RIP Hilton Valentine

Bill Ashton

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Animals guitarist that launched a million teens into playing, with his riff to House Of The Rising Sun...done actually with a Gretsch through a Selmer amp. Nice guy, living in the New Haven area I believe.

Will be playing all Animals all day today in his memory...

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Bill Ashton

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Thank you Ralph!

I had the occasion to see one of his rare solo gigs in New Haven, CT maybe 20 years ago, but was discouraged
by a friend as the area was trouble. Seeing this second video, I am looking at my guitar teacher Johnny Moore who passed in 2010, near replica :(

Virtually my first internet encounter in probably '97/'98 was with Hilton. Just by chance, but I jumped on the chance to "speak" with him. He told me of the Gretsch/Selmer connection, and that at the current time he was playing a Telecaster (walnut finish w/ f-hole) through a Fender Hot Rod (4-10"). I reacted with surprise that he had not used a Vox AC30, and he responded that he would like to play through one, if I would send him one. :);)
 

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Man ... The Animals were great. In an era when so many bands were not allowed to play on their own records because of the requirement to get things in as few takes as possible, The Animals were an exception. No ... "OK ... Take 72 ... 1 2 3 4 ... Oh F! OK from the top, again. Take 73." They could play well live - they could play in the studio. I suspect this was because of the discipline of Alan Price.

Never a flashy band. Always just exactly what was necessary, just enough of the right stuff to get the job done and done well.

I would like to "like" the two posts above, but somehow, good as the posts are, like is not how I feel at the moment.

The Animals and friends:

 
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Bill Ashton

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...that video has to be of "Steampacket," bought their LP in Amsterdam in 1972! Never seen a film or video, except a quick clip in German class (Deutschland Spiegle...yeah, sp I know :(), late '60's high school...which is why I bought the LP!

Correction: Many "Steampacket" personnel, but maybe not that band formally...for those wondering, the bloke stage left playing the Ric is Hilton Valentine...
 
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Canard

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...that video has to be of "Steampacket," bought their LP in Amsterdam in 1972! Never seen a film or video, except a quick clip in German class (Deutschland Spiegle...yeah, sp I know :(), late '60's high school...which is why I bought the LP!

Correction: Many "Steampacket" personnel, but maybe not that band formally...for those wondering, the bloke stage left playing the Ric is Hilton Valentine...

The core of the band is The Animals. Burdon gets more turns at the mic than the others. They are his guests on stage. But you are also correct in that Steam Packet is on stage, too.

The 5th National Jazz and Blues Festival, Richmond, London, 1965



Also with Winwood, Baldry, (Jools) Driscoll :love:, and Rod the Mod
 

shihan

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The Animals were my favorite British invasion band by far back then. So many great songs and a tough, easily identifiable group sound.
By chance, I heard ‘House of the Rising Sun’ recently on the radio. Still packs a heavyweight wallop. A perfect record, with a perfect guitar part. You done good, Hilton.
 

Aristera

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For those who don't know who Hilton Valentine was I'm sure you've played his iconic riff. He was the guitarist on the Animals House of the Rising Sun.
 

Prince of Darkness

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Man ... The Animals were great. In an era when so many bands were not allowed to play on their own records because of the requirement to get things in as few takes as possible, The Animals were an exception. No ... "OK ... Take 72 ... 1 2 3 4 ... Oh F! OK from the top, again. Take 73." They could play well live - they could play in the studio. I suspect this was because of the discipline of Alan Price.

Never a flashy band. Always just exactly what was necessary, just enough of the right stuff to get the job done and done well.

I would like to "like" the two posts above, but somehow, good as the posts are, like is not how I feel at the moment.

The Animals and friends:


Not many people made Chas Chandler look small, but Long John Baldry absolutely towers over him!
 

Canard

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As a kid, the hard part wasn't playing The Animals' songs. They were perfect garage band fare. The hard part was playing them well. Every kid with a guitar could play House of the Rising Sun. How well? .... hmm ...

1963 - Live with Sonnyboy Williamson
Love Burdon's Geordie Boy accent, something he later lost a bit


1964 - The first studio album, The Animals
 

zulu

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Everyone who ever played that riff should've given him a dollar. Myself included! Surely he wasn't ever compensated properly compared with how iconic a riff.

Is there a more iconic rock guitar riff?
 

Canard

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House of the Rising Sun - Musicology veer:

Dave VanRonk:


The first arrangement of a trad song that approaches The Animals's version.

He made the mistake of playing it for Bob Dylan who immediately headed off to the studio with it and recorded it before VanRonk could

Bob:


Dylan went to the UK in 1962. He was shepherded around by the likes of Bert Jansch. The Animals probably got the song from hearing Dylan's version.
 
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