Formed by Eric Burdon in October 1966 following the break-up of the original Animals, it included Burdon and Barry Jenkins, plus new sidemen John Weider (guitar/violin/bass - later a member of Family), Vic Briggs (guitar/piano) and Danny McCulloch (bass).

The band took a very different musical direction to the original Animals. The hard-driving blues was transformed into Burdon's version of psychedelia, when he relocated to California, with hits including San Franciscan Nights.

There were further changes to this line-up: Zoot Money was added on keyboards in April 1968, and in July 1968 Andy Summers (later of the Police) replaced Briggs and McCulloch on guitar. By 1969 these Animals had dissolved, and Burdon joined forces with a Latin group from Long Beach, California called War.