10 Greatest Rock Music Frontmen Of The 60s
7. Eric Burdon
The so-called British Invasion comprised mostly of UK bands taking on American R&B and attempting to do it better than the originators. As far as voices go, there were none on offer better than The Animals’ Eric Burdon.
Growing up in Newcastle, Burdon became a blues obsessive before his teens, and was living a rock and roll lifestyle as a youngster. Perhaps it was the early exposure to booze and cigarettes that gave his vocals that unmistakable, rasping tone. It’s a voice that sounds on the verge of exploding, rather than cracking, powerful during the quiet parts and downright devastating when he really lets rip, as was his wont.
The Animals tackled blues standards like “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood” and “House Of The Rising Sun”, often turning out what became the definitive cuts. Burdon wasn’t a showman but he didn’t need to be - he could sing anyone else off the stage, all the while looking like a fresh faced young man.
Burdon would go on to experiment with heavier, weirder music into the ‘70s, but this is a guy who was made to sing the blues.