Mud (band)
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Mud were a British glam rock band formed in 1968, best remembered for their single "Tiger Feet" which was UK's best selling single in 1974.
Band Membership
Throughout their almost 10 years of existence, Mud consisted of :-
- Lead vocalist Les Gray, born Thomas Leslie Gray in Carshalton, Surrey, on 9 April, 1946. He died of throat cancer on 21 February, 2004.
- Drummer Dave Mount, born David George Mount in Carshalton, Surrey, on 3 March, 1947.
- Bass guitarist Ray Stiles, born Raymond John Stiles in Guildford, Surrey on 20 November, 1946.
- Lead guitarist Rob Davis, who was also born in Carshalton, Surrey on 1 October, 1947.
Career
They first appeared on the Basil Brush show on BBC TV, and toured as support for Jack Jones. At the peak of their career they also enjoyed British Number One singles with "Tiger Feet"; and "Lonely This Christmas" (1974), an affectionate Elvis Presley spoof; plus "Oh Boy" (1975), a virtual acapella cover of the old Buddy Holly hit."Lonely This Christmas", has become something of an annual fixture on British radio and television, (along with Slade's "Merry Xmas Everybody"; John Lennon's "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)"; plus Wizzard's "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday").
Mud split in 1977, by which time they had charted no less than 15 Top 40 singles across Europe, plus 11 Top Ten hits in Britain alone. Les Gray left the group around this time but still he sang some of the songs on their 1979 album As You Like It.
In late 1979 Mud recorded a single called "Drop Everything And Run" on the Carrere record label featuring female singer Margot Henderson (?). When that didn't work, they changed their name to Ring and made their last single together, called "Rico". Mud had also released another single under a different name previously. After the single "The Cat Crept In" they released a track from their album Mud Rock, a cover of "In The Mood". This was released under the name of Dum (Mud spelt backwards). It failed to chart.
Gray later toured with a new line-up, Les Gray's Mud. Ray Stiles joined the Hollies; whilst Davis went on to co-wrote several highly successful dance hits for artists such as Kylie Minogue and Spiller featuring Sophie Ellis Bextor. Drummer Dave Mount went into the insurance business.
Les Gray died in February 2004 in Portugal of throat cancer.
Discography
Singles
- "Flower Power" (1967)
- "Up The Airy Mountain" (1968)
- "Shangri-La" (1969)
- "Jumping Jehosaphat" (1970)
- "Crazy" (1973); #12 UK
- "Hypnosis" (1973); #16 UK
- "Dyna-mite" (1973); #4 UK
- "Tiger Feet" (1974); #1 UK
- "The Cat Crept In" (1974); #2 UK
- "Rocket" (1974) #6 UK
- "Lonely This Christmas" (1974); #1 UK
- "The Secrets That You Keep" (1975); #3 UK
- "Oh Boy" (1975); #1 UK
- "Moonshine Sally" (1975); # 10 UK
- "One Night" (1975); # 32 UK
- "L'L'Lucy" (1975); # 10 UK
- "Show Me You're A Woman" (1975); # 8 UK
- "Nite On The Tiles" (1976)
- "Beating Round The Bush" (1976)
- "Shake It Down" (1976); # 12 UK
- "Lean On Me" (1976); # 7 UK
- "Slow Talking Boy" (1977)
- "Just Try A Little Tenderness" (1977)
- "Cut Across Shorty" (1978)
- "Drift Away" (1978)
- "Why Do Fools Fall In Love"/"Book Of Love" (1979)
- "Drop Everything And Run" (1979)
Albums
- Mud Rock (1974); # 8 UK
- Mud Rock Volume 2 (1975); # 6 UK
- Mud's Greatest Hits (1975); # 25 UK
- Use Your Imagination (1975); # 33 UK
- It's better than working (1976)
- Mudpack (1976)
- Rock on (1977)
- As You Like It (1979)
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Sources
Guinness World Records British Hit Singles (16th Edition) - ISBN 085112-190-XThe Guinness Book Of British Hit Albums (7th Edition) - ISBN 0-85112-619-7
The Book Of Golden Records (Second Edition) - ISBN 0-214-20512-6
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