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Mud (band)

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Mud
Mud in 1974
Mud in 1974
Background information
OriginLondon, UK, UK
GenresGlam rock
Years active1966–1990
LabelsRAK Records
Private Stock Records
RCA Records
Past membersLes Gray
Rob Davis
Ray Stiles
Dave Mount

Mud were an English glam rock band, formed in February 1966. They were influenced by 1950s rock and roll, and are best remembered for their hit singles "Tiger Feet", which was the UK's best-selling single of 1974, and "Lonely This Christmas" which reached Christmas number 1 in December 1974. After signing to RAK Records and teaming up with songwriters/producers Nicky Chinn and Mike Chapman, the band had fourteen UK Top 20 hits between 1973 and 1976, including three number ones.[1]

Band members

  • Lead vocalist Les Gray (born Thomas Leslie Gray, 9 April 1946,[2] Carshalton, Surrey. He died of a heart attack on 21 February 2004, Lagos, Portugal)
  • Lead guitarist Rob Davis (born Robert Berkeley Davis, 1 October 1947,[2] Carshalton, Surrey)
  • Bass guitarist Ray Stiles (born Raymond John Stiles, 20 November 1946,[2] Guildford, Surrey)
  • Drummer Dave Mount (born David George Mount, 3 March 1947,[2] Carshalton. He died on 2 December 2006, at St Helier's Hospital, Carshalton)[3]

History

Mud in AVRO's TopPop (Dutch television show) in 1974

The band appeared on the Basil Brush Show on BBC TV, and toured as support for Jack Jones. After years of unsuccessful singles, they were signed to Mickie Most's RAK label, and had three Top 20 successes with "Crazy" (No. 12), "Hypnosis" (No. 16) and "Dyna-mite" (No. 4).[1]

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 pastiche; plus "Oh Boy" (1975), a cover of the Buddy Holly hit, which also featured on their album Mud Rock Volume 2. "Tiger Feet" sold over 500,000 copies in the UK alone, and amassed a million sales globally.[2]

Like contemporaries Sweet, their most successful period came when their records were written and produced by Chinn and Chapman, and in 1975 they had seven singles in the UK Top 40. "Oh Boy" was the only number one single produced by Chinn and Chapman, that they did not also write.[4]

"Lonely This Christmas" has become something of an annual fixture on British radio and television, (along with Slade's "Merry Xmas Everybody" and John Lennon's "Happy Xmas"). The band also embraced the burgeoning disco craze, as exemplified on their 1976 single "Shake It Down" which reached No. 12 in the UK charts. After "Tiger Feet" they released "The Cat Crept In" which reached No. 2 in April 1974, which was written to exploit Les Gray's vocal impression of Presley.[5] After "Rocket", they released another track from their album Mud Rock, a cover of "In the Mood". This was released under the name of "Dum" ("Mud" spelt backwards), but it failed to chart.

Their last single to reach the charts was a cover of the Bill Withers song "Lean on Me" which reached No. 7 in the UK in December 1976.[1] Their last single release was "Lipstick on Your Collar", issued in 1983 from their last album "Mud featuring Les Gray".[1]

The last performance by the four original members was on 3 March 1990 at Dave Mount's wedding; a video recording of which was made by Mount.

Gray later toured as Les Gray's Mud in various line-ups, initially from 1980–85 with members of the Bristol based Cherie Beck Band, featuring Stuart Amesbury, Dale Fry, Nick Richie and Rob John. Later with Tim Fish (guitar), Mark Hatwood (drums) and Kevin Fairburn (bass), and ultimately with John Berry (bass), Syd Twynham (guitar) and Phil Wilson (drums). Twyham and Wilson still tour the 1970s circuit with Chris Savage (keyboards) and Marc Michalski (bass) as 'Mud II'. Rob Davis appeared on stage with this line up in October 2010.

Stiles joined the Hollies; whilst Davis went on to co-write several highly successful dance hits for artists such as Kylie Minogue and Spiller featuring Sophie Ellis Bextor.[1] Drummer Mount went into the insurance business.

Gray died on 21 February 2004 in Portugal, of a heart attack, as a result of throat cancer.

Mount appeared on an episode of Never Mind The Buzzcocks on BBC Two in November 2005, and featured in the "spot the pop star of the past" identity parade segment. Mount died on 2 December 2006. He had been married twice and worked as a salesman latterly. His obituary appeared in The Independent newspaper.[6]

A short version of "Tiger Feet" was played at the opening ceremony of the 2012 Summer Olympics.

Discography

Singles

  • "Flower Power" b/w "You're my Mother" (1967)
  • "Up the Airy Mountain" b/w "The Latter Days" (1968)
  • "Shangri-La" b/w "House on the Hill" (1969)
  • "Jumping Jehosaphat" b/w "Won't Let It Go" (1970)
  • "Crazy" b/w "Do You Love Me" (1973); UK No. 12
  • "Hypnosis" b/w "Last Tango in London" (1973); UK No. 16
  • "Dyna-mite" b/w "Do It All Over Again" (1973); UK No. 4
  • "Tiger Feet" b/w "Mr. Bagatelle" (1974); UK No. 1
  • "The Cat Crept In" b/w "Morning" (1974); UK No. 2
  • "Rocket" b/w "The Ladies" (1974); UK No. 6
  • "In the Mood" b/w "Watching the Clock" (1974)
  • "Lonely This Christmas" b/w "I Can't Stand It" (1974); UK No. 1
  • "The Secrets That You Keep" b/w "Still Watching The Clock" (1975); UK No. 3
  • "Oh Boy" b/w "Watching The Clock" (1975); UK No. 1
  • "Moonshine Sally" b/w "Bye Bye Johnny" (1975); UK No. 10
  • "One Night" b/w "Shake, Rattle and Roll/See You Later Alligator" [medley] (1975); UK No. 32
  • "Hula Love" b/w "Dyna-mite"/"The Cat Crept In"/"Tiger Feet" [medley] (1975)
  • "L'L'Lucy" b/w "My Love Is Your Love" (1975); UK No. 10
  • "Show Me You're a Woman" b/w "Don't You Know" (1975); UK No. 8
  • "Nite on the Tiles" b/w "Time and Again" (1976)
  • "Beating Round the Bush" (1976)
  • "Shake It Down" b/w "Laugh Live Love" (1976); UK No. 12
  • "Living Doll" b/w "Blue Moon"
  • "Let's Have A Party" b/w "I Love How You Love Me"
  • "Beating Around the Bush" b/w "Under the Moon of Love"
  • "Lean on Me" b/w "Greacian Lament" (1976); UK No. 7
  • "Slow Talking Boy" b/w "Let Me Out" (1977)
  • "Just Try a Little Tenderness" b/w "Gives You The Good Times Now" (1977)
  • "Cut Across Shorty" b/w "We've Got To Know" (1978)
  • "Drift Away" b/w "Let Me Get (Close To You)" (1978)
  • "Why Do Fools Fall in Love/Book of Love" b/w "Run Don't Walk" (1979)
  • "Drop Everything and Run" b/w "Taking The Easy Way Out" (1979)
  • "You'll Like It" b/w "Can't Stop" (1979)
  • "Rico" b/w "Make a Buck (1980)
  • "Lipstick on Your Collar" b/w "Don't Ever Change" (1982)[1]

Albums

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 382. ISBN 1-904994-10-5. Cite error: The named reference "British Hit Singles & Albums" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b c d e Murrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs (2nd ed.). London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. p. 348. ISBN 0-214-20512-6.
  3. ^ "Stephen Glover: A prissy judgement by the PCC". The Independent. London. 20 September 2010.[dead link‍]
  4. ^ Rice, Jo (1982). The Guinness Book of 500 Number One Hits (1st ed.). Enfield, Middlesex: Guinness Superlatives Ltd. p. 167. ISBN 0-85112-250-7.
  5. ^ Eder, Bruce. "Mud - Music Biography, Credits and Discography". AllMusic. Retrieved 5 July 2013.
  6. ^ "Dave Mount". The Independent. London. 18 December 2006. Retrieved 13 May 2010.
  7. ^ "Mud Discography". Mudrock.org.uk. 16 March 2009. Retrieved 23 August 2012.
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