Reg Presley, singer with The Troggs, has died at the age of 71. His death came a year after he announced he had lung cancer and retired from the band.
The Troggs’ biggest hit was “Wild Thing,” which many people believe borrowed heavily from LOUIE LOUIE.
The Huffington Post did a nice little write-up:
The Troggs, part of the British invasion spurred by the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, perfected a simple, hard-driving approach to the three-minute rock song that was miles away from the lyrical art-rock of the Beatles or the poetic songs of Bob Dylan.
This was rock music at its “boy meets girl” basics, with a caveman’s approach to romance – and it created such a powerful image that Presley and the band played these songs to appreciative (if smaller) audiences until illness intervened.
“Wild Thing” was written by accomplished American songwriter Chip Taylor, whose real name is James Voight. He turned to his brother, the actor Jon Voight, for an assessment.
Jon Voight said in 2007 that he fell on the floor laughing when he first heard “Wild Thing.”
“I came up saying `It’s a hit! They won’t be able to get it off their tongues.’ It was such a fun song.”
However, the original recording by Jordan Christopher & The Wild Ones in 1965 was quickly forgotten. It took the Troggs’ cover, released the following year, to make it a classic.
The Troggs did record LOUIE LOUIE in 1966 for their first album in the UK entitled “From Nowhere...”
To honor Reg, this version shall be showcased as this week’s LOUIE of the Week..
Just for good measure, here’s the song that made The Troggs famous – “Wild Thing!”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9DVJE_bhVU
Rest in peace, Reg Presley!
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