Eric Burdon

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Eric Burdon (born Eric Victor Burdon, 11 May 1941, in Walker, Newcastle upon Tyne) was the lead singer of The Animals and later of War.

He was a founding member and vocalist of the Animals, a band originally formed in Newcastle in the early 1960s. Burdon sang such Animal classics as "The House of the Rising Sun", "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood", "Bring It On Home to Me" and "We Gotta Get Out of this Place". By 1966 the other members had left, and the band was reformed as Eric Burdon and the New Animals, which featured future Family member John Weider and future The Police guitarist Andy Summers. This incarnation had hits with songs such as "When I Was Young", "Sky Pilot" and "Monterey". This ensemble lasted until 1969 at which point Burdon joined forces with the band War. The resulting album yielded the classics "Spill The Wine" and "Tobacco Road". In 1971 Burdon began a solo career.

Burdon rejoined briefly with the other original Animals in 1976 and 1983, but neither union lasted, although the 1983 reunion yielded the ignored single "The Night". He has led a number of groups named Eric Burdon Band or some variation thereof, with constantly changing personnel; his popularity has remained stronger in continental Europe than in the UK or U.S. Today he continues to record and tour either on his own, or in front of yet another version of "Eric Burdon and the Animals".

[edit] Trivia

Eric Burdon is claimed by some to be the 'Eggman' from The Beatles song "I Am The Walrus". The reason for this claim being that Burdon was known as 'Eggs' to his friends, originating from his fondness of breaking eggs over naked girls. Burdon's biography mentions such an affair taking place in the presence of John Lennon, who shouted "Go on, go get it, Eggman ..."¹

[edit] Books

Burdon, Eric. I Used to Be an Animal, but I'm All Right Now. Faber and Faber, 1986. ISBN 0-571-13492-0.
Burdon, Eric (with J. Marshall Craig). Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood: A Memoir. Thunder's Mouth Press, 2001. ISBN 1-56025-330-4.
¹Miles, Barry. Paul McCartney - Many Years From Now. Secker & Warburg, 1997. Page: 357. ISBN 0-436-28022-1.