The Troggs

The Troggs biography

The Troggs are an English rock band from the 1960s that had a number of hits in UK and the US. Their most famous songs include the Hot 100 chart topper "Wild Thing", "With a Girl Like You", and "Love Is All Around". "Wild Thing" is ranked #257 on the Rolling Stone magazine's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time and was an influence on garage rock and punk rock.

Fronted by Reg Presley, The Troggs were from the town of Andover in southern England and were originally called The Troglodytes.

Band members

  • Reg Presley - born Reginald Maurice Ball, 12 June 1941, Andover, Hampshire - Lead vocals
  • Dave Wright - born David Frederick Wright, 21 January 1944, Winchester, Hampshire - Vocals & Rhythm Guitar. Died 10 October 2008 at Royal Hampshire County Hospital, Winchester.
  • Chris Britton - born Charles Christopher Britton, 21 January 1944, Watford, Hertfordshire - Lead Guitar
  • Richard Moore - born Richard Moore, 3 June 1949, Canada - Lead Guitar & Vocals
  • Pete Staples - born Peter Lawrence Staples, 3 May 1944 at Andover War Memorial Hospital, Andover, Hampshire - Bass Guitar
  • Ronnie Bond - born Ronald James Bullis, 4 May 1940, Dene Road, Andover, Hampshire - Drums. Died on 13 November 1992 at Royal Hampshire County Hospital, Winchester.
  • Tony Murray - born Anthony Murray, 26 April 1943, Dublin, Ireland - Bass guitar

History

The Troggs formed in 1964 and were signed by the manager of The Kinks, Larry Page in 1965. They recorded on Page's Page One Records, and Page also leased them to CBS for debut single "Lost Girl". The band's success in the US was also limited by not touring there until 1968.

They also had a number of other hits, including "With a Girl Like You" (a UK number 1 in July 1966, US number 29), "I Can't Control Myself" (a UK number 2 in September 1966-this was also their second and final dual-label release in the US, with Fontana retaining the rights to all subsequent releases), "Anyway That You Want Me" (UK number 10 in December 1966), all at Olympic Studios, "Night of the Long Grass" (UK number 17 in May 1967), and "Love Is All Around" (UK number 5 in November 1967 and US number 7 in May 1968). With chart success eluding the band, they split up in March 1969. Ronnie Bond was the first to release a solo record, with the "Anything For You" single in March 1969, followed in April by Reg Presley with "Lucinda Lee". Chris Britton released a solo album, As I Am, the same year. The band reformed later that year, with former Plastic Penny bassist Tony Murray replacing Staples, and in 1974, after a spell on Pye Records, in an attempt to re-create their 1960s successes, the Troggs re-united with Larry Page, now running Penny Farthing Records. The resulting cover version of the Beach Boys hit "Good Vibrations" did not capture the public's imagination. A reggae version of "Wild Thing" also failed to chart. The band found a sympathetic ear at French label New Rose in the 1980s, the label releasing 1982's Black Bottom LP and 1990's AU.

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