John Steel (drummer)
Encyclopedia
For other persons named John Steele, see John Steele (disambiguation)
.
John Steel (born 4 February 1941, Gateshead
, England
) was the original drummer
of the band
, The Animals
, and is the owner of the rights to the band's name, by virtue of a trademark registration.
Steel went to the Gateshead Grammar School
. Originally a trumpet player, he met the future lead singer of The Animals, Eric Burdon
, while they were studying together at the Newcastle College
of Art and Industrial Design. They switched from jazz to embrace the new rock 'n' roll
explosion.
In March 1959, Steel met Alan Price
at a church hop in Byker
, Newcastle
, and with Hilton Valentine
(guitar) and Chas Chandler
(bass) formed a band; by 1960 the Alan Price Combo had acquired a reputation in Newcastle. Burdon joined in 1962 from a band called The Pagans, and The Animals were born.
Steel went on to play and record
with them until March 1966. His last charted
single
with the group was "Inside Looking Out".
Subsequently Steel returned to Newcastle and became a businessman, while also working in former bandmate Chas Chandler
's management
and publishing
organisations. In 1971 Chandler introduced him to Eggs over Easy
, with whom he played as they started the pub rock
music genre. Over the years Steel has remained active as a part-time local drummer and has joined several Animals' reunion incarnations.
Steel has toured since 1993 as the drummer with variations of The Animals line-up, including Hilton Valentine
, Dave Rowberry
, Zoot Money
and Mick Gallagher. In 1993, Hilton Valentine formed "Animals II" and was joined by John Steel in 1994 and Dave Roweberry in 1999. Other members of this version of the band include Steve Hutchinson, Steve Dawson and Martin Bland. From 1999 until Valentine's departure in 2001. the band toured as The Animals. After Valentine left these Animals in 2001, Steel and Roweberry continued on as "Animals and Friends", with Peter Barton, Jim Rodford
and John Williamson. When Roweberry died in 2003, he was replaced by Mickey Gallagher (who had briefly replaced Alan Price in 1965). Animals and Friends continues to perform today, and frequently plays engagements on a Color Line ship that travels between Scandinavia and Germany.
John Steele
John Steele may refer to:* John Steele , American paratrooper* John Steele * John Steele , surgeon and political figure in Nova Scotia* John Steele...
.
John Steel (born 4 February 1941, Gateshead
Gateshead
Gateshead is a town in Tyne and Wear, England and is the main settlement in the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead. Historically a part of County Durham, it lies on the southern bank of the River Tyne opposite Newcastle upon Tyne and together they form the urban core of Tyneside...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
) was the original drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
of the band
Band (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
, The Animals
The Animals
The Animals were an English music group of the 1960s formed in Newcastle upon Tyne during the early part of the decade, and later relocated to London...
, and is the owner of the rights to the band's name, by virtue of a trademark registration.
Steel went to the Gateshead Grammar School
Gateshead Grammar School
Gateshead Grammar School was a school in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, England, abolished by the Wilson government of the 1960s.-History:The private school Gateshead High School For Boys opened in 1883 at the junction of Durham Road and Prince Consort Road...
. Originally a trumpet player, he met the future lead singer of The Animals, Eric Burdon
Eric Burdon
Eric Victor Burdon is an English singer-songwriter best known as a founding member and vocalist of rock band The Animals, and the funk rock band War and for his aggressive stage performance...
, while they were studying together at the Newcastle College
Newcastle College
Newcastle College is a Further Education and Higher Education college in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. It is the largest mixed economy College in the country and claims to offer more courses in more subjects than any of its geographical competitors....
of Art and Industrial Design. They switched from jazz to embrace the new rock 'n' roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
explosion.
In March 1959, Steel met Alan Price
Alan Price
Alan Price is an English musician, best known as the original keyboardist for the English band The Animals, and for his subsequent solo work....
at a church hop in Byker
Byker
Byker is an inner city electoral ward in the city of Newcastle upon Tyne in Tyne and Wear, England. It is in the east of the city, south of the Heaton area and north of St Peter's. Byker Metro station serves the area.The area also contains the Byker Wall estate. The population of the ward is...
, Newcastle
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
, and with Hilton Valentine
Hilton Valentine
Hilton Valentine is an English musician, who was the original guitarist in the The Animals.-Biography:Valentine was influenced by the 1950s skiffle craze...
(guitar) and Chas Chandler
Chas Chandler
Bryan James "Chas" Chandler was an English musician, record producer and manager of several successful music acts....
(bass) formed a band; by 1960 the Alan Price Combo had acquired a reputation in Newcastle. Burdon joined in 1962 from a band called The Pagans, and The Animals were born.
Steel went on to play and record
Sound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
with them until March 1966. His last charted
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
with the group was "Inside Looking Out".
Subsequently Steel returned to Newcastle and became a businessman, while also working in former bandmate Chas Chandler
Chas Chandler
Bryan James "Chas" Chandler was an English musician, record producer and manager of several successful music acts....
's management
Management
Management in all business and organizational activities is the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively...
and publishing
Publishing
Publishing is the process of production and dissemination of literature or information—the activity of making information available to the general public...
organisations. In 1971 Chandler introduced him to Eggs over Easy
Eggs over Easy
Eggs over Easy were an American country-rock band, of the early 1970s, who visited London to record an album, and then became a resident band in a London public house, launching what subsequently became known as pub rock.-Formation:...
, with whom he played as they started the pub rock
Pub rock (UK)
Pub rock was a rock music genre that developed in the mid 1970s in the United Kingdom. A back-to-basics movement, pub rock was a reaction against progressive and glam rock. Although short-lived, pub rock was notable for rejecting stadium venues and for returning live rock to the small pubs and...
music genre. Over the years Steel has remained active as a part-time local drummer and has joined several Animals' reunion incarnations.
Steel has toured since 1993 as the drummer with variations of The Animals line-up, including Hilton Valentine
Hilton Valentine
Hilton Valentine is an English musician, who was the original guitarist in the The Animals.-Biography:Valentine was influenced by the 1950s skiffle craze...
, Dave Rowberry
Dave Rowberry
Dave Rowberry was an English piano and organ player, most known for being a member of the rock and R&B group The Animals in the 1960s....
, Zoot Money
Zoot Money
George Bruno Money, known as Zoot Money is a British vocalist, keyboardist and bandleader best known for his playing of the Hammond organ and association with his Big Roll Band...
and Mick Gallagher. In 1993, Hilton Valentine formed "Animals II" and was joined by John Steel in 1994 and Dave Roweberry in 1999. Other members of this version of the band include Steve Hutchinson, Steve Dawson and Martin Bland. From 1999 until Valentine's departure in 2001. the band toured as The Animals. After Valentine left these Animals in 2001, Steel and Roweberry continued on as "Animals and Friends", with Peter Barton, Jim Rodford
Jim Rodford
Jim Rodford is a musician who played with The Kinks, The Swinging Blue Jeans and was a founding member of Argent...
and John Williamson. When Roweberry died in 2003, he was replaced by Mickey Gallagher (who had briefly replaced Alan Price in 1965). Animals and Friends continues to perform today, and frequently plays engagements on a Color Line ship that travels between Scandinavia and Germany.
Name ownership
In 2008, an adjudicator determined that John Steel owned "The Animals" name in England, by virtue of a trademark registration Steel had made in relation to the name. Eric Burdon had objected to the trademark registration, arguing that Burdon personally embodied any goodwill associated with "The Animals" name. Burdon's argument was rejected, in part based on the fact that he had billed himself as "Eric Burdon and The Animals" as early as 1967, thus separating the goodwill associated with his own name from that of the band.External links
- The Animals biography and discography
- [ John Steel biography] at Allmusic websiteWebsiteA website, also written as Web site, web site, or simply site, is a collection of related web pages containing images, videos or other digital assets. A website is hosted on at least one web server, accessible via a network such as the Internet or a private local area network through an Internet...