Print Print    Close Close

'Wild Thing' singer Reg Presley dies of cancer at age 71

Published April 06, 2016

Associated Press

Rock star Reg Presley, lead singer of the Troggs on hit songs including the garage-rock classic "Wild Thing," has died. He was 71.

Presley's friend and publicist, Keith Altham, said late Monday night that Presley died after a long bout with cancer.

Altham said the singer died at his home in Andover (70 miles west of London) surrounded by his family and friends.

"My dear old pal Reg Presley of The Troggs died today," he said, calling Presley "one very real person in a sometimes very unreal world."

Presley and the Troggs scored their breakthrough hit "Wild Thing" in the early days of the British invasion started by the Beatles and the Rolling Stones.

More On This...

  • Valentine’s Vote: What’s the best current love song?

With its basic three-chord approach and driving beat, it became a hit on both sides of the Atlantic and has been covered by literally hundreds of bands since its 1966 release.

The song was picked up not only by garage bands the world over -- the lead guitar riffs were easily copied -- but also by icons like Jimi Hendrix and Bruce Springsteen.

The Troggs, all from the Andover area, had several other big hits, including "Love is All Around" and "With a Girl Like You."

They faded in the 1970s but their songs were revived in the 1990s when REM and Wet Wet Wet released covers of the Troggs' "Love Is All Around."

Presley founded the Troggs in the 1960s and they kept touring until his lung cancer was diagnosed just over a year ago. He had recently retired because of the cancer.

He had a strong interest in crop circles, paranormal activity, and UFOs.

His daughter Karen told the music website WENN that she, her brother and her mother were with Presley when he died.

"We're absolutely heartbroken," she said.

Print Print    Close Close

URL

https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/wild-thing-singer-reg-presley-dies-of-cancer-at-age-71

  • Home
  • Video
  • Politics
  • U.S.
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment
  • Tech
  • Science
  • Health
  • Travel
  • Lifestyle
  • World
  • Sports
  • Weather
  • Privacy
  • Terms

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. © FOX News Network, LLC. All rights reserved. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Market data provided by Factset. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Legal Statement. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper.Do Not Sell my Personal Information - New Terms of Use - FAQ