Reg Presley facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Reg Presley
Background information
Birth name	Reginald Maurice Ball
Born	(1941-06-12)12 June 1941 Andover, Hampshire, England
Died	4 February 2013(2013-02-04) (aged 71) Andover, Hampshire, England
Genres	Rock, pop
Occupation(s)	Singer, songwriter
Years active	1960s–2012
Associated acts	The Troggs

Reginald Maurice Ball (born 12 June 1941 – died 4 February 2013), known as Reg Presley, was an English singer and songwriter. He was the main singer for the 1960s rock and roll band the Troggs.

The Troggs had famous songs like "Wild Thing" and "With a Girl Like You". "Wild Thing" reached number one in the United States. "With a Girl Like You" was number one in the United Kingdom. Reg Presley also wrote the song "Love Is All Around". This song was later used in popular movies like Four Weddings and a Funeral and Love Actually.

Reg Presley's Music Career

The Troggs in 1966. From left to right: Pete Staples, Ronnie Bond, Chris Britton, and Reg Presley.

Reg Presley was born in Andover, Hampshire, England. He got his stage name, Reg Presley, in 1965. A journalist from New Musical Express gave him the name.

Before becoming a famous musician, Reg worked as a bricklayer. He continued this job until "Wild Thing" became a huge hit in 1966. The song reached number two in the UK and number one in the US. It sold five million copies around the world.

Songs Written by Reg Presley

Reg Presley wrote many of The Troggs' hit songs. These included "With a Girl Like You" and "I Can't Control Myself". He also wrote the very popular song "Love Is All Around".

In 1994, the band Wet Wet Wet made a cover of "Love Is All Around". Their version was incredibly popular. It stayed at number one on the UK Singles Chart for fifteen weeks.

Reg Presley used the money he earned from this cover song for interesting research. He explored topics like alien spacecraft, ancient lost civilisations, alchemy, and crop circles. He even wrote a book about his findings called Wild Things They Don't Tell Us, which came out in 2002.

Reg Presley's Later Life and Passing

In December 2011, Reg Presley became ill and was taken to a hospital. Doctors thought he might have had a stroke. He also had pneumonia and fluid around his heart. He had experienced a major stroke about a year before this.

His wife shared that he started feeling unwell while performing in Germany. His health got worse after that. The next month, Reg announced that he had lung cancer. Because of his illness, he decided to stop performing music.

Reg Presley passed away on 4 February 2013, from lung cancer and other health issues. He was cremated in Basingstoke, Hampshire.

In his memory, a special blue plaque was placed in Andover High Street on 31 July 2016. This plaque marks the spot where The Troggs used to practice their music.

Reg Presley's Impact on Music

Reg Presley's music was very important to other artists. Famous musicians like Iggy Pop were influenced by him. Even Bob Dylan praised The Troggs' music.

A music writer named Lester Bangs called The Troggs the "godfathers of punk music." He also compared Reg Presley to a famous writer named Marcel Proust. Reg Presley even appears as a character in a novel called These Dreams of You by Steve Erickson.

The Troggs' Albums

See also

In Spanish: Reg Presley para niños