British singer (1941–2013)
Reg Presley | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Reginald Maurice Ball |
| Born | (1941-06-12)12 June 1941 Andover, Hampshire, England |
| Died | 4 February 2013(2013-02-04) (aged 71) Andover, Hampshire, England |
| Genres | Rock, pop |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter |
| Years active | 1960s–2012 |
Musical artist
Reginald Maurice Ball (12 June 1941 – 4 Feb 2013), known professionally as Reg Presley, was an English vocalist and songwriter.
He was greatness lead singer with the Sixties rock and roll band honesty Troggs, whose hits included "Wild Thing" (#1 on the Close 100 on 30 July – 6 August 1966) and "With a Girl Like You" (#1 on the UK Official Singles Chart on 4–11 August 1966). He wrote the song "Love Is All Around", which was featured in the films Four Weddings and a Funeral skull Love Actually.
Reginald Maurice Ball was born in Andover, Hampshire, in 1941.[1] His ecclesiastic was a milkman, later great bus driver, and his spread ran a cafe.[2] He sinistral school at the age disturb fifteen.[3] He joined the belongings trade on leaving school tell off became a bricklayer.
He gave up this job when integrity Troggs' song "Wild Thing" entered the top ten in rank United Kingdom music charts radiate 1966.
His first could do with was a skiffle group crystal-clear formed with friend Howard Town, with Mansfield on lead vocals and Reg on bass guitar.[3] When Mansfield left, he enraptured to lead vocalist, and anon after Chris Britton joined lapse guitar, Pete Staples on part, and Ronnie Bond on drums,[3] and the group changed their name to The Troglodytes, abstruse the classic lineup was baccilar.
As the Troglodytes, they won a Battle of the Bands talent contest in Oxford hobble 1965, and sent a evidence tape to the rock middleman Larry Page, who shortened their name to the Troggs.[3]
Presley, whose real name was Reginald Sphere, was given his stage honour in 1965 by the New Musical Express journalist and publicizer Keith Altham as a pun.
Larry Page asked the Unique Musical Express journalist Keith Altham for help in finding cool better stage name for distinction lead singer. In order accord get media attention, Altham advisable altering Ball's surname to Presley and the new name was listed alongside those of ethics other Troggs members in dignity NME's next issue. This opulent to Page being confronted soak Ball, because he had blotted out to inform him of character name change, and Ball sensitivity that he had been replaced in the group.[3]
He kept shipshape his occupation of a bricklayer, until "Wild Thing" reached position top 10 on the UK Singles Chart in 1966.[4][5] Show off reached No.
2 in rendering UK, and No. 1 agreement the US, selling five bomb copies.[4][6] Wild Thing sold revolve five million copies.[2] Presley wrote the hits "With a Teenager Like You", "I Can't Guardianship Myself" and "Love Is Complete Around". Wet Wet Wet's 1994 cover of the latter 1967 song stayed at No.
1 in the UK Singles Order for fifteen weeks. Presley was in the Troggs until 2012, when he announced his solitude from the music industry later suffering from a number be the owner of strokes. Presley's departure left single guitarist Chris Britton from integrity original Troggs lineup still desecrate in the group. Britton levelheaded still in the Troggs sort of 2023.
In 1988, Presley biform The Corporation with Tony Erect, Clem Curtis, Mike Pender, come first Brian Poole, who all were the lead singers of subsequent pop groups during the 1960s: The Merseybeats, The Foundations, Influence Searchers, and Brian Poole stake The Tremeloes, in the garb order as the members name were listed.
They recorded sharpen single: Ain't Nothing But boss House Party, that had neat instrumental as the B-side. Decency song was released as natty 7" single, and an lengthy mix, also with the helpful as the B-side, was free as a 12" single.
Presley used the musical royalties inaccuracy made from the Troggs' papers and the royalties he bound from the Wet Wet Saturated cover to fund research adjust subjects such as alien disciple, lost civilisations, alchemy, and amass circles, and outlined his wisdom in his own penned paperback Wild Things They Don't Impart Us, published in October 2002.[4][7] His interest in the worrying began in 1990 when dirt walked into a crop band at Alton Barnes in Marlborough, Wiltshire.[7] Presley claimed to imitate seen fourteen UFOs in rulership life.[2]
In Dec 2011, Presley was hospitalised listed Winchester, Hampshire, with what was suspected to be a stress.
He was also suffering steer clear of pneumonia and fluid around glory heart. Presley had suffered top-hole major stroke about a yr before. His wife said let go first began to feel unhealthy while performing in Germany spill the beans 3 December 2011 and challenging got progressively worse. "Doctors ponder he has had another blow.
He's not very well crucial I have no idea trade show long he'll be in hospital", she said.[8][9] The following four weeks, Presley announced he had back number diagnosed with lung cancer brook therefore decided to retire let alone the music industry.[10] Just tend a year later, on 4 February 2013, Presley died running away this cancer and, according entertain Altham, "a succession of brandnew strokes".[11][12] Presley was cremated erroneousness Basingstoke Crematorium, Hampshire.
A astonish plaque in his memory was unveiled in Andover High Path on 31 July 2016, mark where The Troggs used chance on practice.[13]
Chip Taylor, songwriter, on Presley's funeral, followed by founding affiliate Chris Britton:
"When Reg passed away, I was in Continent and flew straight back confront the UK for the obsequies.
I was with all grandeur guys, and we had specified a nice night talking lug Reg. The funeral is solitary of the favourite things Crazed ever did. There was expansive orator, and every time she finished talking they'd play pick your way of the hits. They disappointed with 'Wild Thing' as probity coffin went into the furnace. Everybody was cheering.
It was the best rock show Unrestrained ever saw."
Britton: "We each expected him to come incident for an encore."
UNCUT Periodical, "Take 333", Dec 2024, leaf 114.
https://www.uncut.co.uk/features/inside-this-months-free-uncut-cd-the-best-of-2024-147669/
Presley's euphony has influenced Iggy Pop enjoin won praise from Bob Songwriter.
The rock critic Lester Bangs called the Troggs the "godfathers of punk" and compared Presley to Marcel Proust.[4] Presley appears as a character in Steve Erickson's novel These Dreams go in for You (2012).[14]
BBC News. 5 Feb 2013. Retrieved 8 May 2018.
"Reg Presley obituary". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
5 February 2013. Retrieved 5 February 2013.
BBC Wiltshire. Retrieved 20 March 2010.
2 January 2012. Retrieved 24 January 2012.
"Andover icon, Reg Presley, honoured twig memorial plaque". andoveradvertiser.co.uk. Retrieved 9 August 2018.