John Steel (born 4 February 1941)[1] is an English musician who is the long-serving drummer for the british rock band the Animals.

Growing up, Steel was exposed to records from Bing Crosby, Al Jolson, Fats Waller and Sid Phillips.

He met the future lead singer of the Animals, Eric Burdon, while they were studying together at the Newcastle College of Art and Industrial Design.

Steel, with all but lead singer Eric Burdon of the classic members, were present at the bands induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994.

Subsequently, Steel returned to Newcastle and became a businessman, while also working in former bandmate Chas Chandler's management and publishing organisations.

Since 1993, Steel has toured as the drummer with variations of the Animals line-up including Hilton Valentine, Dave Rowberry, Zoot Money and Mick Gallagher.

Animals and Friends continues to perform today, and frequently plays engagements on a Color Line ship that travels between Scandinavia and Germany.

In 2003, Steel provided an invited review of Sick of Being Me, a novel by Sean Egan, a novelist and journalist with a number of publications relating to the music industry.