Who can forget "Wild Thing"? The Troggs have always been remembered for this 60s anthem, but it is just one of their many UK hits. "With A Girl Like You", "I Can't Control Myself", "Anyway That You Want Me", "Give It To Me" and "Love Is All Around". They all followed in rapid succession to give The Troggs world-wide acclaim. Dubbed by many as the "first British punk band" they have continued playing in their own uncompromising style of good basic rock music.
Never strangers to controversy, many of their records were considered by the "powers that be" too suggestive for the masses, and they consequently banned them. How anybody could judge Reg Presley's tongue-in-cheek delivery to be dangerous to the morals of the young is hard to believe.
The Troggs still boast two founder members - with the perpetual Reg Presley fronting the band, and Chris Britton on lead guitar. They are now joined by Pete Lucas on bass and Dave Maggs on drums. Their popularity has never waned and they are still in great demand both in the UK and the rest of Europe, where they regularly headline festivals attracting thousands of fans. Their appeal hold no age barriers, fans ranging from the stalwarts who have supported them throughout the years to the many new fans from the younger generation.
Reg Presley still pursues his acting career in between gigs. He has sparred with Mohammed Ali, secured a cameo role in a Bob Dylan film and appeared in an episode of a Ruth Rendell's "Inspector Wexford" TV series. He has also participated in two editions of channel 4's quiz "The Music Game".
The Troggs and "Wild Thing" have been used in many advertising campaigns in recent years. For instance "The Rowntrees Lion Bar" in the UK, coffee in Scandinavia, Mexican relish in the USA and Canada and insurance in Europe. "Anyway That You Want Me" was re-recorded for a Yoplait Fruit Royale commercial, and in Germany there was a re-release of "With A Girl Like You" to coincide with a televised promotion for the milk and friut juice packaging company Tetrapak. A CD which also included "Wild Thing" and "I Can't Control Myself" was issued to publicise the product.
Now, at the new millenium, The Troggs are very much a "cult" band. Polygram in the USA and UK released a 52 track CD box set, and Castle Music Pictures and Polygram co-operated to produce a video spanning twenty six years of great Troggs music.
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