Eric Burdon And The Animals - Roadrunners! (1966-68/1990) Lossless

Eric’s at his wild best in these rare recordings-many never heard by even the most ardent Animals collector! Four tracks are British radio broadcasts from ’66, one is from German TV in ’67; the rest are all live, from Monterey in ’67, London in ’67 (including Inside Looking Out ) and Stockholm in ’68 ( San Franciscan Nights; Monterey , and more). And the rarest of the rare: six live cuts from Melbourne, Australia in ’67, including See See Rider and When I Was Young .
This is a mixed bag of live and BBC recordings from both the post-Alan Price edition of the original band, and the later New Animals of “San Franciscan Nights” fame. Sound quality varies, but the obscurity of these tracks more than compensates. The Beeb tracks include one Price number, a faithful rendition of “Heartbreak Hotel.” Other highlights include gritty takes on “Inside Looking Out” and “Maudie” plus a fantastic version of “Jailhouse Rock” that comes within shouting distance of Elvis (honestly!). Barry Jenkins almost steals the show with his knockout drumming, and Zoot Money’s organ washes are utterly scintillating. There’s also a raw set culled from the New Animals’ tour of Australia, highlighted by spirited versions of standards like “Shake Rattle and Roll” and “See See Rider.” The version of “When I Was Young” is also strong and the groovy radio announcer at the end is a trip. Burdon’s Monterey appearance is showcased in a pair of freakout versions of “Ginhouse Blues” and “Hey Gyp”, both of which are way too long and too self-indulgent. This is the weakest part of the album by far. New Animals fans will adore the 1968 tracks from Stockholm which feature the band at its psychedelic apex. As goofy as it sounds on WINDS OF CHANGE, “Yes I’m Experienced” really rocks on stage (especially the killer feedback rave up—and Eric’s rap at the end is hilarious), and the other tracks (“Paint It Black”, “San Franciscan Nights” and “Monterey”) are faithful, though edgier recreations of the group’s studio versions. Vic Briggs always claims the band was much better on stage than in the studio and this set backs him up, mainly because Burdon’s often wearying improvisations are kept to a reasonable minimum. Grab it if you dig Burdon’s post-1966 work (although Glen A. Baker’s liner notes are so fawning they’re worthless).