Chas Chandler

Bryan James "Chas" Chandler (18 December 1938 – 17 July 1996) was an English musician, record producer, manager and the original bassist in the Animals, for which he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994. He also managed the Jimi Hendrix Experience and Slade.

Chandler was born in Heaton, Newcastle. After leaving school, he worked as a turner in the Tyneside shipyards. He became the bass player with The Alan Price Trio in 1962.

After Eric Burdon joined the band, the Alan Price Trio was renamed The Animals. Chandler's bass lines were rarely given critical attention but some, including the opening riff of the group's 1965 hit "We Gotta Get Out of This Place" subsequently received praise. Chandler was also the most prominent of the group's backing vocalists and did occasional songwriting with Burdon. In 1966, despite commercial success, Chandler became disillusioned with the lack of money, recalling that, "We toured non-stop for three years, doing 300 gigs a year and we hardly got a penny." The original line-up dissolved in September 1966, and Burdon formed a new line-up known as "Eric Burdon and the Animals".

In 1977, Chandler played and recorded with the original members of The Animals during a brief reunion and he joined them again for a further revival in 1983, at which point he sold his business interests, in order to concentrate on being a musician.

Chandler, with all but lead singer Eric Burdon of the classic members, was present at the band's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994.

Biography summary from English Wikipedia, photograph via Wikimedia Commons.