"Chuck was responsible for a big part of [influencing] the British bands � the Stones, the Beatles, everybody," Burdon recently told Radio.com.

But when the Animals were on a package tour with a number of other artists all opening for Berry, Burdon noticed that every band on the bill was playing Chuck's riffs and his songs. This inspired him to go a different direction completely.

"I realized every other band was playing Chuck Berry-related songs� on a Chuck Berry tour!" Burdon explained. "I wanted to do something really different. I was thinking blues. I knew one and a half verses to 'House Of The Rising Sun.'"

When he heard Bob Dylan's version of the traditional folk song, the idea clicked in his head to have the Animals do their own take on it. However, Burdon merely didn't resist Berry's musical influence; he ignored personal advice from the legend himself.

"I knew he [Berry] had a reputation for being a rude, bad guy. And he was so nice to me, man! He took me out to dinner one day. He said to me, 'Keep your main money wad in your sock, and keep just a couple of dollars in your wallet. And don't let booze and drugs tempt you like they did me!"

He laughs, recalling the conversation: "Of course I didn't take any notice whatsoever!" - See who else influenced him.

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