Is singer Eric Burdon still performing or writing songs?
—Fran Sanders, Kalispell, Mont.
Yes, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member Burdon—lead singer of the 1960s British pop group The Animals ("House of the Rising Sun," "We Gotta Get Out of This Place," "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood") and later the '70s funk powerhouse band War ("Spill the Wine," "The Cisco Kid," "Why Can't We Be Friends")—remains very active in music. He recently released a blues album, Soul of a Man, and is rehearsing for an upcoming world tour. Burdon, 67, loves the freedom of his life now, as opposed to the '60s. "I didn't quite like that period," he confesses. "All of the freedom I had experienced earlier was taken away from me when I ended up in a commercial product known as The Animals. We were told by management, ‘You can't do this, you can't do that.' Now I have control over what I do."
