and Spencer Davis. In 2022, Barney Williams replaced Gallagher due to the latter's ill health. [15]
In 2016, Burdon formed the current lineup of Eric Burdon and the Animals, including Johnzo West (guitar/vocals), Davey Allen (keys/vocals), Dustin Koester (drums/vocals), Justin Andres (bass guitar/vocals), Ruben Salinas (sax/flute) and Evan Mackey (trombone). [16]
