When Reg Presley died on Feb. 4 from cancer at 71, stories lightly touched upon a side of his life that was separate from his role as the lead singer of the '60s rock group The Troggs.
Presley, best known for the garage band classic "Wild Thing," was obsessed with UFOs, extraterrestrials and crop circles -- those often-mysterious patterns that turn up unexpectedly in farmers' fields, most notably in the U.K.
Presley and The Troggs continued to tour all the way into 2010, when Presley suffered a serious stroke, resulting in his retirement from the music business.
Even while The Troggs were touring, Presley's interest in UFOs and crop circles led to his hosting a local cable TV show in the U.K. called "The Reg Presley UFO Show," and he later published a book, "Wild Things They Don't Tell Us," in 2002.
In the mid-1990s, Presley began devoting "huge amounts...
Presley, best known for the garage band classic "Wild Thing," was obsessed with UFOs, extraterrestrials and crop circles -- those often-mysterious patterns that turn up unexpectedly in farmers' fields, most notably in the U.K.
Presley and The Troggs continued to tour all the way into 2010, when Presley suffered a serious stroke, resulting in his retirement from the music business.
Even while The Troggs were touring, Presley's interest in UFOs and crop circles led to his hosting a local cable TV show in the U.K. called "The Reg Presley UFO Show," and he later published a book, "Wild Things They Don't Tell Us," in 2002.
In the mid-1990s, Presley began devoting "huge amounts...
- 2/10/2013
- by Lee Speigel
- Huffington Post
Lead singer with the Troggs, best known for their hits Wild Thing and Love Is All Around
The Troggs were not among the most technically proficient of British pop groups of the 1960s, but they generated great affection among audiences and disc jockeys alike. The naivety of their sound, their songs and, above all, the singing of Reg Presley, who has died of lung cancer aged 71, made records such as I Can't Control Myself and With a Girl Like You into big international hits.
Presley's most lasting performances, however, were on Wild Thing (a 1966 hit soon adopted by Jimi Hendrix) and the wistful 1967 ballad Love Is All Around, given a new lease of life when a version by the Scottish band Wet Wet Wet was used in the 1994 film Four Weddings and a Funeral. In the 1970s, the Troggs were feted by the punk generation, while the infamous "Troggs tapes...
The Troggs were not among the most technically proficient of British pop groups of the 1960s, but they generated great affection among audiences and disc jockeys alike. The naivety of their sound, their songs and, above all, the singing of Reg Presley, who has died of lung cancer aged 71, made records such as I Can't Control Myself and With a Girl Like You into big international hits.
Presley's most lasting performances, however, were on Wild Thing (a 1966 hit soon adopted by Jimi Hendrix) and the wistful 1967 ballad Love Is All Around, given a new lease of life when a version by the Scottish band Wet Wet Wet was used in the 1994 film Four Weddings and a Funeral. In the 1970s, the Troggs were feted by the punk generation, while the infamous "Troggs tapes...
- 2/6/2013
- by Dave Laing
- The Guardian - Film News
He made our hearts sing. And he won't be forgotten. Reg Presley, the English-born singer whose band The Troggs shot to fame with their seminal 1960s anthem "Wild Thing," has died. He was 71. A statement released by his publicist and longtime friend Keith Altham said Presley died peacefully at his Andover, Hampshire, home in England surrounded by his family and friends after losing a battle with cancer. "He was one very real person in a sometimes very unreal world. Our thoughts are with his wife Brenda and the family and those legion of fans who loved his music and his band. I will miss him hugely," wrote Altham on his Facebook page. After falling ill during a concert in Germany,...
- 2/5/2013
- E! Online
We've all heard it and many of us have probably sounded out the riffs on a guitar. It's "Wild Thing," the song that made Reg Presley famous as lead singer of the Troggs. He is pictured, right, in 1965.
Presley passed away Monday (Feb. 4), his agent Keith Altham announced on Facebook. The singer was 71. He lost his year-long struggle with lung cancer.
"My dear old pal Reg Presley of The Troggs died today," writes Altham. "[He was] surrounded by family and friends at his home in Andover following a succession of recent strokes and a losing battle with cancer. He was one very real person in a sometimes very unreal world. Our thoughts are with his wife Brenda and the family and those legion of fans who loved his music and his band. I will miss him hugely."
The Troggs were part of the British invasion music phenomenon in the 1960s, rocketing to...
Presley passed away Monday (Feb. 4), his agent Keith Altham announced on Facebook. The singer was 71. He lost his year-long struggle with lung cancer.
"My dear old pal Reg Presley of The Troggs died today," writes Altham. "[He was] surrounded by family and friends at his home in Andover following a succession of recent strokes and a losing battle with cancer. He was one very real person in a sometimes very unreal world. Our thoughts are with his wife Brenda and the family and those legion of fans who loved his music and his band. I will miss him hugely."
The Troggs were part of the British invasion music phenomenon in the 1960s, rocketing to...
- 2/5/2013
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Pop2it
London — The structure is simple, the guitar riffs basic, the lyrics at best inane, but the Troggs' "Wild Thing" remains a garage rock classic more than 45 years after its release made The Troggs and lead singer Reg Presley international stars.
Presley, whose raunchy, suggestive voice powers this paean to teenage lust, died Monday after a year-long struggle with lung cancer that had forced him and the band into reluctant retirement, his agent Keith Altham announced on Facebook late Monday night. He was 71.
"My dear old pal Reg Presley of The Troggs died today," he said, calling Presley "one very real person in a sometimes very unreal world." He said the singer had suffered a number of strokes recently and died at his home in Andover (70 miles west of London) surrounded by his family and friends.
The Troggs, part of the British invasion spurred by the Beatles and the Rolling Stones,...
Presley, whose raunchy, suggestive voice powers this paean to teenage lust, died Monday after a year-long struggle with lung cancer that had forced him and the band into reluctant retirement, his agent Keith Altham announced on Facebook late Monday night. He was 71.
"My dear old pal Reg Presley of The Troggs died today," he said, calling Presley "one very real person in a sometimes very unreal world." He said the singer had suffered a number of strokes recently and died at his home in Andover (70 miles west of London) surrounded by his family and friends.
The Troggs, part of the British invasion spurred by the Beatles and the Rolling Stones,...
- 2/5/2013
- by AP
- Huffington Post
Reg Presley, the frontman for The Troggs who snarled his way to rock fame on the iconic song "Wild Thing," died Monday following a battle with lung cancer. He was 71. According to the BBC, Presley -- born Reginald Maurice Ball in Andover, Hampshire, England -- died surrounded by family members at his home in Hampshire. Also read: Patty Andrews, Last of the Andrews Sisters, Dies at 94 Though The Troggs (short for "Troglodytes," the group's original name) didn't write "Wild Thing" -- the song was penned by New York City songwriter Chip...
- 2/5/2013
- by Tim Kenneally
- The Wrap
Reg Presley, lead singer for the ‘60s garage rock group The Troggs, has died after a bout with lung cancer. He was 71. Though best known for 1966's “Wild Thing,” The Troggs made quite a few other excellent pop songs, including “With A Girl Like You,” “I Can’t Control Myself,” “Anyway That You Want Me,” “Night Of The Long Grass,” “Give It To Me,” and “Love Is All Around.” A number of garage and punk acts cite The Troggs as a formative influence. Iggy Pop has sung their praises, while both Buzzcocks and MC5 have covered Troggs songs ...
- 2/4/2013
- avclub.com
The Jimi Hendrix biopic now titled "All Is By My Side" will feature Outkast rapper Andre Benjamin (a.k.a. Andre 3000) as the legendary guitarist, but it won't feature any of Hendrix's signature songs. Instead, the film will include Benjamin's brand new renditions of cover songs that were favored by Hendrix, including tunes by the Beatles, Chicago bluesman Muddy Waters and more, according to Rolling Stone. The Hendrix estate, which controls the rights to the singer-guitarist's catalog, didn't authorize the film and therefore won't allow his songs to appear. Among the songs Benjamin will perform are the Beatles' "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band," The Troggs' "Wild Thing," Waters'...
- 7/3/2012
- by Dave Lewis
- Hitfix
There's been a lot of speculation over which songs/recordings the producers of All Is By My Side (the upcoming Jimi Hendrix biopic starring OutKast's André 3000, currently filming in Ireland) will or won't have at their disposal without the approved consent of the Jimi Hendrix estate. In what I can't help but think is a semi-conniving sidetrack to Experience Hendrix LLC's blatant disapproval of the production, it's been announced (via Rolling Stone) that the film (set during Hendrix's pre-fame years in London, roughly 1966-1967) will instead feature new recordings of André 3000 performing many of the songs Hendrix himself covered during that time period.
| Related… Picture This: Photos Of André 3000 As Jimi Hendrix Leak |
According to producer Sean McKittrick, the soundtrack (which may or may be released as an album along with the film's projected 2013 released date… although, come on, how could it not?) features Mr. André Benjamin...
| Related… Picture This: Photos Of André 3000 As Jimi Hendrix Leak |
According to producer Sean McKittrick, the soundtrack (which may or may be released as an album along with the film's projected 2013 released date… although, come on, how could it not?) features Mr. André Benjamin...
- 7/3/2012
- by Brett Warner
- Filmology
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.