In the beginning, there were three members of the Alan Price Combo, Chas Chandler (real name Bryan James Chandler, who was an engineer by trade, (b.18.12.38 Heaton, Tyne & Weir) bass; Alan Price (b.19.4.42 Fatfield, Co.Durham) organ and John Steel (b.4.2.41 Gateshead, Co.Durham) on drums; they played modern jazz around the clubs in the Newcastle-upon-Tyne area. With the addition of vocalist Eric Burdon (b.4.5.41 Newcastle) and lead guitarist Hilton Valentine (b.22.5.43 North Shields), who had a band called The Wild Cats, they changed their name to The Animals and began playing R&B. Burdon and Steel had originally played together in a trad. jazz band, the Pagan Jazz Men. In January 1964, their manager, Mike Jeffery, a Newcastle club owner, went to London with a four track demo. Record producer Mickie Most was impressed and put them in the studio. Their first single Baby let me take you home made No.21 in spring ‘64. They changed the overtly sexual lyrics of the Snooks Eaglin original, Moma, Don’t You Tear My Clothes to get some radio airplay.
The follow-up made them a household name in Britain. The House of the Rising Sun was on Bob Dylan’s first album and the Animal’s version topped the UK chart in July ‘64 for one week, before being replaced by The Rolling Stones It’s all Over Now. By September it was at the top of the American charts, a position it held for 3 weeks. House of the Rising Sun was recorded mid way through a UK tour by the group. They drove to London overnight, went into Soho’s DeLane Lea studio at around 8 a.m. and within half an hour had finished the recording. For their third single Burdon and Price wrote I’m Crying which although not as successful as their previous single still managed to make No.8 in the UK. Their fourth 45 was a cover of Nina Simone's Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood. It got to No.3 in the UK and No.15 in the US. Their next single a cover of Sam Cooke’s Bring It On Home To Me got to No.7 UK, but could only get to No.32 in the US.
In 2001 Hilton made a guest appearance at Meriden, Connecticut’s Daffodil Festival (an annual event that draws thousands of people from all around the state and neighbouring states) with his friends The Manchurians. A man came up to him and said "Hey, I know you! You recorded my song Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood ." That man was Horace Ott. He proceeded to tell the story of how that song came about. "We (pointing to his wife - who's maiden name was Gloria Caldwell) had a bit of a falling out. She was my girlfriend at the time. I was feeling low and this tune came into my head (he hums a few notes and sings " I'm just a soul who's intentions are good..... oh lord please don't let me be misunderstood"). I brought it to my writing partners who helped me finish the song." Looking at the credits, one will notice that the name Ott appears nowhere. "I used her name because I was signed to B.M.I. at the time and my writing partners were signed to ASCAP. Back then a B.M.I member couldn't co-write with a member from ASCAP. After that I had a saying 'Just call me Gloria' " he says laughing.
Alan Price left the group in May 1965 to go solo just prior to the release of Bring It On Home To me and was replaced by classically trained former computer programmer, Dave Rowberry (b.1943) from the Mike Cotton Sound. The next single was the Barry Mann/Cynthia Weill composition We've Gotta Get Out Of This Place, it got to No.2 in the UK and No.13 in the US, it was kept from the top spot by The Beatles Help. Their final Columbia single It’s My Life reached No.7.
The band had been anxious to break with Mickie Most and Columbia, despite it having been a very successful arrangement. They wanted to try more adventurous material. Their first single for Decca was Inside Looking Out, which ironically turned out to be the least successful single since their debut. It only reached No.12 in Britain and only made No.34 in America
Drummer John Steel left the band in February ‘66 and was replaced by Barry Jenkins (b.1944) from the Nashville Teens. Chart success improved with their 9th hit Don't Bring Me Down in the summer of 1966, it reached No. 6; It was the final hit for the original Animals. Eric Burdon had become infatuated with the psychedelic music scene on America west coast and wanted to take the band in a new direction. Burdon formed a new Animals and they were billed as Eric Burdon and The Animals, they went on to have a separate chart career. After the demise of the original Animals, Chas Chandler went into management, guiding the careers of Jimi Hendrix and Slade amongst others, he died in 1996. Hilton Valentine released a solo album.
There were two brief Animal reunions, one in the mid 70's and again in the 80's with the original members. For the last 20 years various incarnations of the band have toured the oldies circuit, cruise ships and all the usual places that 60s bands can be found.
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