Search - Eric Burdon & the Animals :: Roadrunners!

Eric, the Geordies and the Hippies, Raw and Live

donnelly117 | 12/14/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This is a mixed bag of live and BBC recordings from both the post-Alan Price edition of the original band, and the later New Animals of "San Franciscan Nights" fame. Sound quality varies, but the obscurity of these tracks more than compensates. The Beeb tracks include one Price number, a faithful rendition of "Heartbreak Hotel." Other highlights include gritty takes on "Inside Looking Out" and "Maudie" plus a fantastic version of "Jailhouse Rock" that comes within shouting distance of Elvis (honestly!). Barry Jenkins almost steals the show with his knockout drumming, and Zoot Money's organ washes are utterly scintillating. There's also a raw set culled from the New Animals' tour of Australia, highlighted by spirited versions of standards like "Shake Rattle and Roll" and "See See Rider." The version of "When I Was Young" is also strong and the groovy radio announcer at the end is a trip. Burdon's Monterey appearance is showcased in a pair of freakout versions of "Ginhouse Blues" and "Hey Gyp", both of which are way too long and too self-indulgent. This is the weakest part of the album by far. New Animals fans will adore the 1968 tracks from Stockholm which feature the band at its psychedelic apex. As goofy as it sounds on WINDS OF CHANGE, "Yes I'm Experienced" really rocks on stage (especially the killer feedback rave up---and Eric's rap at the end is hilarious), and the other tracks ("Paint It Black", "San Franciscan Nights" and "Monterey") are faithful, though edgier recreations of the group's studio versions. Vic Briggs always claims the band was much better on stage than in the studio and this set backs him up, mainly because Burdon's often wearying improvisations are kept to a reasonable minimum. Grab it if you dig Burdon's post-1966 work (although Glen A. Baker's liner notes are so fawning they're worthless)."

Must Have

Barron W. Chandler Jr. | 12/12/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Thank god for the Aussies, this little jewel has come out of no where. If you like live performances of Eric and the Band (don't care which band). This has a live version of Hey Gyp that is eight minutes in length. Funny how the great cars have gone out of style. Anyway, must have for hard core fans."

Most underrated British Invasion band

Barron W. Chandler Jr. | Narberth, PA United States | 07/23/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Until the Who finally cracked the American marketplace the Animals were the third most important of the British Invasion bands. They had several big hits in America without compromising their musical integrity.

However, when the original band broke up, the New Animals failed to make consistent recordings and did severe damage to the Animals original reputation. The New Animals were a kickin' live band and that is what we get with this release. That combined with 3 or 4 tracks by the original band make for an exciting collection.

The early stuff sounds great and is played well. The later stuff varies in recording quality but is consistently on the mark musically.

In short, this is recommended for old and new fans and, hopefully, helps people remember how good both incarnations of the Animals were."