John Steel (born 4 February 1941) is an English musician who is the long-serving drummer for the British rock band the Animals. Having served as the band's drummer at its inception in 1963, he is the only original band member playing in the current incarnation of the Animals. He was inducted with the band into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994.
Early life
John Steel was the youngest of four children. He attended Gateshead Grammar School. As a child, he and his siblings took piano lessons, though only Steel would go on to have a career in music. Growing up, Steel was exposed to records from Bing Crosby, Al Jolson, Fats Waller and Sid Phillips.
Career
Early career
Steel started his career as a musician while still in school around 1957. He met the future lead singer of the Animals, Eric Burdon, while they were studying together at the Newcastle College of Art and Industrial Design. After the college and before forming the band, he obtained a job in the drawing office of an aircraft company, which he later labelled "awful".
His main instrument at this time was the trumpet, which was the instrument he played in the first group that he and Burdon were in together. Steel's musical influences initially came from traditional jazz, but he later drew influence from modern jazz. When he transitioned to drums, Steel admired jazz drummers such as Elvin Jones and Art Blakey. They switched from jazz to embrace the new rock 'n' roll explosion.