I usually spend my days knee-deep in distortion and blast beats — chasing the thunder of heavy music, the guttural roars and riff-laden chaos that define our world. But before there was death, doom, or distortion pedals, there was The Animals. They laid the blueprint — grit, groove, rebellion, and soul. The foundation stones of everything that would later become “heavy.”
Now, as The Animals prepare for their Final Curtain Australian Tour, I had the absolute honor of sitting down with John Steel, the man who’s been behind the kit since day one — the last original member still carrying the fire from those smoky Newcastle clubs all the way to the world stage. We talked legacy, rhythm, the long road of rock ’n’ roll, and what it means to take one final bow in front of Australian audiences who’ve kept the spirit alive for over six decades.
This isn’t just another nostalgia act — it’s living history. It’s the heartbeat that helped start the revolution.
Watch the full interview now, and feel the echo of where it all began.
This is the gospel.
I bite crowd surfers.
killer.
