MUD

glam rock

Mud were an English glam rock band, formed in 1968, best remembered for their single Tiger Feet which was the UK's best-selling single of 1974. After joining RAK and teaming up with writers / producers Nicky Chinn and Mike Chapman, this good-time British band had a noteworthy run of hits, including three number ones.[1] Band members * Lead guitarist Rob Davis (born Robert Davis, 1 October 1947,[2] Carshalton, Surrey) * 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) * 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] * Bass guitarist Ray Stiles (born Raymond John Stiles, 20 November 1946,[2] Guildford, Surrey) History Mud first 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 immediately had a Top 20 success with Crazy.[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 virtual a cappella cover of the Buddy Holly hit. 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 Nicky Chinn and Mike Chapman, and in 1975 they had no fewer than seven singles on 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). Mud also released another single under a different name - after 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), but failed to chart. Their last single was Rico released in 1980. 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 with members of the Bristol based Cherie Beck Band, later with Tim Fish (guitar), Mark Hatwood (Drums) and Kevin Fairburn (Bass), a...