When Eric Burdon takes the stage as the headliner for this weekend’s Hoboken Arts and Music Festival, you might remember him as the guy who made famous the song “We’ve got to get out of this place,” arguably the most consistent anthem of graduating high school seniors for the last 40 years. And getting out of this place seems to be something Burdon does a lot of.
“I’ve been on tour since I was 17 years old,” Burdon said. “Not necessarily in a band, but I was in Paris in 1958 when I was 17, when there was a civil war.”
The place Burdon calls home, Joshua Tree, Calif., is not much more than a crossroads in a California desert itself.
Burdon is best known for fronting the 1960s rock and roll group the Animals, and then the 1970s multicultural funk super group, War.
My Secret Life
Burdon has just released his first solo album in over 20 years, My Secret Life.
“I wrote about 70 percent of the songs,” Burdon said. “It was quite a lengthy project.”
My Secret Life was conceived on a 1999 trip to Brazil at the coaxing of Burdon’s friend Marcello Nova, a DJ, musician and big Animals fan.
“He was ragging on me in a friendly kind of way that it was about time to write a new album,” Burdon said. “So I sent him some lyrics, and he put some music to the lyrics.”
Burdon and Nova ended up in New York City looking for a studio before settling for a backstreet operation in Jersey City.
“We put down a song called the ‘Devil’s on the Loose,'” said Burdon. “I changed it over the years and it became ‘Devil’s Slide.’ That was the root of the album.”
Burdon used a slew of players on My Secret Life. Town Brownangel, drummer from Burdon’s band in the ’80s, produced and played drums on the album. Brownangel brought in musicians from his own little black book from as far away as New Orleans and Los Angeles. Burdon said that Brownangel also had a way of making him feel comfortable in the studio.
“When a producer says ‘I don’t like what you did,’ he’s not talking about an instrument; he’s talking about you,” Burdon said. “It’s difficult to work with a vocalist, and he was the right guy for the job.”
Prior to My Secret Life, Burdon had been involved in soundtrack work and producing other bands, and of course, touring.
The Arts Festival
On Sunday, Burdon and his band will be billed as Eric Burdon and the Animals, although nobody in the band is from the original lineup.
“I just went to bat and took the name back, so I’ll be using that name for the road band for whatever configuration it is,” Burdon said. “It’s more of a heads-up for people who wouldn’t normally come to an Eric Burdon show. Plus, the name of the Animals was dragged through the mud several times, and it was angering people because I wasn’t with the band. The band I’m with now has been with me about three times the length of the original Animals. The original was only from 1964 to 1966. My bass player [David Meros] has been with me for 11 years.”
Burdon also helped bring together the band War along with harmonica great Lee Oskar. Burdon fronted the group until 1971. War was known for its funky world music sound, integrating soul, Latin, jazz, blues reggae, and rock.
“I think music is all about conversations with other cultures,” said Burdon. “I’m attracted to anything that is mixing up cultures. I like stuff in foreign languages, so I don’t even know what they’re talking about. It’s the imagery.”
Burdon says people can expect some of his new songs, some old, and some world music at the Arts Festival, including a reggae version of “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood.”
” ‘Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood’ is one of those songs that can be cut a thousand different ways,” Burdon said. “In Germany, I’m doing a TV show and I’m doing the original version that was recorded by Nina Simone. It doesn’t matter how you cut it; it’s a great song.”
Sidebar: Hoboken Arts & Music Festival ADMISSION IS FREE Sunday, Sept. 19 Washington Street – Observer Highway to Seventh Street 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. featuring over 300 artists, sculptors, photographers, and craftspeople. Lots of great food. Children’s area on Third street with rides, games, ponies, petting zoo, face painting, balloons, live performances and clowns. SCHEDULE IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE Sixth Street Stage Noon to 12:30 p.m. Songs from Godspell – DeBaun Auditorium Production 12:35 p.m. – 12:45 p.m. Complete Works of William Shakespeare 1:15 p.m. – 2 p.m. José Conde & Ola Fresco 2:15 p.m. – 3 p.m. Gene D. Plumber 3:15 p.m. – 4 p.m. Kate Jacobs 4:15 p.m. – 5 p.m. The Moonlighters 5:15 p.m. – 6 p.m. Ray Medina & Orchesta C2 – Latin, Salsa Third Street Stage Noon to 12:30 p.m. Dr. Planet 12:45 to 1:15 p.m. The Waggles – A Tribute to the Wiggles 1:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. Dr. Planet 2:15 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. The Waggles – A Tribute to the Wiggles 3:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Dawn Allynne’ Silly Critter Talk 3:45 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. The Waggles – A Tribute to the Wiggles 4:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Dawn Allynne’ Silly Critter Talk 5:15 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. Observer Highway Stage Noon to 12:30 p.m. 2 Gangs Monday 12:45 p.m. to 1:15 p.m. ICE WAGON FLU 1;30 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. Tin Huey 2:30 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. BILL MCGARVEY 3:30 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. The Fleshtones 4:45 p.m. to 6 p.m. Eric Burdon & the Animals The lawn in front of DeBaun Auditorium – Fifth & Hudson Streets 4 p.m. Theatrical performance – The Complete Works of William Shakespeare The festival will take place rain or shine, but if it starts to rain, Eric Burdon & the Animals will perform at DeBaun Auditorium located on Fifth & Hudson Streets in Hoboken at approximately 5 p.m.. If interested, call (201) 420-2207 or e-mail gfallo@att.net.