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Mud
Originally formed in 1966, Mud bumbled along for a bit before
being taken under the wing of RAK and the Midas-like Chinn and
Chapman song writing partnership. They'd already done wonders for The
Sweet, what could they do for Mud?
In 1972, RAK and Mud were a partnership made in heaven. RAK was
interested in scoring hits and Mud were interested in being on Top
of the Pops and having a laugh. The partnership suited
both sides and it worked a treat. They scored a total of 15 hits
between 1972 and 1976 and the tigertastic Tiger Feet was top of
the charts for six glorious weeks in 1974.
"That's right, that's right, that's right, that's right,
Really love your tiger light
That's neat, that's neat, that's neat, that's neat, Really love
your tiger feet"
(Cue two-note Woolworth's guitar solo)
It's the sort of song that could have been written while
awaiting the result of the steward's enquiry on the 3:20 at
Haydock Park . . . There was, however, a cloud on the horizon;
they wrote their own b-sides. But that was for the future.
In the early seventies, Mud (a
bunch-of-lads-on-the-make type of band who were strictly of the
'right time, right place' variety) knew where they stood. "We
owe so much to the faith that Nicky, Mike and Mickey had in us at
the very start", said vocalist Les Gray, "We were
virtually an unknown group when we met them".
Mud were in it for the fun. Have a laugh, have a bit
of a giggle and then get out. They used to appear in stretchy
Dra-lon trousers and did the cheesiest dance imaginable to the worst
song this side of Lieutenant Pigeon. But it got a bit carried away
with itself, and the band found that they were a bit more popular
than I suspect they ever figured they would be. But Mud were so of
their time that a long-term career was never an option.
After the Glam bubble burst in 1976 they
disappeared, jettisoned by their public like an empty fuel tank. Sir
Les kept going (in his tight white lurex trousers), renaming the
band Les Gray's Mud. The band continued touring until 1997 when ill
health tapped Les on the shoulder - a bill from the early Seventies.
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Les Gray
Rob Davies
Dave Stiles
Dave Mount
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