Photo by AP Photo/Hermann J. Knippertz, File
FILE - In this Tuesday, April 29, 2008 file photo Reg Presley, frontman of British rock group The Troggs, performs in a TV studio in Huerth,near Cologne, Germany during the recording of the 50th "Chart Show - The Best Rock Classics". Rock star Reg Presley, lead singer of the Troggs on hit songs including "Wild Thing," has died. He was 71. Presley's death after a year-long bout with lung cancer was announced late Monday night Feb. 4, 2013 by friend and publicist Keith Altham on his Facebook page. (AP Photo/Hermann J. Knippertz, File)
The Troggs - Wild Thing
LOS ANGELES — Reg Presley, lead singer of the Troggs, who made hearts sing with the primal-scream, proto-garage-rock anthem “Wild Thing,” as well as more tender tunes including “With a Girl Like You” and “Love Is All Around,” has died at age 71.
The BBC reports that, according to a spokesperson, the band’s frontman succumbed after “a succession of recent strokes and a losing battle with cancer.” Presley reportedly died at his home in Hampshire, U.K., surrounded by family members.
The Troggs were one of the more notable British Invasion bands that were popular on both sides of the Atlantic in the early and mid-1960s, riding the wave of Beatlemania. “Wild Thing,” ranked No. 257 on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 500 greatest songs of all time, was a growling, slow-burning, guitar-fired come-on to a girl who made “everything groovy,” and it inspired generations of punk rockers to come.
Pete Townshend has identified the song as one of the rock era’s defining tracks, and Jimi Hendrix also did a killer version.
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Comments » 3
RRichmo writes:
I'm sorry, but this is headline news because, ummm, ...... why?
crankyoldbat writes:
Because- If, when you hear the opening bars of "Wild Thing", your heart doesn't beat a little faster, a faint smile doesn't come to your lips, and your hips don't twitch back and forth a little bit... You just might be a humorless prune, with no happy memories.
Or, you might be too young (or too old) to "get it'. In which case, we forgive you.
In any case, Rock On and Peace Out.
Kasey writes:
Condolences for "Wild Thing"'s family.
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