Another Reader Writes... on The Animals!

Dear Carl,

Many thanks for your recent article on this book which I read a little while ago.  Although I am of a different churchmanship [CRT: there is only one churchmanship; if you are of a different one....] and am unacquainted with some of the background, this is indeed a very sad book. [CRT –- I agree.]

However (and turning from the serious issues), I was cheered to see the album cover of The Animals. [CRT – I thought you said you were turning from the serious issues?  Are we talking about the same band here? I mean THE Eric Burdon, THE Alan Price, THE Animals]. Living in Newcastle during that era was definitely a pop music experience. [CRT: I'm glad you think being located in Newcastle with a heartbeat can be described as 'living'.  I can think of other, more accurate,  words for it].  A classmate lived round the corner from one of The Animals [CRT: We are not worthy!  The Alan Price organ break in 'House of the Rising Sun' -- 1' 48" mark -- is one of the greatest moments in pop music].  A master at the school had previously taught at a school Hank Marvin attended, [CRT: Hey, I went to the same school as one of the cellists in ELO.  Not, I should stress, Violinski – that is a vicious rumour being put around by the Top Men to destroy my credibility] and that master gave Hank his first stringed instrument, or so the story went. [CRT: For which we can all be grateful.  Now, you don’t happen to know who gave Reg Dwight his first piano, do you?  I’d like a word with that particular do-gooder….] And when I first played the guitar in public (ghastly), people occasionally enquired whether I had seen the Knopfler brothers.  I used to ask 'Who are they?' [CRT: And you claim to be a Tynesider?]- now we know! [CRT: Indeed.  DS was the most uncool but manificent band in the world.  Telegraph Road contains, in my humble West Countryman's opinion, one of the few truly great guitar solos.]

All the best,  [CRT:Likewise, my Geordie friend!]