February 5th, 2013
01:30 PM ET
'Wild Thing' singer Reg Presley diesSinger Reg Presley of British band The Troggs has died, CNN has confirmed. He was 71. Famous for the 1966 song "Wild Thing," Presley and The Troggs were also behind other hits like "With a Girl Like You," "I Can't Control Myself" and "Love Is All Around."
The BBC reports that Presley died at his home in the U.K. surrounded by his family. The singer had reportedly been diagnosed with lung cancer the year before. "Reg was an amazing man," Presley's manager told CNN in a statement. "He worked all over the world with The Troggs ... Even Jimi Hendrix copied the man from Andover." He went on to describe Presley as "a warrior of the '60s boom and not afraid to travel outside the London West End bubble to spread Troggmania." As Rolling Stone notes, The Troggs were part of music's "British Invasion wave" that included the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and the Who. "Wild Thing," which you can listen to below, is No. 261 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 greatest songs of all time. With singles like that one, Rolling Stone says, "the band helped to define garage rock in the '60s and inspired the architects of what would evolve into punk rock in the '70s, including Iggy Pop, the Buzzcocks and the Ramones."
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You are welcome...I love your site.
Am I the only one who was expecting this article to be about the death of Tone Loc?
You move(d) me. Thanks for one of the great rock tunes ever, Reg.
I cried when he sang "I Dreamed a Dream on American Idol." So sad, another great Mongolian singer cut down in his prime. Damn bananas!
Always loved the way he sang Ave Maria. Even when he was with The Who, his version of "This Little Light of Mine" was a show stopper.
Song was used so well in the film "Major League" (1989) when Rick "Wild Thing" Vaughn (Charlie Sheen) was called in from the bullpen.
R.I.P. Old friend. Here's remembering the old days back in Andover when we wuz young and playing in rival bands.
RIP Reg, you'll live on forever through your music. I've loved your music for over 45 years and always will. RIP
Long live British rock!
Some great music from the past. Pretty good when Jimi Hendrix copies them. Rip, Mr. Presley.
To everyone who posted-you people are crazy today! I've been laughing my butt off. Thanks for the chuckles!
I think every garage band in the world played that song in the 60's. We sure did! Jimi Hendrix's version at Monterrey Festival was fantastic! Set his guitar on fire after! So cool! Brings back very good memories!!!
Great song, it was the first 45 I ever bought when I was 10 years old
I bet you used to get stoned to the song too
The troggs a legendary 60s group that help define a historic time of music. Rip Reg you made my teen age years a very wild thing.
I was never a big fan of The Troggs but I don't think the death of Reg Presley should be the subject of ridiculous (and patently unfunny) comments.
Wild Thing
You still move me!
Thanks for the music! RIP
Remember fondly sitting in my family's living room in Holland playing Wild Thing over and over again. I occasionally go to Youtube to listen to it again. The Troggs with their white clothes and black stripes were "it".
Very tragic I like that song a lot, it was on a couple of good movies. He will be missed.
All you trolls: STFU!!! RIP Reg
He'll always be the best Beatle to me.
RIP Reg Presley
F U useless a hole...
He was good in wild things
Coincidentally, he was Elvis Presley's stand-in in Viva Las Vegas and It Happened at the World's Fair. RIP!
He also acted I'm the movie wild things
I can't believe of all the crap that's been going on this past week, this actually makes me feel old! Ride on, ye olde British Invasion...
that's you tonight.
a. why do you care about a computer memory if it does not pertain too you.
b. never said the monkees did it and again why do you care
c i like ice cream
If it has to be explained, you wouldn't understand.
The article failed to mention that Elton John started out as a flute player for the Troggs. Until the band got tired of having their flutes played.....
"Wild thing, I think I love you..." RIP Reg.
RIP, Reg!
He was the "Quiet Beatle".
Jeremiah was a Bull-Trogg....
I loved Jeremiah Was A Bullfrog ! Not kidding !
Gosh, I'm sixteen again when I read about Reg Presley..what wonderful memories of those times...hate to see our older, great rockers pass on...
Wild Thing by the Troggs is just one of those songs that send you right back. R.I.P Reg. Thanks for the memories.
Cheer up sleeeepy Jean
Oh what can it mean
To a daaay dream believer
And a homecoming queen . . .
Simply a great song. The Trogs ruled the sixties.
The Monkeys did Daydream Believer.....geez....
"And then I saw her face
Now I'm a believer" – Reg Presley
I also loved Blue Christmas.
"it's gonna be a blue, blue Christmas this year" – Reg Presley
Maybe my memory is bad, but wasn't that The Monkees?
@Jenn, Cheer up Sleepy Jean, aka Daydream Believer, was written by John Stewart, formerly of the Kingston Trio.
John Stewart rocked when he played drums for the Ramones. Reg was their ball boy.
You are all wrong . He was with the Archie's and sang lead on "sugar,sugar". Then he played with Vanilla Fudge before he joined Joplin's band. He did a cover of Debby's Boones "you light up my life" in 1995 and won a Grammy . Then he toured with Chaka Kahn.
Wasn't he the lead singer of Black Sabbath at one time? I could've of sworn he sang Stairway to Heaven live in concert once.
Yes we played in the band deep purple. We sang songs like purple rain and the dude looks like a lady. Stuff like that
Reg Presley helped to shape rock and roll. He will be missed but never forgotten. He lives on through his music!
Rest in Peace Reg.. we love you!
When they fell out of popularity, their lyrics stuck in my head for 30 years. Stuff like- "What's your name? Who's your
Daddy? Is he r-i-i-chhh like me-e-e-? ( from Time of the Season) I started thinking about class division when I was 15 years old. Great band. And, did this guy popularize the whole wiggle neck move that's so ubiquitous today? Hey,
give the White boy some credit.
My fav song of theirs was Day Dream Believer. We played it over and over.
The Zombies did Time of the Season.....
The Zombies did "Time of the Season!" I stand and sit and grovel Corrected!
Old age and memory is a beech.
@CNN – the group was called The Froggs. You are spelling it wrong.
It's the Troggs.....geez #2
??? It was the Troggs. I know, I was there.
The Froggs were never the same once Davey Jones left. Reg was tallented but couldn't carry the group all by himself.
Davy Jones was with the Monkeys....geez #3
OMG..you and the others must be kidding or you and others..are trolls...He never sang day dream believer that was Davy Jones with the Monkees. And it was the Troggs not frogs...geezzzz is right...I know too because I was there also...
the late davey jones was an actor hired to play a lead singer in a fake tv comedy band called the Monkees based on the Beatles fame and the show was a popular american tv series. as for The Troggs (not Froggs), were a real british band in the early 60's with Wild Thing as one of the popular tunes that was copied by many others including Jimi Hendrix. Daydream Believer was a song written by an american songwrtter for the Monkees tv show and Reg was never a Beatle. The Beatles started in 62 not 67. you folks do your research on google before you post dumb comments
Geez – either all the players in this string are trolls, or are just plain STUPID!!!
They're neither trolls nor stupid. They merely lived in the '60s and have foggy memories because of the drugs and alcohol in college. Heck I remember the song, but when it first came out I thought it was "wow" thing, I think I love you
Not directed to John Mayer...
Are you guys seriously brain damaged or what> Is he one of the Beatles?? Are you serious? And what does Nicki Minaj have to do with this? I think the majority of people who go to CNN are the most uneducated and retarded idiots on the planet! Ever heard of Google or Wikipedia. Or do you really enjoy showcasing your ignorance and stupidity?
Either that, or you are naive enough to fall for the trolls.
It's amazing to read such idiotic comments! How clueless are some of you or are you all proud of showcasing how dumb you really are?? He was NOT in the Beatles, among other things! Do a google search before you start posting such retarded things
nothing....
What a loss. I remember seeing them at the Woodstock, just before the rains came. Tore it up!
I was there! It was A W E S O M E !
Everyone loved The Froggs.
214,342 kb's for dinner?
"Hey, hey, were the Monkees" – Reg Presley
RIP Reg Presley.
Was he Elvis's brother?
Huh??? What the hell do the Monkees have to do with the Troggs??
@Chirelle Yes, yes he was.
-
When The Troggs broke up in 1967 several of the performers went on to form The Beatles. They were really big all through the late 1960's.
Really? Wow. That's fascinating, especially considering how the Beatles were touring in the U.S. in 1964.
You couldn't be more WRONG! Get your facts straight – the Troggs members had absolutely NOTHING to do with the Beatles!!!
Wasn't he one of the Beatles? I really think he was part of their group before Paul McCartney joined.
Get serious dude – he was NO such thing!!!!!
Yes, but it was after Paul died.
mom's doing coffee and cake with you guys on sunday kay?
Hippys and Juuuuus killed Jesus.
Dang Hippys.
confidential Justice Department memo concludes that the U.S. government can order the killing of American citizens if they are believed to be “senior operational leaders” of al-Qaida or “an associated force” - even if there is no intelligence indicating they are engaged in an active plot to attack the U.S.
"In the Department’s view, a lethal operation conducted against a U.S. citizen whose conduct poses an imminent threat of violent attack against the United States would be a legitimate act of national self-defense that would not violate the assassination ban. Similarly, the use of lethal force, consistent with the laws of war, against an individual who is a legitimate military target would be lawful and would not violate the assassination ban.”
Most people don't realise he also co-wrote "Achy Breaku Heart" with Billy Ray Cyrus and many of today's top hits.
what's wrong with looking like peter brady?
?
Interesting enough, he dies from lung cancer while taking a picture with smokes in the window...
looks like film to me for a camera but you could be right
i have had 5 friends die of lung cancer and never once touched a cig
i can't see jodie becauSe i love nikki minaj–
ask Alice. She'll know what a trog is. Especially after she talked to the caterpillar.
Wild Thing was actually recorded as the B side and they wrote it very quicky in the studio.
They didn't even write. get your facts stright
we are marrying Soon.
It's a damn shame you don't credit where it is really deserved, to the talented guy that wrote the song, Chip Taylor!! He wrote many excellent tunes and still performs today on the Alt Country circuit. As usual, CNN does not do GOOD RESEARCH or even half ass reporting!
Good call, Dan. Was wondering if that would get put in there. Chip was a friend of my uncle's and is actor Jon Voight's brother actually.
Yes, I believe he is the more talented of the Voight brothers. Shame he didn't get a nod in this article. I really like Chip and Carrie. Good tunes.
Thank you Dan. CNN often doesn't give credit where credit is due. "Wild thing I think I love you". RIP-Reg
As a 12 year old just learning the guitar, this was an easy song to learn and play when it came out. My favorite from these guys was "Love Is All Around". Rest in peace Reg!!
your jodie foster's new lover...no? ... then stfu...once and for all...nobody is broke...Puzzled? too bad
i control that.
One time me and Granny were fishing in the cement pond and I catched a troglodyte.
Did it make you do the Bertha Butt Boogie?
Love Is All Around by the Troggs was the first LP I ever bought; played it endlessly on the little record player bought with blue chip stamps, interspersed with the fantastic 45 'The Martian Hop'. It doesn't matter that other music came along later which I thought was better and may have been. You always remember your first love!
My gramma aid back in the sixties that hippies roamed the earth playing drums and causing trouble.
RIP amigo, still one of my all time favorite songs.......
slide your ass over and start talking!!!
"trog" means cave dweller. Be sure to check out the version by Sister Carol East. Also the 1967 parody in which a voice imitates Senator Robert Kennedy doing the song.
OMG I had forgotten the Kennedy sound alike spoof on the song.
Wild thing... I think I love you. But I wanna know for sure!
i love that song-wild thing. rest in peace
I'm glad I wasn't born then. My grandma said they had to walk to school and there wasn't such thing as air conditioning. And if you was hungry you had to go pick an apple of catch a fish in the river.
Madison;
wake up and go back to bed
4 guys came in this morning and asked me to sit with them for breakfast...truth...YOUNG....
you better park it soon...cuz i could have a date already! from the bafe lounge.....
No way. Music wasn't even invented then. 1966? That's when people rode in wagons and milked cows.
They were still riding dinosaurs back then. Just look at the Flintstones, that was in the 60s.
The band name was a shortened version of "troglodyte". I played that 45 a million times on my sister's record player.
RIP poor Bieber wannabe.
Just another cheap Justin imitator.
Please say you are smart enough to be kidding, or that you're 11 years old.
One of my fav iconic songs from the era. Still play it to this day. Impact song. RIP
what is a trog ? is it a kind of animal ? i bet they meant to spell frog but were on drugs. hippies in the olden days took drugs sometimes.
hello.
I bet he doesn't have to jog in PE. He's a rich singer guy. I'm gonna be one of those when I grow up. That or a forest ranger.
What is a trog? My teacher said there is no such thing as a trog.
The word is "Trogg." Try again
...as in troglodytes