Animal Tracks - Updated and Expanded: The Story of the Animals, Newcastle's Rising Sons

Brilliantly written - love that it has been updated to reflect changes in 2012 - love the story, the language, the colour and humour of all contributors to the book. Makes for riviting reading, couldn't put the book down until it was finished! Highly recommend Animal Tracks.

:-)

very good...

Sean Egan's masterful, and most magnificent study of Newcastle's greatest gets even greater in its newly expanded edition.The story of The Animals is perhaps one of the Sixties' most blues-wailing yet often heart-breaking tales, with the words "What if... ?" hanging over every chapter. This was, obviously, a band that had talent to spare, charisma that could often kill, and with Eric Burdon in their already formidable ranks possessed one of the world's finest rhythm 'n' rock vocalists bar NONE.But to perhaps discover why it's not them, but the Rolling Stones and even Who who instead continue to fill stadiums and off-shore bank accounts a half-century later is just one reason to read "Animal Tracks." Sure, it's a hard business, as even Rosemary Clooney and Wild Man Fischer once sang (together, you know!) But the accumulative bad breaks and lousy luck that seem to have plagued The Animals like a case of the worried life blues - and then some - is brought into even sharper focus via this 2012 edition.You'll get to (re-) meet, and hear each tale told in the candid, sometimes caustic, always witty words of original Animals Burdon, Hilton Valentine and John Steel (Alan Price quite conspicuously, and characteristically, silent) plus those of New(er) Animals Barry Jenkins, Vic Briggs, Dave Rowberry, John Weider, the legendary Zoot Money, and even future Policeman Andy Summers. Also along for the beaty, bumpy ride are Giorgio Gomelsky, Mickie Most, Mike Jeffery, Don Arden, Peter Grant, Tom Wilson, Lysergic acid diethylamide, plus enough heroes and villains to keep your pages quickly turning.It's a rags to not quite riches story common with countless musicians the world over, but in the case of these Animals - and thanks to Mr. Egan's above-accomplished stewardship - rings particularly bitter and/or sweet. Indeed, to read "Animal Tracks," from cover to ferocious cover, is to garner even more appreciation for the accomplishments, both musical and otherwise, of one of Britain's greatest-ever, should've been biggest-ever bands."If only..."

There is little doubt that Egan is one of those rock writers whose love of his subject oozes through the whole book. The other side to such writers is that they are not always the most objective or analytical when putting their subject into a wider story context or pursue all the leads as it seems to take them out of their comfort zone.It is clear from comments made that Egan has suffered a lot of heartache in getting this book published - the first edition by Helter Skelter seems to have had large chunks of Egan's text cut without his agreement. This Askill Publishing edition seems to be the one with recent updates that meets his wishes and what a story it is. Helped considerably by drummer John Steel's diaries and knowledge of the first version of the Animals that first part is probably the one that sizzles and conveys best a lot of the excitement the group brought to the 60s rock and blues scene. I remember seeing them many times on TV in the early/mid 60s and thinking at that time they were better than the Stones even!The second part on the New Animals with Burdon alone left, makes a brave attempt to continue the impetus but the truth is the music output (more LPs and not singles focused) plus the late 60s attitude of that "underground" band was never going to trouble the original Animals legacy. Add to that Burdon's destructive personality and management under the much derided Mike Jeffery, a character who Egan never seems to have fully researched and understood (accepting that is a very hard task) and the writing was on the wall. Inevitably the group literally did fizzle out and the survivors of both bands tried to understand what had happened and get on with their lives, while their disparate recorded legacy under the mis-management of Jeffery took many decades before it was properly organized and re-released in forms that did it justice.Where Egan does score is bringing out the divergence of personalities as the group became successful and the individual animosity over the years. Alan Price's taking of the group's royalties on their big hit "Rising Sun" which given the group was never strong in the songwriting department and then suddenly leaving the band proved especially divisive. Not surprisingly, Price does not seem to have been interviewed by Egan for this book! More surprising for me was the growing dislike of Chas Chandler's role as bass player and then his subsequent management success with Hendrix and Slade creating an even wider schism, especially when the group tried to reform in the 70s.If you are an Animals fan then this is definitely the book for you. Given the poor efforts of Burdon to write his biography it is unlikely to be easily bettered, though as stated it does have deficiencies in how it tells the story.

It's a well written book, thoroughly researched with interviews with all the key players but my goodness it's a miserable affair. From the moment they had success it seems the acrimony started and never stopped. Quite sad really. So I didn't enjoy it that much...

Well researched and full of great stories within the band. Will appeal to all 60's music fans. A lot of the credit for the wealth of detail must go to original drummer of the group, John Steel, for his comprehensive diaries. Excellent book and if there is another update, I hope that we will not have to wait another decade for its release.

A great example of taking something good and improving it, thus making this the definitive history of this amazing blues rock combo in all it's permutations. Shows musician participation on almost every page and just a great read all around.