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Alan Price

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Alan Price was born in 1942 in Fatfield in the north-English county of Durham. After school he worked as a tax clerk. He taught himself to play and founded the Alan Price Combo on Tyneside, a rhythm and blues group that later, when singer Eric Burdon joined, came to be called The Animals. Price played organ on the band's big hits, such as The House of the Rising Sun, Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood and Bring It On Home to Me.

Music and breakthrough

In 1965 he left The Animals, officially because of a fear of flying, but also because of tensions in the group. A conflict over the royalties of The House of the Rising Sun, which went only to Price, played a part. With his new group, the Alan Price Set, he had hits with I Put a Spell on You (1966), Simon Smith and His Amazing Dancing Bear by the then unknown Randy Newman, and his own The House That Jack Built (1967). Later followed Rosetta with Georgie Fame (1971) and the autobiographical Jarrow Song (1974). He wrote the music for the film O Lucky Man! (1973) by Lindsay Anderson, for which he won a BAFTA, and acted in films himself.

Influence

Price was above all a pianist and organist, with a style that draws on rhythm and blues and jazz. His improvised organ solo in The House of the Rising Sun is one of the best-known moments in British beat music, and showed that the electric organ in a rock band could have a voice of its own.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to The House of the Rising Sun by The Animals and notice the moment when Alan Price's electric organ begins its solo. Hear how the organ builds the tension, after which Eric Burdon's vocal goes to a climax.

Discography

Studio albums

In School of Rock

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See also

Categories: Artists