Animal Crackers
Birmingham, Michigan

1965-1969

 

Doug Booth came from a group called the Talismen. After the Animal Crackers he played with the Solway Firth and a jazz trio with Doug Den Uyl and Larry Westcott.
Doug Den Uyl had no pre-band connections. Post-Animal Crackers he played with Doug Booth and Larry Westcott in the trio. He wrote some music for another band also, but the name escapes him.
Larry Westcott played in a band called We Five prior to the Animal Crackers.
Bob Balsley played and sang for the Soul Survivors (not the recording group), in Junior High School.

Personnel:
Doug Booth - Lead Guitar
Richard Areen - Guitar/Vocals
Bob Balsley - Lead Vocals/Bass
Larry Westcott - Drums/Vocals
Doug Den Uyl - Organ/Vocals

Influences:
Besides Motown, the bands in Detroit divided into "grease" and "frat" bands when we were playing. We would be in the latter category. In that vein, we did a lot of "British Invasion" stuff as our setlist shows, but we also did some stuff that grease bands would do (e.g.. Louie, Louie, and probably other Kingsmen stuff too). The Kinks, Who, Animals and Stones were probably the groups we covered most often.

Setlist Sample:
We Gotta Get Out Of This Place, Till The End Of the Day, Last Time, Too Much To Dream, Just Like Me, Ain't Got Nothin' Yet, Wild Thing, Dirty Water, Don't Let The Sun Catch You Cryin', Sounds Of Silence, Time Won't Let Me, Well Respected Man, Wine and Dine 69 (original), Get Off My Cloud, Mr. Tambourine Man, What'd I Say, I'm So Glad, Nowhere Man, Barbara Ann, The Kids Are Alright, House Of The Rising Sun, Feel A Whole Lot Better, My Generation.

Equipment:
Doug Booth: Gibson Cherry Red 335 and Fender /Super Reverb complete with borrowed Bass Amp stacked below the Super Reverb, "Turtle" wah pedal and fuzzbox.
Doug Den Uyl: Farfisa Organ and Fender amp.
Richard: Guild 12 string electric with hollow body, Fender Bandmaster amp and homemade fuzzbox. Richard also built the sound mixer for the microphones with the "secret" door spring reverb inside.
Bob Balsley: Kent Bass.
Larry: Rogers drums.

Rehearsal Space:
Houses of Richard and Larry in the basement and of course at the pool at Thornlea (Cranbrook).

Band Vehicles:
Anything with wheels. Among the individual cars: Doug Booth had a 1962 sky blue Pontiac convertable that had a 389 and Tri-power. Doug Den Uyl had a Ford Cortina. Bob Balsley drove the first ever Dominos pizza delivery vehicle...an AMC Javelin.

Fashion Statement:
We set the style for the Rolling Stones to Follow.

Best Gig:
Hideout #3...Bob Seger on one end, a relatively new group in '66 we believe. The deal was that Seger played at one end of the floor and we played at the other. They did a set, we did a set, etc.

Gig from Hell!:
New Years at the Detroit Yacht Club. Lugged all our equipment down to Detroit with our dates all dressed up for New Years Eve only to find that they hired another band.

Last Gig:
Linda Awrey's (the Bakery man's daughter) Graduation party, 1969.

 

 

 

Comments:

We remember after the talent show at Seaholm high school, we packed the teen center in Birmingham. We recall that we had the largest crowd on record, even better than The Association who had played there a month earlier. We did win the Birmingham Talent show in 1968. We had placed 2nd, and 3rd at State Fair Battles of the Bands in '66 and '67.

 

 

Where are they now?

Bob Balsley studied and worked in a world wide Christian Ministry and Seminary. He was ordained as a Minister of the Gospel in 1984. His love for music continued in the Gospel Music field, playing guitar in the church's orchestra and band, and singing in the choir. They recorded several "albums" (that tells you how long ago that was), and one of their choir's songs was recorded specially for a Neil Young album. It was not unusual for Bob to pick up the guitar and lead the song services with a hand clapping, foot stomping version of the old time Gospel standard "I'll Fly Away". He has been happily married for 27 years and has two children and three grandchildren. He now works as an energy cost specialist for a power company.

Doug Den Uyl received his Ph.D. in Philosophy in 1979 and taught Philosophy at Bellarmine College in Louisville Kentucky until 1998 when he joined Liberty Fund Inc. He has published a number of articles and books. He is currently VP of Education at Liberty Fund. Divorced with two children, Julia (19) and Deborah (15).

Doug Booth majored in Programming Science in 1973, and joined Circus World (now Kay Bee Toys) as VP of Human Resources. In 1982 he formed a construction company in the Detroit area, sold that company in 1992 and traveled 2 years. Currently Construction Manager for the city of Greensboro's Department of Housing and Community Development in NC. Married the love of his life, Donna in 1970. They have one daughter, Stephany. Both Doug and Donna sing with the Oratorio Society and the St. Christopher choir.

Richard Areen is an ENT doctor in Sacramento, CA. Got his M.D. at the University of Michigan. After his residency, moved to Sacramento. Met his wife Beverly in poetry class at U of M. They've been married for 29 years and have a 21 year old daughter named Jessica and a 19 year old son named Michael...both are currently at Stanford. Bev is a court appointed Foster Children Advocate. They also have two Golden retrievers named Roxie and Ruby. Richard likes to play on the computer, guitar drive fast, read math and science books and build things.

Larry Westcott, after high school became a hippie and avoided service in Vietnam. Soon after became an Emergency Room Paramedic at Beaumont hospital in Royal Oak, MI, and then a private duty nurse in California caring for the rich and famous. Later managed a fine wine store in San Clemente, thru the 70's. Was asked to join my fathers Veterinary Hospital staff as administrator and within three years took a one office 5 doctor practice and turned it into a 14 doctor 5 clinic 24 year emergency room corporation. Also found time to marry the love of his life, Vicki (21 years Sept. '02). After selling the hospitals now selling pharmaceuticals and supplies to Veterinarians in Southeastern Michigan and Northern Ohio, working for a National Veterinary Distributor. Spare time is filled with activities with his two daughters and as Senior Staff member at church.

 

 

Information contributed by Doug Den Uyl

 

 
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