Who’s Still Alive From the Original Lineup of the Animals?

The gritty rock and rhythm-and-blues sounds of the Animals emerged in the 1960s during the British Invasion and continue today, with the band completing a farewell tour in Australia in 2024. The original and most famous lineup, which lasted from 1963 to 1966, consisted of the charismatic lead vocalist Eric Burdon, Alan Price (keyboard), Hilton Valentine (guitar), Chas Chandler (bass), and John Steel (drums).

Over the years, the Animals went through numerous breakups and replacements. Burdon, who is about to be 85 on May 11, led various incarnations of the band under names like Eric Burdon and the New Animals and the most current rendition, Eric Burdon and the Animals, in addition to leading many other solo projects like WAR and even a venture into writing (he penned his autobiography, I Used to Be an Animal, but I’m All Right Now, in 1986 and Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood: A Memoir in 2001).