Pioneering British rocker says he’s changed from 35 years ago BY LESTER CHANG TGI Staff Writer As part of the rock and roll British invasion of America 35 years ago, Eric Burdon and The Animals began their climb up the
Pioneering British rocker says he’s changed
from 35 years ago
BY LESTER CHANG
TGI Staff Writer
As part of the
rock and roll British invasion of America 35 years ago, Eric Burdon and The
Animals began their climb up the ladder of the international music
industry.
His group produced raucous, bold and “angry” music that rivaled
the best the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and other British rock singers had to
offer.
Burdon eventually steamrolled to the top of the music charts with
20 top ten hits, guaranteeing his group a berth in the Rock and Roll Hall of
Fame.
At a performance Saturday at Kukui Grove Shopping Center, Eric
Burdon says he and The New Animals will offer the same and more, playing
renditions Burdon made famous.
Burdon gained a reputation as being the
thriving force behind the grittiest British “invasion band,” pioneered the San
Francisco psychedelic rock scene and fronted War, the biggest funk band of the
1970s.
Fans may hear some of his greatest hits, including “Don’t Let Me Be
Misunderstood,” “We Gotta Get Out of This Place,” “Its My life,” “Bring It on
Home,” “See See Rider,” “San Francisco Nights,” “When I was Young” and the
anti-war protest song, “Sky Pilot.”
With the exception of Burdon, the
current group boasts no members from earlier groups that made those songs
prominent. But all the current members are accomplished musicians in their own
right, Burdon said.
Aynsley Dunbar will be on the drums, Dave Meros will
play bass, Neal Morse will play the guitar and keyboards, and Dan Restum will
play lead and rhythm guitar.
Changing band members is a fact of life in the
rock and roll business, Burdon said.
Staging tomorrow’s event are Tom
Moffat Production and KONG Radio, which will convert the old J.C. Penney
building into a haunted house for the Halloween-themed event. Radisson Kaua’i
Beach Resort and community members also have provided support, promoters
said.
Burdon, who lives in California, is visiting family on the Big
Island.
He was the top performer at one of the Crater Festivals held in
Honolulu, but Saturday’s performance will be his first on Kaua’i.
Burdon
began his career in Newcastle, England, where he first covered songs done by
his music idols, including Ray Charles, Chuck Berry and Jimmie
Reed.
Burdon’s group quickly gained notoriety as England’s best rhythm and
blues band and was part of the first live R&B recording in the United
Kingdom.
His attitude toward music today is the same as it was 35 years
ago when he began performing, Burdon said.
“The attitude is to stay with
the roots: Loud rock and roll,” he said.
At 56 years old, Burdon performs
no less than 200 nights a year, he said. His promoters say Burdon is probably
as busy and popular now as he was three decades ago.
Beginning in
November, he will be on a month-and-a-half tour through Germany, returning to
the United States for a show in Arizona on Dec. 16.
Burdon still performs
at concerts, but feels more comfortable in front of smaller groups at
nightclubs. Concerts put performers under more stress and don’t allow them to
interact with the audience, he said.
“I prefer audiences that are in my
face, and I like the sense of communication you get from smaller groups,”
Burdon explained, adding the smaller setting also allows him to recharge his
creative energy.
Burdon said role models have inspired him. He said he
shared a philosophy with rock and roll great Jimi Hendrix that allowed them to
be successful in their musical pursuits. Both saw music as a spiritual
expression and art form, Burdon said.
Burdon has continued to work at a
fast clip, having produced four albums in the last five years. He also is
starting pre-production on a studio album that will use musicians from New
Orleans.
In the early days, Burdon’s stage presence was that of a young man
who was angry at the injustices of society and used his music for social
change. Today, his music is just as dynamic and brashy, but his outlook on life
has mellowed, Burdon said.
“I have a lot more fun with my audiences,
because I understand myself,” he said.
Staff writer Lester Chang can
be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 225) and lchang@pulitzer.net
