The Animals: the kind of band that the younger generation don’t realise they’ve heard of. But they certainly have. Their songs proceed their name, with tracks such as We’ve Gotta Get Out Of This Place, Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood and, most famously, House of the Rising Sun far proceeding the fame of the band themselves… well, they do if you are of the latter generations!
Hailing from Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, The Animals (their first incarnation) was formed in 1963, and their bluesy, rough-edged pop was an instant hit, following the release of the transatlantic No.1 House of The Rising Sun, their second single, they were household names in both the UK and the US. That particular track has since been hailed as 123 of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time by Rolling Stone. Their path was a difficult one, with multiple issues with band members departing – including the acclaimed organist Alan Price – and several problems with record labels. But over their disjointed career, which included numerous reincarnations and reunions – but they still managed to compile a powerful, iconic and revered discography.
Why do you need this LP?
This triple LP contains the 40 tracks that the band produced – with Mickie Most, before the infamous departure – all of which feature the disbanded organist Price. These are tracks that were originally recorded and distributed on vinyl, so owning the complete works in such a format will be an incite into how all of their most acclaimed tracks – and some unreleased – are supposed to sound. The Animals were one of the bands who shaped British music for the global market, and their influence is spoken about by major artists globally, with the likes of Bruce Springsteen and Genesis – amongst countless others – citing them as a direct influence.