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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 front man Eric Burdon, as exemplified by their signature song "House of the Rising Sun", 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. History First incarnation They were dubbed "animals" because of their wild stage act and the name stuck. 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 Columbia Graphophone 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 their first number one hit "House of the Rising Sun". Burdon's howling vocals and the dramatic arrangement created arguably the first folk rock hit.
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; 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" and "It's My Life". Around that time, an Animals Big Band made a one-time appearance.
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. Some of this group's hits included "San Franciscan Nights"[5], "Monterey" (a tribute to the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival), and the anti-war "Sky Pilot". There were further changes to this line-up: 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. In 1993 Hilton Valentine formed the Animals II and was joined by John
Steel in 1994 and Dave Rowberry in 1999. Other members of this version
of the band include Steve Hutchinson, Steve Dawson and Martin Bland.
From 1999 until Valentine's departure in 2001 the band toured as The
Animals. After Valentine left these Animals in 2001, Steel and
Rowberry continued on as Animals and Friends with Peter Barton, Jim
Rodford and John Williamson. When Rowberry died in 2003, he was replaced
by Mickey Gallagher (who had briefly replaced Alan Price in 1965).
Animals and Friends is still around and frequently plays gigs on a Color
Line ship that travels between Scandinavia and Germany. Legacy |
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). 
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 or more than guitars were two elements that made
the Animals' sound stand out. 
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 U.S. 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.