Eric Burdon & The Animals

Winds Of Change Eric Burdon & The Animals Mono edition

Reeling from poor management decisions and inter-band strife, The Animals fell apart toward the end of 1966. Seeking a rebirth, lead vocalist Eric Burdon relocated from London to California. There, Burdon assembled a new Animals lineup, retaining only drummer Barry Jenkins from the previous incarnation. Now known as Eric Burdon and The Animals, the group immersed themselves in the psychedelic culture of San Francisco and their sound followed suit. Informed by his inaugural acid trip, Burdon led his bandmates through a fresh, decidedly lysergic interpretation of American blues. While the original group had largely performed songs written by others, The New Animals began composing as a group.

The prophetically titled Winds of Change, released in September 1967, offered ten stellar examples of this new songwriting approach, along with a heavy cover of The Rolling Stones' "Paint It Black." Lead single "San Franciscan Nights" encapsulated the Summer of Love in what became a top ten hit for the new band (and helped get them on the bill for the seminal Monterey Pop Festival)