The Animals
Dr. Feelgood
Dr. Feelgood is a British R&B band and is often seen as an influential group generally in the punk and rock scene of the 1970s. Hailing from Essex, the group is best known for its top ten hit, Milk and Alcohol. Its early singles, Back in the Night and Roxette are also widely recognised tunes by the band.
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According to the band’s website, the founding members were inspired to pursue music after going to a Howlin’ Wolf gig in Ilford. Shortly after, a rag tag Dr. Feelgood was formed to play a series of gigs in Holland. On the return to the British Isles, the lineup which consisted of Wilko Johnson, John B. Sparks, John Martin and iconic frontman, Lee Brilleaux agreed they had something special and they decided to take things seriously.
At the time, the local London music scene was embracing no nonsense pub rock bands and Dr. Feelgood quickly gained a reputation for energetic performances. One journalist at the time described them as “Hiroshima in a pint glass” or something to that effect.
In 1972, they were approached to become the backing band for a reunion R&B concert that consisted of Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis and Bo Diddly. Two years later, the band secured a deal with United Artists and released Down by the Jetty.
Its breakthrough record came in the form of a live album called Stupidity which skyrocketed to the number one spot on the UK charts. Johnson, the core song writer, decided to leave the band and was replaced by John Mayo. The last real chart success the band experienced was with Milk and Alcohol, a deep and simplistic rock tune.
In the 80s, there were numerous lineup changes and little chart entries but the band continued to be a sought-after live, touring act. In 1994, Brilleaux lost his battle with cancer at the age of 41.
The band wasn’t sure whether to carry on and decided that fans deserved the real Dr. Feelgood rather than the tribute acts that were coming out of the woodwork. They recruited Pete Gage but eventually settled on Robert Kane who did a stint as the front man for the The Animals.
Kane is still with the band and has racked up an impressive 1200+ live performances with the group including the annual concert that takes place in memory of Brilleaux .
A rockumentary type film called Oil City Confidential, which tells the tale of Dr. Feelgood’s early days premiered in October 2009. It received a standing ovation.
Juanita Appleby
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JIMI HENDRIX
If there is one solo musician who defines the 60s, it has to be Jimi Hendrix: the clothes; the stage presence; the memorable performances at Woodstock, Monterey and the Isle of Wight; the innovative talent and the excesses of drink and drugs.
Born Johnny Allen Hendrix in November 1942, his father changed his name to James Marshall Hendrix. Hendrix was raised in Seattle but spent much of his childhood in Vancouver living with his grandmother.
Hendrix got his first guitar at the age of 15. He practiced constantly, observed other guitarists play and picked up tips from other players. He also drew on his blues and jazz influences when playing. Hendrix is also quite exceptional in that he played a right-handed guitar re-stringed and played left-handed, contributing to his unique sound.
Although he became famous in his own right first in the UK, Hendrix had earned his stripes as a session guitarist for the Isley Brothers and Little Richard during the early 60s.
Linda Keith, who was friends with The Rolling Stones, saw potential in Hendrix. She introduced him to Chas Chandler, then bassist with The Animals, who was particularly impressed with Hendrix’s version of ‘Hey Joe’. Chandler assembled the band The Jimi Hendrix Experience featuring Mitch Mitchell on drums and Noel Redding on bass.
Paul McCartney was instrumental in Hendrix’s success in the US, recommending that he played the Monterey International Pop Festival. It was on stage at Monterey that he set his guitar on fire. This now legendary performance was captured on film as part of the ‘Monterey Pop’ concert documentary.
Hendrix greatly admired The Beatles, so much so that he performed the title track from ''Sgt. Pepper’s 'Lonely Hearts Club Band'' just three days after the album was released. Perhaps taking a cue from his musical heroes, Hendrix made use of experimental recording effects and wah-wah and fuzz pedals.
After successful album releases such as ‘Are You Experienced?’ and ‘Electric Ladyland’, The Jimi Hendrix Experience disbanded when Redding left to form his own band. Mitchell was missing from the band line-up for Hendrix’s seminal performance at Woodstock in August 1969, made memorable by the improvised rendition of ‘Star Spangled Banner’.
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Jimi Hendrix passed away in September 1970 at the age of 27, the same age as Jim Morrison and Janis Joplin when they died. The circumstances around his death have never been fully established, but the two most credible reasons involve drink and prescription drugs. He is buried in Greenwood Memorial Park in Washington State along with the remains of his father and grandmother. A carving of a Fender Stratocaster, Hendrix's chosen guitar, marks the site.
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THE ANIMALS
The Animals formed in 1963 after Eric Burdon joined the existing group of Alan Price Combo. The group performed R’n’B covers around Newcastle in the early Sixties. The group were brought to London by Ronan O’Rahilly but were soon being managed by Mickey Most.
The Animals had a series of successful hits starting with Bob Dylan’s “Baby Let me Take you Home” however, their most iconic track “The House of the Rising Sun” which was a cover of a song relating to a brothel, even now is the subject of acrimony as Alan Price managed to obtain all the royalties for this track, apparently excluding the other members of the band. Once the group had found fame and toured America, Alan Price left being unable to cope with the pressure and went on to form The Alan Price Set and tour with Georgie Fame. After a number of successful hit singles the band broke up in 1966. Chas Chandler went on to discover and manage Jimi Hendrix and Slade; while Eric Burdon went on to form The New Animals. There have been a couple of attempts to reform the band during the Seventies and Eighties but with little success.
Eric Burdon continues to gig and record around the globe.
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Members include Alan Price (born April 19, 1941, Fairfield, Durham, England), organ, piano; Eric Burdon (born May 11, 1941, Walker, Northumberland, England), vocals; Chas Chandler (born Byran Chandler, December 18, 1938, Heaton, Northumberland, England; died July 17, 1996, in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England), bass; John Steel (born February 4, 1941, Gateshead, Northumberland, England), drums; Hilton Valentine (born May 21, 1943, North Shields, Northumberland, England), guitar.
Other members include: Vic Briggs (born February 14, 1945, Twickenham, Surrey, England), guitar; Barry Jenkins (born December 22, 1944, Leicester, England), drums; Danny McCullough (born July 18, 1945, London, England), bass; Tom Parker, organ, piano; Dave Rowberry (born December 27, 1943, Newcastle, England), organ, piano; John Weider (born April 21, 1947, London, England), guitar.
Band formed as the Alan Price Combo, 1962; changed name to the Animals, 1962; released self-titled debut album, 1964; Price left the band, 1965; Steel left the band, 1966; the Animals disbanded, 1966; Eric Burdon & the Animals formed and released Animalization, 1966; band relocated to California, 1967; Burdon dissolved band, 1968; reunited for Before We Were So Rudely Interrupted, 1976; reunited for Ark and Rip It ToShreds: The Animals Greatest Hits Live, 1983-84.
Like several of their contemporaries, the members of the Animals didn't see very much of the money they earned from their success. When they broke up, Steel sold his publishing rights for 4,000 pounds, and was the only member to leave the band with any money. "We all carme out of the Animals relatively sane, because, although we were manipulated, we were never sheltered and protected like the Beatles," Burdon told Bob Hart in Rolling Stone.
Drummer Jenkins and singer Burdon decided to form a new version of the Animals within a few months. They quickly recruited bassist Danny McCullough and organist Tom Parker. In October of 1966, they released Animalization on MGM Records. The following year, they all moved to California and added guitarist Vic Briggs. But before their next album was recorded, Parker left the group.
Albums:
The Animals, MGM Records, 1964.
The Animals on Tour, MGM Records, 1965.
Animal Tracks, MGM Records, 1965.
The Best of the Animals, MGM Records, 1966.
Animalisms, MGM Records, 1966.
Animalization, MGM Records, 1966.
Help Me Girl, MGM Records, 1967.
The Best of Eric Burdon & the Animals, Vol. 2, MGM Records, 1967.
Winds of Change, MGM Records, 1967.
The Twain Shall Meet, MGM Records, 1968.
Every One of Us, MGM Records, 1968.
Love Is, MGM Records, 1969.
The Greatest Hits of Eric Burdon & the Animals, MGM Records, 1969.
Before We Were So Rudely Interrupted, Barn Records, 1976.
Ark, I.R.S. Records, 1983.
Rip It To Shreds: The Animals Greatest Hits Live, I.R.S. Records, 1984.
The Best of Eric Burdon & the Animals (1966-1968), Polydor Records, 1986.
Source: Sonya Shelton
This information is provided as a brief overview and not as a definitive guide, there are other sources on the net for that. If however you have a story or information that is not generally known we would love to hear from you. Content@rokpool.com.
