Reginald Maurice Ball (12 June 1941 – 4 February 2013), known professionally as Reg Presley, was an English singer and songwriter. He was the lead singer with the 1960s rock and roll band the Troggs, whose hits included "Wild Thing" (#1 on the Hot 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 and Love Actually.
Presley, whose stage name was given to him in 1965 by the New Musical Express journalist and publicist Keith Altham, was born in Andover, Hampshire.[1] He joined the building trade on leaving school and became a bricklayer. He kept at this occupation until "Wild Thing" reached the top 10 on the UK Singles Chart in 1966.[2][3] It reached No. 2 in the UK, and No. 1 in the US, selling five million copies.[2][4]
In December 2011, Presley was hospitalised in Winchester, Hampshire, with what was suspected to be a stroke. He was also suffering from pneumonia and fluid around the heart. Presley had suffered a major stroke about a year before. His wife said he first began to feel ill while performing in Germany on 3 December 2011 and had got progressively worse. "Doctors think he has had another stroke. He's not very well and I have no idea how long he'll be in hospital", she said.[6][7] The following month, Presley announced he had been diagnosed with lung cancer and therefore decided to retire from the music industry.[8] Just over a year later, on 4 February 2013, Presley died from this cancer and, according to Altham, "a succession of recent strokes".[9][10] Presley was cremated at Basingstoke Crematorium, Hampshire.
A blue plaque in his memory was unveiled in Andover High Street on 31 July 2016, marking where The Troggs used to practice.[11]
Influence and legacyedit
Presley's music has influenced Iggy Pop and won praise from Bob Dylan. The rock critic Lester Bangs called the Troggs the "godfathers of punk" and compared Presley to Marcel Proust.[2] Presley appears as a character in Steve Erickson's novel These Dreams of You (2012).[12]
Referencesedit
^"Obituary: The Troggs' Reg Presley". BBC News. 5 February 2013. Retrieved 8 May 2018.
^ abcd"Reg Presley". telegraph.co.uk. 5 February 2013. Retrieved 5 February 2013.
^Gary James. "Interview with Reg Presley". classicbands.com. Retrieved 25 May 2018.
^Bronson, Fred (8 May 2018). The Billboard Book of Number One Hits. Billboard Books. ISBN9780823076772. Retrieved 8 May 2018 – via Google Books.
^"Reg Presley's 'Wild Things They Don't Tell Us'". BBC Wiltshire. Retrieved 20 March 2010.
^"Troggs singer Reg Presley in hospital after suspected stroke". Mirror. 15 December 2011. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
^"Oldies Music News". 1 December 2011. Retrieved 4 January 2012.
^"Reg Presley of the Troggs Announces He Has Cancer, Retires from Music". 2 January 2012. Retrieved 24 January 2012.
^"The Troggs | The Troggs Leader Reg Presley Loses Cancer Battle". Contactmusic.com. 4 February 2013. Retrieved 5 February 2013.
^"Reg Presley of the Troggs dies aged 71". BBC News. 4 February 2013. Retrieved 4 February 2013.
^Birkett, Frances (8 August 2016). "Andover icon, Reg Presley, honoured with memorial plaque". andoveradvertiser.co.uk. Retrieved 9 August 2018.
presley, reginald, maurice, ball, june, 1941, february, 2013, known, professionally, english, singer, songwriter, lead, singer, with, 1960s, rock, roll, band, troggs, whose, hits, included, wild, thing, july, august, 1966, with, girl, like, official, singles, . Reginald Maurice Ball 12 June 1941 4 February 2013 known professionally as Reg Presley was an English singer and songwriter He was the lead singer with the 1960s rock and roll band the Troggs whose hits included Wild Thing 1 on the Hot 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 and Love Actually Reg PresleyBackground informationBirth nameReginald Maurice BallBorn 1941 06 12 12 June 1941Andover Hampshire EnglandDied4 February 2013 2013 02 04 aged 71 Andover Hampshire EnglandGenresRock popOccupation s Singer songwriterYears active1960s 2012 Contents 1 Career 2 Health problems and death 3 Influence and legacy 4 References 5 External linksCareer edit nbsp The Troggs in 1966 Left to right Pete Staples Ronnie Bond Chris Britton and Reg Presley Presley whose stage name was given to him in 1965 by the New Musical Express journalist and publicist Keith Altham was born in Andover Hampshire 1 He joined the building trade on leaving school and became a bricklayer He kept at this occupation until Wild Thing reached the top 10 on the UK Singles Chart in 1966 2 3 It reached No 2 in the UK and No 1 in the US selling five million copies 2 4 Presley wrote the hits With a Girl Like You I Can t Control Myself and Love Is All Around Wet Wet Wet s 1994 cover of the latter song stayed at No 1 in the UK Singles Chart for fifteen weeks Presley used his royalties from that cover to fund research on subjects such as alien spacecraft lost civilisations alchemy and crop circles and outlined his findings in the book Wild Things They Don t Tell Us published in October 2002 2 5 Health problems and death editIn December 2011 Presley was hospitalised in Winchester Hampshire with what was suspected to be a stroke He was also suffering from pneumonia and fluid around the heart Presley had suffered a major stroke about a year before His wife said he first began to feel ill while performing in Germany on 3 December 2011 and had got progressively worse Doctors think he has had another stroke He s not very well and I have no idea how long he ll be in hospital she said 6 7 The following month Presley announced he had been diagnosed with lung cancer and therefore decided to retire from the music industry 8 Just over a year later on 4 February 2013 Presley died from this cancer and according to Altham a succession of recent strokes 9 10 Presley was cremated at Basingstoke Crematorium Hampshire A blue plaque in his memory was unveiled in Andover High Street on 31 July 2016 marking where The Troggs used to practice 11 Influence and legacy editPresley s music has influenced Iggy Pop and won praise from Bob Dylan The rock critic Lester Bangs called the Troggs the godfathers of punk and compared Presley to Marcel Proust 2 Presley appears as a character in Steve Erickson s novel These Dreams of You 2012 12 References edit Obituary The Troggs Reg Presley BBC News 5 February 2013 Retrieved 8 May 2018 a b c d Reg Presley telegraph co uk 5 February 2013 Retrieved 5 February 2013 Gary James Interview with Reg Presley classicbands com Retrieved 25 May 2018 Bronson Fred 8 May 2018 The Billboard Book of Number One Hits Billboard Books ISBN 9780823076772 Retrieved 8 May 2018 via Google Books Reg Presley s Wild Things They Don t Tell Us BBC Wiltshire Retrieved 20 March 2010 Troggs singer Reg Presley in hospital after suspected stroke Mirror 15 December 2011 Retrieved 28 January 2021 Oldies Music News 1 December 2011 Retrieved 4 January 2012 Reg Presley of the Troggs Announces He Has Cancer Retires from Music 2 January 2012 Retrieved 24 January 2012 The Troggs The Troggs Leader Reg Presley Loses Cancer Battle Contactmusic com 4 February 2013 Retrieved 5 February 2013 Reg Presley of the Troggs dies aged 71 BBC News 4 February 2013 Retrieved 4 February 2013 Birkett Frances 8 August 2016 Andover icon Reg Presley honoured with memorial plaque andoveradvertiser co uk Retrieved 9 August 2018 These Dreams of You Steve Erickson p 160External links editProfile at AllMusic com Reg Presley discography at Discogs nbsp Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Reg Presley amp oldid 1182078142, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
