Alan Price

Alan Price (born 19 April 1942, Fatfield, Washington, County Durham) is an English musician, best known as the original keyboardist for the British band The Animals and for his subsequent solo work.

Price was educated at Jarrow Grammar School, South Tyneside. He is a self-taught musician and was a founding member of the Tyneside group the Alan Price Rhythm and Blues Combo, which was later renamed The Animals. His organ-playing on songs by The Animals, such as "House of the Rising Sun", "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood", and "Bring It On Home To Me" was a key element in the group's success.

After leaving the Animals, Price went on to have success on his own with his own band Alan Price Set and later with Georgie Fame. He introduced the songs of Randy Newman to a wider audience. Later, he appeared on his own television show, as well as achieving success with film scores including winning critical acclaim for his musical contribution to the 1973 film O Lucky Man!, and wrote the score to the stage musical Andy Capp. In addition, he has appeared as an actor in films and television productions.

Career
Price formed The Animals in 1962 and left the band in 1965 to form the Alan Price Set, with the line-up of Price, Clive Burrows (baritone saxophone), Steve Gregory (tenor saxophone), John Walters (trumpet), Peter Kirtley (guitar), Rod "Boots" Slade (bass), and "Little" Roy Mills (drums). In the same year, he appeared in the movie Dont Look Back, which was filmed featuring Bob Dylan on tour in the UK.

During 1966, he enjoyed singles success with "I Put A Spell On You", which reached No. 9 in the UK singles chart, and "Hi-Lili, Hi-Lo", which reached No. 11 in the same chart. In 1967 the Randy Newman song "Simon Smith and His Amazing Dancing Bear", reached No. 4 in the chart as did and his self penned song, "The House That Jack Built". "Don't Stop the Carnival" followed in 1968 and rose to No. 13 in the UK singles charts.

Price went on to host shows such as the musical Price To Play in the late 1960s, which featured Price performing and introducing the music of guests such as Fleetwood Mac and Jimi Hendrix. His second album, A Price On His Head (1967), featured seven songs by Randy Newman, who was virtually unknown at that time. In August 1967, he appeared with The Animals at the Hippie "Love-in", in the grounds of Woburn Abbey.

A later association with Georgie Fame resulted in "Rosetta", which became a Top 20 hit (1971), reaching No. 11 in the UK Singles Chart. An album followed, Fame and Price, Price and Fame Together. During this period Price and Fame secured a regular slot on The Two Ronnies show produced by BBC Television also appearing on the Morecambe and Wise Show. He recorded the autobiographical album Between Today and Yesterday (1974) from which the single "Jarrow Song" was taken, returning Price to the UK singles chart at number 6.

Price participated in three reunions of The Animals between 1968 and 1984. In July 1983, The Animals started their last world tour. Price's solo performance of "O Lucky Man" was included in their set. In 1984, they broke up for the final time and the album Rip It To Shreds — Greatest Hits Live was released, comprising recordings from their concert at Wembley Stadium in London.

Price recorded two albums with the Electric Blues Company featuring guitarist and vocalist Bobby Tench and keyboardist Zoot Money, the first Covers was recorded in 1994. A Gigster's Life for Me followed in 1996 and was recorded as part of Sanctuary's Blues Masters Series.

In 2009 Price was still touring the UK with his own band and others including the Manfreds, Maggie Bell and Bobby Tench.

Film, stage and TV
Price has been closely involved with the work of film director Lindsay Anderson. In 1973, he wrote the music for Anderson's film O Lucky Man!, which he performs on screen in the film and appears as himself in one part of the storyline. In 1987, he wrote the score to Anderson's final film, The Whales of August.

He acted in Alfie Darling, a sequel to the film Alfie, during the course of which he became romantically involved with his co-star, Jill Townsend. He also composed and sang the theme tune to the 1982 film adaptation of The Plague Dogs, "Time and Tide".

In 1981, he composed the score for the musical Andy Capp, based on the eponymous comic strip. Price also wrote the lyrics, together with the actor Trevor Peacock. The play transferred from the Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester to London's Aldwych Theatre in September 1982. Price later provided the theme to Thames Television's 1988 sitcom adaptation of Andy Capp in the form of a rewritten "Jarrow Song". Other TV theme work includes a re-recorded version of his 1974 single "Papers", which was used as the theme tune to the successful LWT situation comedy Hot Metal.

In 1992, 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 Rachel Roberts & Jill Bennett's ashes on the waters while Price accompanied himself and sang the song "Is That All There Is?".

Film appearances

 * Britannia Hospital, Soundtrack
 * Alfie Darling (1975), Alfie Elkins, Soundtrack
 * O Lucky Man! (1973), Alan, Soundtrack
 * Dont Look Back (1967), Himself

TV appearances

 * Ready, Steady, Go! — as the Alan Price Set (9 December 1966)
 * Beat Club — 1967-68
 * Disco (TV series) — Episode No. 1.5 as Price and Fame (1971)
 * Heartbeat (UK TV series) — Frankie Rio (a "shifty" musician) "In the Bleak Midwinter" (2004)
 * The Two Ronnies — as himself (1972) eight episodes
 * Saturday Night Live — as himself (April 1977)

Singles

 * Any Day Now / Never Be Sick On Sunday (1965, Alan Price Set)
 * I Put a Spell on You/ Iechyd-Da (1966, Alan Price Set) (#9 UK/#80 US)
 * Hi-Lili, Hi-Lo/ Take Me Home (1966, Alan Price Set) (#11 UK)
 * Willow Weep For Me / Yours Until Tomorrow (1966, Alan Price Set)
 * Simon Smith and the Amazing Dancing Bear/ Tickle Me (1967, Alan Price Set) (#4 UK)
 * The House That Jack Built / Who Cares (1967, Alan Price Set) (#4 UK)
 * Shame / Don't Do That Again (1967, Alan Price Set) (#45 UK)
 * Don't Stop The Carnival / The Time Has Come (1968, Alan Price Set) (#13 UK)
 * When I Was a Cowboy / Tappy Tortise (1968)
 * Love Story / My Old Kentucky Home (1968)
 * The Trimdon Grange Explosion / Falling In Love Again (1969)
 * Falling in Love Again / Sly Sadie (1969, Cotillion (US release))
 * Sunshine and Rain (The Name of the Game) / Is There Anybody Out There? (1970)
 * Rosetta / John And Mary (1971, Alan Price and Georgie Fame) (#11 UK)
 * Follow Me / Sergeant Jobsworth (1971, Alan Price and Georgie Fame)
 * Don’t Hit Me When I’m Down / Street Lights (1973, Alan Price and Georgie Fame)
 * O Lucky Man! / Pastoral (1973)
 * O Lucky Man! / Poor People (1973)
 * Poor People / Arrival (1973)
 * Jarrow Song / Look At My Face (1974) (#6 UK)
 * In Times Like These / Sell Sell (1974)
 * Mama Divine / It's Not Easy (1975)
 * Papers / Mama Divine (1975)
 * Papers / A Little Inch (1975)
 * Goodnight Irene / Spanish Harlem (1976)
 * Kissed Away the Night / Ladybird / Hungry for Love (1976, Polydor)
 * Rainbow's End / I Love You Too (1977, Jet Records)
 * I Wanna Dance / Life Is Good (Alan Price and Rob Hoeke) (1977, Jet)
 * I've Been Hurt / The Thrill (1977, Jet)
 * This Is Your Lucky Day / Mama Don't Go Home (1977, Jet)
 * Meet The People / It Will Please Me (1977, Jet)
 * I Almost Lost My Mind (1977, Alan Price and Rob Hoeke, Polydor)
 * Just For You / I Wanna Dance (1978)
 * Just For You / I'm A Gambler (1978) (#43 UK)
 * England My England / Citizens of the World Unite (1978)
 * I Love You Too/          (1978)
 * Baby Of Mine / Just For You (1979, red heart-shaped vinyl) (#32 UK)
 * The House Of The Rising Sun / Wake Up! (1980, Jet)
 * Love You True / Mr. Sunbeam (1980, Jet)
 * When My Little Girl Is Smiling / The Great Pretender (1980, Key Records)
 * Beat Out Dat Rhythm On A Drum / Geordie Melody (1980, Key Records)
 * Love is a Miracle / Dear Piano (1981, Key Records)
 * Down At World’s End / Rubik Blues (1981, B-side by the Alan Price Band, BBC Records)
 * I Don’t Feel No Pain No More / Rowf and Snitter Run To the Sea - 1982, CBS)
 * Clair De Lune / In Times Like These (1984, Safari Records)
 * Jarrow Song '86 / Between Today And Yesterday '86 (1986)
 * Guess Who / Slow Down (1986, Trojan Records)
 * Papers / Frozen Moments (1986, Trojan)
 * Changes / Vegetable (Come and Get It) / The Jarrow Song (remix) (1988, Ariola) (3-tracked 12-inch single, also on CD)
 * Liberty / Say it isn't True (1989, Ariola Records)
 * Fool's In Love / Man Overboard (1989, Ariola)
 * Changes (1989, Ariola) (#56 UK)
 * Love Is A Miracle (2001, Key Records)

undated:
 * I Put A Spell On You / Simon Smith and the Amazing Dancing Bear - (Decca)
 * Shame / Africa
 * Rosetta / The Ballad of Bonnie and Clyde (Alan Price and Georgie Fame)
 * Wild World

Albums

 * The Price to Play The Alan Price Set (Decca) 1966
 * A Price on His Head (Decca) 1967
 * This Price is Right (Parrot) 1968
 * Fame and Price, Price and Fame: Together! w/Georgie Fame (CBS) 1971
 * O Lucky Man! (Warner Bros.) 1973 — US no. 117
 * Savaloy Dip (Reprise) 1974 - never officially released
 * Between Today and Yesterday (Warner Bros.) 1974 — UK no. 9
 * Metropolitan Man (Polydor) 1975
 * Performing Price Live (Polydor) 1975
 * Shouts Across the Street (Polydor) 1976
 * Alan Price (Polydor) 1977 — US no. 187
 * Two Of A Kind (with Rob Hoeke) - Polydor 1977
 * Rainbow's End (Jet) 1977
 * England My England (Jet) 1978
 * Lucky Day (Jet) 1979
 * Rising Sun (Jet) 1980
 * Andy Capp (Key Records) 1982
 * Geordie Roots & Branches (MWM Productions) 1983
 * A Gigster's Life for Me (Indigo/Sanctuary Blues Masters) 1996
 * A Rock 'N' Roll Night at the Royal Court ... (Edsel) 2001
 * Willow Weep for Me (Magic) 2001
 * Based on a True Story (Apaloosa) 2002
 * Geordie Boy: The Anthology (Castle Music) 2002

Awards

 * 1974 Golden Globe nomination for O Lucky Man!
 * 1974 BAFTA (Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music) O Lucky Man