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danny handley

  •  animals 2026 danny johnDanny Handley with drummer John Steel. Mandy Tzaras photo.

    WORDS: Robert Brokenmouth
    IMAGES: Mandy Tzaras

    By now you'll have got over your Blue vs. Red US mid-term election hangover and are looking for a decent band to go and see. Try The Animals.

    Despite announcing their 60th anniversary farewell tour two years back, it seems the band - particularly, original Animals member John Steel - seems reluctant to quit, and they're back in Australia for another long string of gigs. You may find this cynical, but the best rock bands are built to play live. Engage with their audience. People tell me how much the Stones love to play live: I call bullshit, they've hardly been a touring band for decades.

    For those who still hold out for Eric Burdon, it's worth recalling that in 1960 Steel was a founder member of The Alan Price Combo(with Price, Hilton Valentine and Chas Chandler) who  morphed into The Animals two years later, when Burdon joined from The Pagans. While the band split in 1966, since 1977, on and off, Steel has been playing with or as The Animals/ The Animals and Friends, and since 1993 has rarely been off the road. Seems the man - and his band - are addicted to playing live. 

  • danny hadley epTwo Hundred and Ten - Danny Handley (digital release)

    "My demon's always been a chancer/ Get up and don't get caught"

    Danny Handley is the guitarist and compelling singer in The Animals and Friends. They're on tour around Australia at the moment. If you get even a quarter of a chance, go see them. They're great fun, and right now, what with half the country either still burning or about to burn, I'd say that (aside from grieving) the one thing which will lift your spirits is music, and The Animals & Chums do that.

    Danny Handley is a huge frontman. He's been gifted with an immaculate, easy-to-conjure voice, a relaxed and engaging personality, the confiding air of the practised showman. Oh, the bastard has one of those effortless talents on the guitar, too. Not that I'm jealous (oh, no).

    His style is a bit more modern than the original Animals, with distinct shades of sweet blues - and I should explain that I usually detest this style. In person, in Danny Handley's hands, these blues are absolutely beautiful.

  • The Animals and Friends Danny Handley 15 18715569208

    Everyone thinks they know about “The Sixties” and of course the further away we get, the muddier it all seems. English R'n'B - or, if you like, English interpretations of R'n'B - set the world alight and we've never been the same since. Pop became tougher, bands wrote their own songs; thousands of bands around the world formed as a result - and the follow-on effects are still felt today. 

    Today, few of the musicians who helped detonate that ground-zero remain; even fewer remain playing live. Along with, say, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, one who regularly presents himself to crowds is John Steel, the original drummer for The Animals, who is bringing The Animals And Friends to Australia again. 

    It takes a band of high quality to present these songs. The guitarist and lead singer is Danny Handley.He joined Robert Brokenmouth at the Bar.

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The Living Eye


Right eye

Negative Approach (US)
Australian Tour
NOV
6 - Vinnies Dive Bar, Southport, QLD
7 - The Brightside, Brisbane, QLD
8 - Black Box Theatre, Nambour, QLD
Tickets

Shonen Knife (Japan)
“Re-cuttin’ Australia/NZ 2026”
NOV
1 - King Street, Newcastle, NSW
+ Turnstyle + Media Puzzle + Nursery Crimes
24 - Trash Cult, Eaglehawk, VIC
7 – 8 Tidal Sounds Music Festival
w/ Hard-Ons, Bodyjar, The Porkers,
Youth Group, The Grogans + Peach Fur and more
Hoey Moey, Coffs Harbour, NSW

New Christs
NOV
21 - The Brightside, Brisbane, QLD
+ Suicide Country Hour
+  Mick Medew & The Ursula 4

The Bawdies (JP)
“This Is The Party” Australian Tour
6 - Factory Floor, Sydney, NSW
+ PocketWatch + Jupiter 5
7 - River Rocks 2026, Geelong, VIC
8 - Bergy Bandroom, Brunswick, VIC
Tickets

Joeys Coop
NOV 
29 - Junk Bar, Brisbane, QLD (arvo)

The Cribs (UK)
"Selling A Vibe" Australian Tour
OCT
4 - 170 Russell, Melbourne, VIC
5 - Factory Theatre, Sydney, NSW
6 - The Triffid, Brisbane, QLD
8 - Rosemount Hotel, Perth, WA

The Exploding Universe of Ed Kuepper
Ed Kuepper 50 Years Retrospective
RESCHEDULED
NOV
4 - Adelaide, The Gov, SA
5 - Melbourne, National Theatre, VIC 
6 – Geelong, Barwon Heads Hotel, VIC
7 - Sydney, Factory Theatre, NSW
(matinee & evening shows)
13 - Fremantle, Freo Social, WA
15 - Brisbane, Princess Theatre, QLD
Tickets

Reverend Horton Heat (US)
Australian Tour
NOV
11 - Crowbar, Brisbane, QLD
+ The Linelockers
+ Jake & The Cadillacs
+ DJ Lori Lee
12 - The Gov, Adelaide, SA
+ The Satellites
13 - Factory Theatre, Sydney, NSW
+ The Johnnys + Pat Capocci
14 - Croxton Bandroom, Melbourne, VIC
+ The Johnnys
+ Ezra Lee & Jumpin' Jethro
15 - Theatre Royal, Castlemaine, VIC
+ The Johnnys

Hoodoo Gurus
"Rewind Tour - All Killer, No Filler"
+ Ratcat + The Stems
NOV
28 - Hindley Street Music Hall, Adelaide, SA
DEC
1 - Ice Cream Factory, Perth, WA
5 - Tumbalong Park, Sydney, NSW
6 - Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne, VIC
11 - Fortitude Music Hall, Brisbane, QLD
16 - Odeon Theatre, Hobart, TAS

The Saints 73-78
UK Tour with The Damned
NOV
25 - Brighton, Dome
27 - London, British Airways ARC
28 - Bristol, Beacon
30 - Manchester, Academy
DEC
1 - Newcastle, O2 City Hall
2 - Derby, Vaillant Live Derby
5 - Birmingham, O2 Academy

The Saints 73-78
Australian Tour
JAN
21 - Newcastle, King St
+ Chimers
22 - Sydney, Metro
+ Antenna
23 - Wollongong, Waves
+ The New Christs
29 - Brisbane, Tivoli
+ Tape / Off
30 - Gold Coast, Miami Marketta
+ Mick Medew & The Ursula 4
FEB
2 - Perth, Astor
+ Last Quokka
4 - Barwon Heads, Barwon Heads Hotel
+ dB4
5 - Melbourne, Croxton
+ Public Figures

 Public Image Ltd
Australia and NZ
JAN
20 - Auckland, Powerstation
22 - Brisbane, The Tivoli
23 - Sydney, Enmore Theatre
24 - Melbourne, The Forum
26 – Adelaide, The Gov
28 - Perth, The Astor

"Superpussy 2"
The Supersuckers
+ Nashville Pussy
+ Nine Pound Hammer
FEB 2027
18 - Crowbar, Brisbane, QLD
19 - Mo's Desert Clubhouse, Gold Coast, QLD
20 - Crowbar, Sydney, NSW
24 - Ed Castle, Adelaide, SA
26 - Barwon Club, Geelong, VIC
27 - Croxton Bandroom, Melbourne, VIC
28 - Young Street Tavern, Frankston, VIC

Respect The Rock Australian Tour
The Hellacopters + Gluecifier
MARCH
17 – Brisbane, The Triffid
18 – Sydney, Manning Bar
19 – Melbourne, The Croxton
20 – Adelaide, Ed Castle
Tickets

 

 

 

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