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Alan Price

Alan Price (born 19 April 1941 in Fatfield, County Durham, England) is a musician, songwriter, record producer and actor.

Early years

A self-taught musician, primarily a keyboard player, he was educated at Jarrow Grammar School, South Tyneside, and was a founding member of the Tyneside group The Alan Price Rhythm and Blues Combo, then renamed The Animals. His playing on their international hits "House of the Rising Sun", "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" and "Bring It On Home To Me" was a key element in the Animals' success. Though The Animals' version of "House of the Rising Sun" (a traditional folk composition) has become the most recognisable incarnation of the song, the arrangments were strongly based on the Dave Van Ronk's version, then made popular by Bob Dylan's take, available on his debut album Bob Dylan (1962).

Career

Alan Price left the band in May 1965, to form the highly successful Alan Price Set, which included Price keyboards and vocals, Clive Burrows on baritone saxophone, Steve Gregory on tenor saxophone, John Walters on trumpet, Peter Kirtlry on guitar, Rod "Boots" Slade on bass guitar and "Little" Roy Mills on drums. In the same year, he appeared in the film Dont Look Back, which followed Bob Dylan on tour. Starting in 1966, he enjoyed singles success with "I Put A Spell On You", the Randy Newman song "Simon Smith And His Amazing Dancing Bear", and the original "The House That Jack Built", following it up in 1968 with the jazzy "Don't Stop The Carnival". A partnership with Georgie Fame resulted in a Top 20 single in 1971, "Rosetta", and an album Fame and Price, Price and Fame Together, as well as a regular slot in one series of The Two Ronnies on BBC television, where he hosted more shows such as the musical Price To Play in the late 60s explaining and performing the music of some famous guests such as Fleetwood Mac, Jimi Hendrix, etc. His second album, A Price On His Head in 1967 features seven songs by Randy Newman, at a time when he was virtually unknown.

In 1973 he wrote the music for the Lindsay Anderson film O Lucky Man!, which he performs on screen in the film and appears as himself in one part of the storyline.

Price produced the autobiographical album Between Today and Yesterday in 1974, a track from which, "Jarrow Song", returned him to the singles chart.

He participated in three attempts to reunite The Animals in 1968, 1977 and 1983. As "Price and Fame" he also made several recordings with his friend, Georgie Fame.

In July 1983, The Animals started their sold-out world-tour. By playing over 20 songs at each concert, Price also performed a solo song, O Lucky Man. In 1984 they split again. They released a last album, "Rip It To Shreds - Greatest Hits Live", from the concert at the Wembley Stadium in London.

In 1992 Lindsay Anderson included a touching episode in his autobiographical BBC film Is That All There Is?, with a boat trip down the River Thames to scatter Jill Bennett's funeral ashes on the waters while Price accompanied himself and sang the song Is That All There Is?.

He acted in Alfie Darling, a less than stellar sequel to the film Alfie, in the course of which he became romantically involved with his co-star, Jill Townsend. He has written music for stage plays and films, including The Whales of August.

For the past 20 years Alan Price has continued to regularly tour the UK, both on his own, and sometimes in 60's revues with groups such as Manfred Mann, The Searchers and The Hollies.

Awards

1974: Golden Globe for O Lucky Man! - Nomination
1974: Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music for O Lucky Man

Filmography

Britannia Hospital, Soundtrack
Alfie Darling (1975), Alfie Elkins, Soundtrack
O Lucky Man! (1973), Alan, Soundtrack
Don't Look Back (1967), Himself

TV appearances

The Dangerous Christmas of Red Riding Hood (1965) (a television movie), Wolf
Ready, Steady, Go! - in the episode dated 9 December 1966 (as Alan Price Set)
Behind The Music - Himself ((1999)
Disco (TV series) - in Episode #1.5 (as Price and Fame) (1971)
Heartbeat (TV series) - Frankie Rio (a "shifty" musician) - in the episode "In the Bleak Midwinter" (2004)
''The Two Ronnies - Himself (1972) 8 Episodes