THE ANIMALS are the British band who recorded the most famous version of House of the Rising Sun - topping the UK and American charts.

That was way back in 1964.

Now, more than 50 years later, two of the band members will be performing that hit - plus many others - when they perform at Otley Courthouse on Saturday, December 8.

Founder member John Steel and organ and keyboards player Mickey Gallagher, whose association with The Animals stretches back to 1965, will be playing the show as part of Animals and Friends.

The Animals notched up more than 20 global top ten hit records during their career and fans can also expect to hear the likes of We Gotta Get Out Of This Place, Boom Boom, Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood and I Put A Spell On You when they take the stage at the Courthouse.

Formed in Newcastle upon Tyne in the early Sixties, the group became one of the country’s biggest rhythm and blues outfits and were renowned for their bluesy sound and soulful singer, Eric Burdon.

With their take on House of the Rising Sun (originally a folk song) they became only the second British group, following the Beatles, to reach number one in the USA’s charts.

John Steel, who with Eric Burdon first started plying his trade in and around Tyneside back in 1957, celebrated his 55th year as a performing musician in 2012.

His message for anyone coming to the Otley show is simple - ‘get ready to boogie!’.

The Courthouse performance by Animals and Friends starts at 8pm and tickets cost £20. They can be booked by visiting www.otleycourthouse.org.uk, calling (01943) 467466 or popping into the Courthouse, on Courthouse Street.