THERE are no planes in the sky and it suits Alan Price down to the ground.

As he travelled the world performing his 60s hits he was gripped with the constant fear of flying. He had to have a shot of vodka before he could even step on a plane.

“I once did a tour of 70 cities so that meant 70 vodkas!” quipped Alan, whose keyboard wizardry turned The Animals into a household name.

Combining electric blues with rock they were one of the leading bands of the British invasion. Along with The Beatles, The Who, The Rolling Stones, The Dave Clark Five and The Kinks, the group helped to introduce the world to British music and fashion.

And Alan has revealed to the Daily Echo how his plane phobia grounded plans for a reunion with former Animals’ lead singer Eric Burdon. It was about five years ago that Burdon invited Alan to New Orleans to take part in a benefit following the floods which devastated the American state.

The rock legend duo would have got together for a nostalgic rendition of The House of the Rising Sun. But Alan said: “I could not go because I just hate flying.”

It was this fear that was said to be one of the major reasons that Alan broke from The Animals in 1965.

As well as The House of the Rising Sun, Price enjoyed a string of hits with The Animals which included I’m Crying, Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood and Bring it on Home to Me.

Rock historians have also blamed the split on alleged tensions between Price and Burdon. Refuting the claims, Alan said: “There was never any strain between us. It was just something that was played up in the press.”

The last major Animals reunion was in the mid 80s and Alan says: “I cannot see it ever happening again. We are all doing our individual things now.”

The very amiable Alan Price was about to hit the golf course as he took time out to talk to me about his up and coming appearance at The Concorde Club in Eastleigh.

The father of two, who has just celebrated his 68th birthday, has no plans to retire from a star-studded career which spans five decades. It has been boosted by the news that he has been included on the bill for this year’s Glastonbury Festival.

He said: “My main ambition was to go on as long as possible and I am still going.”

Alan, who won a BAFTA for writing the score for O Lucky Man, is still busy working on new material.

He plays about 100 concerts a year and also has a regular spot at his local pub in South London.

No stranger to The Concorde faithful, Alan said: “I still have on my wall the original contract for when I played for Cole Mathieson at the Concorde for £25.”

Then the Alan Price Set was riding high in the 60s charts with smash hits such as I Put a Spell on You, Simon Smith and His Amazing Dancing Bear, Hi, Lili, Hi Lo, The House that Jack Built, and Don’t Stop the Carnival.

The former Animals keyboard player never tires of playing them and says: “It brings back good memories for people and provides the scaffolding for the show.”

He has the backing of some very talented musicians and making their return to The Concorde will be another keyboard maestro Zoot Money, who hails from Bournemouth, and ace guitarist Bobby Tench.

Most of his musical ambitions have been fulfilled but he added: “I would like to take my band to America but I would go by boat and bus.”