Bryan “Chas” Chandler, bass player for the Animals is born.
John Steel, drummer for the Animals, is born.
Alan Price, keyboardist for the Animals, is born.
Eric Burdon, vocalist for the Animals, is born in Newcastle, England.
Hilton Valentine, guitarist for the Animals, is born.
The Animals, Rolling Stones, Yardbirds and other British blues bands achieve success recording American blues; Son House “rediscovered” and performs at the Newport Folk Festival.
“House of the Rising Sun,” by the Animals, hits #1 for the first of three weeks, making them the first British group to top the U.S. charts with a song not written by Lennon and McCartney. It also tops the British charts.
Mann & Weil’s “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling,” recorded by the Righteous Brothers, reaches #1, and “We Gotta Get Out Of This Place,” recorded by the Animals, reaches #13.
Alan Price announces he is leaving the Animals at the peak of their popularity. He is replaced by Dave Rowberry.
“We Gotta Get Out of This Place,” by the Animals, hits #2 in Britain behind the Beatles’ “Help!” It will peak at #13 in the U.S. two weeks later.
‘The Best of the Animals’ enters the U.S. albums charts. It will peak at #6 and stay on the charts for an incredible 113 weeks.
“Don’t Bring Me Down,” by the Animals, enters the Top Forty, where it will peak at #12. It will be the last charting single by the original quintet, although Eric Burdon will pilot a new lineup of Animals through the end of the decade.
Jimi Hendrix and Chas Chandler, former bassist with the Animals, fly from New York to London. There, Hendrix will form a new band and Chandler will become the manager of the Jimi Hendrix Experience. En route, they decide to change the guitarist’s name from Jimmy to Jimi.
“Sky Pilot,” by Eric Burdon and the Animals, enters the Top Forty. It is the Animals’ last Top Forty hit in the U.S.
‘Love Is,’ by Eric Burdon and the Animals, enters the U.S. charts shortly after the band performs a farewell concert in the British city of Newcastle, where the Animals had begun seven years earlier.
Jimi Hendrix jams with Eric Burdon and War at Ronnie Scott’s Club.
‘Before We Were So Rudely Interrupted,’ an Animals reunion album (credited to the “Original Animals”), is released. It had been recorded the previous year at bassist Chas Chandler’s house.
The original Animals reunite a second time, releasing a new studio album (’Ark’) and embarking on a world tour.
The Animals are inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at the ninth annual induction dinner. Dave Pirner of Soul Asylum is their presenter.
