Eric Burdon Hits The Mark At City Winery – August 8, 2016

“If you want to find the truth in life, don’t pass music by. You know, you know…I would not lie!” -Eric Burdon from Monterey, 1967

I was a little intimidated to meet Eric Burdon whose voice is nothing but authority and who possesses that bad-ass-osity of someone like Nick Cave. As he said in the interview, The Animals had a reputation for being tough guys. Any anxiety I may have had evaporated instantly when he cruised into a discreet nook of City Winery shortly before his show and raised his wine glass. This is a man, now 75, who set the standard for personal declarations of independence when he roared ‘You Can’t Tell Me’ in It’s My Life. That anthem was cut in ’65 and is as much Fight For Your Right To Party as Fuck You I Won’t Do What You Tell Me. How many people harbor a lifelong fascination with New Orleans based soley on House of the Rising Sun. And then there is We’ve Gotta Get Out of This Place that Bruce Springsteen described in a speech four years ago “as every song I’ve ever written.”

Burdon’s remarks about Springsteen above are how he responded when I asked him about the praise The Boss had heaped on him. He also shared a few choice words on stage in between songs including a hilarious bit about him going to see Nina Simone after The Animals had scored a hit with their cover of Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood. The payoff was, ‘You’re the little white boy who fucked up my song!’

Burdon is doing some excellent late career work in the studio as well as on stage. A ripping EP with The Greenhorns hit in 2012 followed by his most recent full length Til Your River Runs Dry in 2013. His two shows at City Winery in October are sold out but you can add your name to a wait list.