top of page
Anchor 1
2.jpg

Featuring from the original Animals founder – John Steel, joined by Danny Handley, Roberto Ruiz and Barney (Boogie) Williams.
 
In 1964 a wave of new energetic rock and roll swept over the youth of the world. On the crest of this wave was
The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and of course The Animals. From the banks of the River Tyne came the North East's offering; a brand of rhythm n blues that the whole world seemed to grasp greedily.
 

The Animals were the second British band to top the American charts after The Beatles with the now multi-million selling and legendary anthem, 'House of the Rising Sun'. The band subsequently achieved over twenty global Top Ten hit records, many of which gained the Number One slot in various parts of the world. In Britain alone, the band had no less than twelve chart entries. The Animals were the first British band to tour Poland and Japan.

The enduring influence and breadth of appeal of
The Animals’ music continues ever onwards. The Animals 1964 debut was recently included in Classic Rock magazines’ feature - ‘50 Albums That Built Blues Rock’.
 
2012 marked founder member
John Steel’s 55th year as performing musician. Back in 1957 he and The Animals co-founder Eric Burdon began plying their trade in and around their native Tyneside with not the slightest inking that they would - in a very few years – find themselves part of a group that would be forever bracketed with the very best of British music – The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and The Yardbirds – and respected all over the world. The Animals were also be the second British band after The Beatles to top the American charts with their multi-million selling anthem, ‘House of The Rising Sun’.
 

The Animals recent ‘Prehistoric’ album features recordings of the songs that so inspired John Steel and Eric Burdon as they grew up on Tyneside.


Russia, Portugal, Holland, Germany, Spain, Sweden - all are just a small sample of  touring locations in recent years, proving that the appeal of The Animals' music is as strong as ever. As The Independent noted recently - 


"Though the band has changed, the songs remain eternal... alongside covers of Ray Charles and John Lee Hooker classics, they ensure that the nostalgic element comes with an enjoyably abrasive edge".


 


JOHN STEEL

 

Over fifty years later John Steel is still touring.
 

The Animals can boast some of the greatest songs in popular music history.

 
The band that shook the world back in 1964 have re-invented themselves... quality and distinct sound that was, and still is,
The Animals..."
(Barry Kirk, Romford Recorder)
 

The band have embarked on dozens of massive UK tours with Special Guests including
Spencer Davis, Stax , Booker T & The MGS and Blues Brothers guitar legend Steve Cropper, Maggie Bell (Stone The Crows) and the late, great Mick Green (The Pirates, Van Morrison, Paul McCartney, Bryan Ferry) - which were the last shows by the guitarist viewed by many as one of the most influential in music.
 

The Animals remain a seminal rhythm & blues band who still command great respect internationally amongst their peers as well as from fans of all ages who instinctively respond so enthusiastically to such pivotal songs from The Animals catalogue such as 'We Gotta Get Out Of This Place', 'Boom Boom', 'Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood', 'Baby, Let Me Take You Home', 'I Put A Spell On You' and the bands' multi-million selling anthem and Number One hit across the world - 'House of The Rising Sun'.
 

 

 


HISTORY
 

Back in 1957 John Steel along with fellow Animals co-founder Eric Burdon began playing their trade in and around their native Tyneside with not the slightest inking that they would - in a very few years - find themselves part of a group that would be forever bracketed with the very best of British music - The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and The Yardbirds - and respected all over the world. The Animals were also be the second British band after The Beatles to top the American charts with their multi-million selling anthem, 'House of The Rising Sun'.

Let us not forget that it was Bob Dylan's 'House of the Rising Sun' that so inspired this legendary band to record what history has shown to be the definitive take. It is even whispered that Dylan looked to their version as inspiration for his infamous 'going electric'.

Bruce Springsteen recently revealed on stage in the USA that it was The Animals, not The Beatles or the Stones who were his favourite British Invasion band."

Their singles were the first full-blown class-consciousness I'd ever heard". After playing a short burst of 'We Gotta Get Out Of This Place', Springsteen then confessed: "That's every song I've ever written. 'Born To Run', 'Born In The USA', all of them".


After 50 years, the legend still grows...
 
"Though the band has changed, the songs remain eternal, thanks to the protesting dissatisfaction linking them together... alongside covers of
Ray Charles and John Lee Hooker classics, they ensure that the nostalgic element comes with an enjoyably abrasive edge."
(Andy Gill, The Independent)
 
"
The Animals earned their name thanks to their wild stage act. That was 50 years ago and they have calmed down since, but their music has lost none of its vigour." (Wales Online)
 
"It's a musical marriage made in heaven, with the Geordie band's gritty R&B classics the ideal counterpoint to
Cropper's timeless Deep South soul... Sublime."

(Birmingham Mail)
 
In 2014
The Animals along with The Yardbirds, The Zombies, Maggie Bell and Dave Berry embarked on one of the most popular 60's tours since the 1960's.

Selling out capacity venues like The Royal Concert Hall in Glasgow to over 2300 fans.

 


 

bottom of page