Formed in Newcastle, England in the early 1960s out of the ashes of The Alan Price Rhythm & Blues Combo, The Animals moved to London in ‘64 and were signed to EMI’s Columbia label by the visionary independent producer Mickie Most. Influenced by folk, blues, jazz, R&B, and early rock and roll, The Animals and front man Eric Burdon seemed tougher and more brooding than their British Invasion peers The Beatles and even The Rolling Stones. An international sensation almost out of the gate, the band toured and recorded non-stop until the end of 1968, going through several lineup changes and parting ways with Mickie Most in ’66 to work with producer Tom Wilson (Bob Dylan, Simon & Garfunkel, Mothers of Invention). After disbanding, Burdon joined forces in the early 1970s with Los Angeles funk band War for two albums and scored a Billboard number three (Cashbox number one) hit with “Spill the Wine,” which featured the spoken-word style that he effectively employed on many of the latter Animals albums. The Animals’ approach to music was three-pronged. There were the “Animalized” covers of folk and blues songs like the traditional “House of the Rising Sun,” blues great John Lee Hooker’s “Boom Boom,” and “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood,” originally recorded by Nina Simone. Then there were tunes written for the band by Brill Building songwriters such as “We Gotta Get Out Of This Place,” by Mann and Weil (which became an unofficial anthem for disgruntled American forces in Vietnam), the Gerry Goffin/Carole King-penned “Don’t Bring Me Down,” and “Baby Let Me Take You Home” by Bert Berns and Wes Farrell. Lastly, The Animals had original compositions that they leaned towards in the later years. The thinly veiled ode to LSD “A Girl Named Sandoz” (named after the company that chemist Albert Hofmann worked for when he synthesized the drug). It was covered decades later by Smashing Pumpkins. “Sky Pilot,” the epic, cinematic anti-war masterpiece, and the contemplative “When I Was Young” helped define The Animals’ second wind in the flower power era. “We were the ultimate club band,” concludes Burdon in Jim Bessman’s Retrospective liner notes. “We had our differences and sometimes came to blows, but we all stood together when anybody attacked us from the outside.” The Animals Retrospective 2-LP Side 1 1) House Of The Rising Sun 4:29 2) I'm Crying 2:47 3) Baby Let Me Take You Home 2:20 4) Gonna Send You Back To Walker 2:27 5) Boom Boom 3:49 6) Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood 2:29 Side 2 7) Bring It On Home To Me 2:42 8) We Gotta Get Out Of This Place (U.S. single version) 3:16 9) It's My Life 3:08 10) Don't Bring Me Down 3:17 11) See See Rider 4:01 12) Inside-Looking Out 3:49 Side 3 13) Hey Gyp 3:50 14) Help Me Girl 2:43 * 15) When I Was Young 3:01 * 16) A Girl Named Sandoz 3:07 * 17) San Franciscan Nights 3:20 * 18) Monterey 4:18 * Side 4 19) Anything 3:20 * 20) Sky Pilot 7:27 * 21) White Houses 4:43 * 22) Spill The Wine 4:03 ** * Eric Burdon & The Animals ** Eric Burdon & War ABOUT ABKCO Music & Records, Inc., is one of the world’s leading independent entertainment companies. It is home to iconic music catalogues that include compositions and recordings by Sam Cooke, The Rolling Stones, Bobby Womack, Eric Burdon, The Animals, Herman’s Hermits, Marianne Faithfull, The Kinks as well as the Cameo Parkway masters by such artists as Chubby Checker, Bobby Rydell, Clint Eastwood, The Dovells, ? And The Mysterians, The Orlons, Dee Dee Sharp, Charlie Gracie, Bob Seger, and The Tymes. Releases on ABKCO’s SAR Records include albums by L.C. Cooke, The Soul Stirrers, Billy Preston, Johnnie Taylor, The Valentinos, Mel Carter and more. ABKCO is active on many fronts, including the release of critically lauded soundtracks, compilations, reissues from its catalog, film, commercial placement of its master recordings and music publishing properties in all media. One Night In Miami…, ABKCO’s latest theatrical production, received a nomination for the 2017 Olivier® Award for Best New Play and three Academy Award nominations as a Major Motion Picture directed by Oscar® winner Regina King. ABKCO’s latest TV production is The Durrells in Corfu, based on Gerald Durrell’s book The Corfu Trilogy and ABKCO’s latest vinyl and CD releases are by The Animals: The Animals, Animalization, The Animals on Tour and Animal Tracks, and The Rolling Stones Singles 1963-1966 7” Box Set. www.abkco.com www.facebook.com/abkco www.twitter.com/abkco www.youtube.com/abkco | 
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