MOTIF Profile of ERIC BURDON

In 1960’s England there were two distinct camps when it came to bands: rockers (The Beatles, The Kinks) and R&B/Blues groups (The Rolling Stones, The Yardbirds, The Who). Like the celebrated gangs The Bloods and The Crypts, the two were constantly vying for territory, not on the mean streets of L.A. or New York, but rather in the dank, dingy nightclubs of Birmingham and London. Soon, the stakes of the game became greater once The Beatles catapulted into worldwide domination, and the playing field moved from clubs to the Top 40 charts. Of all the British Invasion success stories, no one band better encapsulated the very essence of the entire English R&B movement than Eric Burdon & The Animals. Though others would refine their sound with their newfound success, Burdon and company would never lose the edgy grit that defined their music from day one.

Hailing from Newcastle, The Animals were truly the antithesis of the carefully-constructed Beatles image. Long before manager Andrew Loog Oldham manufactured the infamous Rolling Stones bad-boy perception with such eye-grabbing headlines as “Would You Let You Daughter Marry A Rolling Stone?”, The Animals were the real deal. Armed with their irascible, elfin frontman Eric Burdon, the group was steadily gaining notoriety by re-working folk and blues standards into uniquely electrifying arrangements. Whether covering songs by Nina Simone or John Lee Hooker, The Animals branded the material all their own, often permanently overshadowing the original. Perhaps no better instance exemplifies just how devastatingly good they were at this technique than their transatlantic instant classic “House of The Rising Sun”. Covering Bob Dylan from his debut LP (which itself was a cover of Dave Van Ronk), The Animals took the song to an even darker place, all the while adding just enough pop sensibility to create interest from the all-important teenage record-buying sect.

While the turbulent 60’s unfolded, the band’s tempestuous personal and business struggles were matched only by their chart success. Huge tracks like “We Gotta Get Out of This Place”, “It’s My Life”, and “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood” firmly ensconced The Animals into their placement as Britain’s preeminent R&B powerhouse. However hits alone could not unify the ever-growing conflicts within the ranks. Founding member Chas Chandler left to fully focus on managing an up-and-coming guitarist by the name of Jimi Hendrix. Soon varying incarnations of The Animals were formed, with new musicians replacing old, including future Police guitarist Andy Summers. Adding a slight psychedelic tinge to their songs, hits like “Sky Pilot” and “San Franciscan Nights” followed.


But as the decade came to an end, so did The Animals. Burdon teamed up with War, a Latin / funk flavored outfit from Long Beach for two albums and accompanying tours. Their first release with Eric in the lead was “Spill The Wine”, an FM mainstay classic for over thirty-seven years. However his tenure with the band would be relatively short-lived.


Throughout the ensuing decades, The Animals would reunite for various short tours and spotty recordings. Though they would never match the success that defined a sound throughout the sixties, their enduring influence on rock & roll is undeniable. The very simple act of surviving places Eric Burdon alongside Mick Jagger and Paul McCartney as one of the most inimitable figures in the history of rock.