Mud (band)

Mud
Origin	London, England
Genres	Glam rock
Years active	1968–1990
Labels	RAK Records Private Stock Records
Members
Les Gray Rob Davis Ray Stiles Dave Mount

Mud were an English glam rock band, formed in February 1966, best remembered for their single "Tiger Feet", which was the UK's best-selling single of 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 8 December 2006, at St Helier's Hospital, Carshalton)^[3]

History

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 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 Chinn and Chapman, and in 1975 they had no fewer than 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". 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), 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 took his own life on 2 December 2006. His obituary appeared in The Independent newspaper.^[5]

Discography

Singles

• "Flower Power" b/w "You're My Mother" (1967); Did not chart
• "Up the Airy Mountain" b/w "The Latter Days" (1968); Did not chart
• "Shangri-La" b/w "House on the Hill" (1969); Did not chart
• "Jumping Jehosaphat" b/w "Won't Let It Go" (1970); Did not chart
• "Crazy" b/w "Do You Love Me" (1973); UK #12
• "Hypnosis" b/w "Last Tango In London" (1973); UK #16
• "Dyna-Mite" b/w "Do It All Over Again" (1973); UK #4
• "Tiger Feet" b/w "Mr. Bagatelle" (1974); UK #1
• "The Cat Crept In" b/w "Morning" (1974); UK #2
• "Rocket" b/w "The Ladies" (1974); UK #6
• "Lonely This Christmas" b/w "I Can't Stand It" (1974); UK #1
• "The Secrets That You Keep" b/w "Still Watching The Clock" (1975); UK #3
• "Oh Boy" b/w "Watching The Clock" (1975); UK #1
• "Moonshine Sally" b/w "Bye Bye Johnny" (1975); UK #10
• "One Night" b/w "Shake, Rattle and Roll/See You Later Alligator" [medley] (1975); UK #32
• "Hula Love" b/w "Dynamite/The Cat Crept In/Tigerfeet" [medley] (1975)
• "L'L'Lucy" b/w "My Love Is Your Love" (1975); UK #10
• "Show Me You're a Woman" b/w "Don't You Know" (1975); UK #8
• "Nite on the Tiles" b/w "Time and Again" (1976); Did not chart
• "Beating Round the Bush" (1976); Did not chart
• "Shake It Down" b/w "Laugh Live Love" (1976); UK #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" (1976); UK #7
• "Slow Talking Boy" b/w "Let Me Out" (1977); Did not chart
• "Just Try a Little Tenderness" b/w "Gives You The Good Times Now" (1977); Did not chart
• "Cut Across Shorty" b/w "We've Got To Know" (1978); Did not chart
• "Drift Away" b/w "Let Me Get (Close To You)" (1978); Did Not Chart
• "Why Do Fools Fall in Love/Book of Love" b/w "Run Don't Walk" (1979); Did not chart
• "Drop Everything and Run" (1979); Did not chart
• "You'll Like It" b/w "Can't Stop"
• "Lipstick on Your Collar" b/w "Don't Ever Change"

^[1]

Albums

• Mud Rock (1974); UK #8
  • "Rocket", "Do You Love Me", "Running Bear", "Hippy Hippy Shake", "Shake, Rattle and Roll", Dyna-Mite", "The Cat Crept In", "Tiger Feet", "End Of The World", "Blue Moon", "In the Mood", "Bye Bye Johnny"^[6]

• Mud Rock Volume 2 (1975); UK #6
  • "The Secrets That You Keep", "Living Doll", "One Night", "Tallahassee Lassie", "Let's Have A Party", "Tobacco Road", "Oh Boy", "I Love How You Love Me", "Hula Love", "Diana"

• Mud's Greatest Hits (1975); UK #25 (compilation album)
  • "Dyna-Mite", "Rocket", "The Secrets That You Keep", "The Cat Crept In", "One Night", "Oh Boy", "Tiger Feet", "Hypnosis", "Moonshine Sally", "Crazy" and "Lonely This Christmas"

• Use Your Imagination (1975); UK #33
  • "R.U. Man Enough?", "She's Got The Devil In Her Eyes", "Don't Knock It", "Maybe Tomorrow", "43792 (I'm Bustin' You)", "Hair of the Dog", "L'L'Lucy", "Show Me You're A Woman", "Bird Dog", "Use Your Imagination", "Under the Moon of Love"

• It's Better Than Working (1976) Did not chart
  • "It Don't Mean A Thing", "Beating Round The Bush", "I've Got A Song", "Sweet and Sour Lady", "All I've Got To Give", "Nite On The Tiles", "How Many Times?", "Don't Talk To Me", "Blagging Boogie Blues", "Vambo Rools", "Moving On"

• Mudpack (1977) Did not chart
  • "Shake It Down", "It Don't Mean A Thing", "Under the Moon of Love", "Sweet and Sour Lady", "Show Me You're A Woman", "Beating Round The Bush", "L'L'Lucy", "Nite On The Tiles", "Use Your Imagination", "Lean On Me"

• Rock On (1978) Did not chart
  • "Burn On Marlon", "Let Me Get (Close To You)", "Walk Right Back", "Who You Gonna Love", "Slow Talking Boy", "Careless Love", "Drift Away", "Gotta Good Reason", "Too Much of Nothing", "Cut Across Shorty"

• As You Like It (1979) Did not chart
  • "Dream Lover", "It's A Show", "1-2-Love", "Heaven Was Meant For You", "As You Like It", "You’ll Like It", "So Fine", "Right Between The Eyes", "Touchdown", "Why Do Fools Fall In Love / Book Of Love"

• Mud Featuring Les Gray (1982)
  • "The Night Has A Thousand Eyes", "(Let Me Be) Your Teddy Bear", "(Til) I Kissed You", "Save The Last Dance For Me", "Only Sixteen", "Sealed With A Kiss", "Lipstick On Your Collar", "From A Jack To A King", "My Boy Lollipop", "Ain’t That A Shame", "Don't Ever Change", "Let's Dance", "Under The Boardwalk", "Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Polka Dot Bikini", "Dream Lover", "She Wears Red Feathers", "Poetry In Motion", "Blueberry Hill", "Shakin' All Over", "Lucille"

• Let's Have A Party; (1990)
  • "Crazy", "Hypnosis", "Dyna-Mite", "Tiger Feet", "The Cat Crept In", "Rocket", "Hippy Hippy Shake", "The Secrets That You Keep", "Oh Boy", "Moonshine Sally", "One Night", "Blue Moon", "End Of The World", "Tallahassee Lassie", "Let's Have A Party", "Living Doll", "Diana", "In The Mood", "Hula Love", "Lonely This Christmas"

^[1]

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d e} Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. pp. 382. ISBN 1-904994-10-5. 
2. ^ ^{a b c d e} Murrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs (2nd ed.). London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. pp. 348. ISBN 0-214-20512-6. 
3. ^ "Stephen Glover: A prissy judgement by the PCC". The Independent (London). 20 September 2010. http://news.independent.co.uk/people/obituaries/article2083882.ece. 
4. ^ Rice, Jo (1982). The Guinness Book of 500 Number One Hits (1st ed.). Enfield, Middlesex: Guinness Superlatives Ltd. pp. 167. ISBN 0-85112-250-7. 
5. ^ "Dave Mount". The Independent (London). 18 December 2006. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/dave-mount-428975.html. Retrieved 13 May 2010. 
6. ^ Mud Discography

External links

• Mud biography at the Allmusic website
• David Proffitt's Mud tribute pages
• MudReborn.com
• BBC Top of the Pops Mud section
• Mud's discography, chart positions
• Mud CD reissues available