Back in the autumn of 1977 I was unemployed and eighteen years old. The BBC showed Tony Palmer's All My Loving which is now available on Gonzo Multimedia, and as I mentioned some weeks ago it changed my life. Amongst the amazing artists that I heard for the first time that night was a bloke called Eric Burdon. Well, no, actually I didn't hear him for the first time that night. I had been aware of his magnificent rendition of 'House of the Rising Sun' whilst the lead singer of Newcastle R&B merchants The Animals and as a wannabe guitar hero I had ploddingly learned the chords myself. But it wasn't until seeing Tony Palmer's film that I first heard Eric Burdon the bonkers solo artist. And I fell head over heels in love.
It depends who you believe. Some folk have written that Burdon discovered the dreaded heaven and hell drug, and became imbued with the San Fransisco peace and love thos. Others say he had a breakdown, others an epiphany, but whatever the cause, in the mif 1960s this Geordie bruiser changed and started producing some of the most gloriuously insane music I have ever heard.
The soundtrack to 'All My Loving' included this song:
And it blew me away.
Then, today, whilst I was out stocking up the wine cellar and trying to buy a new shelter for my parakeet aviary, a parcel of DVDs arrived from Anne-Marie at Gonzo HQ. And guess what? It included a DVD in our acclaimed 'Lost Broadcasts' series featuring the man himself. Eric Burdon, with War recorded in 1970.
Watching it I nearly cried with joy. This is the first time I have ever danced in my office chair whilst watching a review DVD. This version (or rather, this complete re-imagining) of The Rolling Stones song 'Paint it Black' is only the firt of four magnificent songs on this DVD.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, YOU HAVE TO GO OUT AND BUY THIS DVD. YOUR LIFE WILL NOT BE COMPLETE WITHOUT IT.
There. I have spoken.
PS. Much to my great joy I have found that there are two other Eric Burdon DVDs out on Gonzo. I will be covering them in great detail very soon. In the meantime check out his Gonzo Artist Page.
Also check out All my Loving on DVD. You know it makes sense.
Idolised The Animals from the time I first heard them as an 18 year old in 1963. Their sound, particularly Eric's singing, was the backdrop to the many fantastic times my friends and me had as youngsters in 1960s Britain. I've met him in the flesh a couple of times over the years and spiritually, our 'gang' felt almost as though he was one of us during our great times together through his (and The Animal's) music. Bruce Springsteen made a fabulous testimony to Eric on stage recently and I'm sure there's many millions of us out here who feel likewise.
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