Mud (band)

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Mud CD cover art

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 in 1974.

1 Band Membership
2 Career
3 Discography
- 3.1 Singles
- 3.2 Albums
4 References
5 External links

[edit] 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.

[edit] Career

They 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 Top 20 success with Crazy.

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 acappella cover of the old Buddy Holly hit. Like contemporaries Sweet, their most successful period came when their records were produced by Nicky Chinn and Mike Chapman, and in 1975 they had no less than seven singles on the UK Top 40. "Oh Boy" was the only No. 1 single produced by Chinn and Chapman that they did not write as well.

"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").

In the summer of 1975 they left Chinn and Chapman, joining the Private Stock label, in order to have more control over their input. Their first single under this new deal was the self-penned "L'l'Lucy", and its follow-up, the ballad "Show Me You're a Woman", reflected a change of style away from their trademark glam rock sound to a more Philly soul style.

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 did not 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), but 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-write 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.

[edit] Discography

[edit] Singles

"Flower Power" (1967) Did Not Chart
"Up The Airy Mountain" (1968) Did Not Chart
"Shangri-La" (1969) Did Not Chart
"Jumping Jehosaphat" (1970) Did Not Chart
"Crazy" (1973); UK #12
"Hypnosis" (1973); UK #16
"Dyna-mite" (1973); UK #4
"Tiger Feet" (1974); UK #1
"The Cat Crept In" (1974); UK #2
"Rocket" (1974) UK #6
"Lonely This Christmas" (1974); UK #1
"The Secrets That You Keep" (1975); UK #3
"Oh Boy" (1975); UK #10
"Moonshine Sally" (1975); UK #10
"One Night" (1975); UK #32
"L'L'Lucy" (1975); UK #10
"Show Me You're A Woman" (1975); UK #8
"Nite On The Tiles" (1976) Did Not Chart
"Beating Round The Bush" (1976) Did Not Chart
"Shake It Down" (1976); UK #12
"Lean On Me" (1976); UK #7
"Slow Talking Boy" (1977) Did Not Chart
"Just Try A Little Tenderness" (1977) Did Not Chart
"Cut Across Shorty" (1978) Did Not Chart
"Drift Away" (1978) Did Not Chart
"Why Do Fools Fall In Love"/"Book Of Love" (1979) Did Not Chart
"Drop Everything And Run" (1979) Did Not Chart

[edit] Albums

Mud Rock (1974); UK #8
Mud Rock Volume 2 (1975); UK #6
Mud's Greatest Hits (1975); UK #25
Use Your Imagination! (1975); UK #33
It's Better Than Working (1976) Did Not Chart
Mudpack (1976) Did Not Chart
Rock On (1977) Did Not Chart
As You Like It (1979) Did Not Chart

Preceded by: Slade Merry Christmas Everybody	*UK Christmas Number One single* Lonely This Christmas 1974	Succeeded by: Queen Bohemian Rhapsody