[4][5] Gowan spent a year writing songs, and also travelled to Scotland and Ireland to trace his heritage.

[6] The opening track, "Cosmetics", was inspired by Gowan's interest in the attractive and artistically sensitive, and the thin line between the deep and the superficial in the fickle world on modeling.

Gowan's inspiration for the title track, "(You're A) Strange Animal", came from the writings of Hermann Hesse and an interest pull that various individuals can have on life.

[7] In September 1985, the album Strange Animal achieved double platinum status and established Gowan as a "hit domestic artist".

[9] In 1999, Lawrence Gowan became a permanent member of the American rock band Styx, replacing original frontman and keyboardist Dennis DeYoung.