Reg Presley, lead singer for the ‘60s garage rock group The Troggs, has died after a bout with lung cancer. He was 71.
Though best known for 1966's “Wild Thing,” The Troggs made quite a few other excellent pop songs, including “With A Girl Like You,” “I Can’t Control Myself,” “Anyway That You Want Me,” “Night Of The Long Grass,” “Give It To Me,” and “Love Is All Around.”
A number of garage and punk acts cite The Troggs as a formative influence. Iggy Pop has sung their praises, while both Buzzcocks and MC5 have covered Troggs songs live. (MC5’s version of “I Want You,” retitled "I Want You Right Now,") appears on Kick Out The Jams.) The Troggs also influenced Hollywood: A modified verson of “Love Is All Around” is used extensively in Love Actually, and a tape of the group arguing in the studio is believed to have been the inspiration for a scene in This Is Spinal Tap.
Outside of music, Presley was also a noted amateur alien researcher. After Wet Wet Wet’s cover of “Love Is All Around” topped the U.K. singles chart for 15 weeks, Presley used his royalties to fund his independent study of crop circles. He published his findings in a book, Wild Things They Don’t Tell Us, in October 2002.