The Animals, an English rock band formed in Newcastle upon Tyne in 1963. The Animals’ original lineup consisted of frontman Eric Burdon, guitarist Hilton Valentine, bass guitarist Chas Chandler, keyboardist Alan Price, and drummer John Steel. Known for their gritty, bluesy sound, they balanced tough, rock-edged pop singles against rhythm-and-blues-orientated album material, and were part of the British Invasion of the US.