The Troggs Singer Reg Presley Dies Aged 71

The man behind 'Wild Thing' and 'Love Is All Around'

Published 5th Feb 2013

Reg Presley, the frontman of multi-million selling rock act The Troggs, has died at the age of 71.

His daughter Karen said he died at his home in Andover, Hampshire yesterday (4th February) surrounded by his close family.

After more than 40 years on the road, Presley retired from touring in January 2012 after being diagnosed with lung cancer.

A month earlier he was taken ill at a concert in Germany from a suspected stroke. He was also suffering from pneumonia and had fluid around his heart.

The Troggs’ biggest international hit was their cover of the Chip Taylor penned track ‘Wild Thing’ which reached number one in America in July 1966 and charted at number two in the UK.

Their only British chart-topper was ‘With A Girl Like You’ the same year, however, Reg Presley’s song ‘Love Is All Around’ stayed at number one for 15 consecutive weeks in 1994 when Wet Wet Wet covered it for the movie ‘Four Weddings and a Funeral’.

Reg used the vast royalties to fund his research into the crop circles phenomenon as detailed in his 2002 book ‘Wild Things They Don't Tell Us’.