Monocled Alchemist

“I Can’t Control Myself” / “Gonna Make You” (Page One POF 001) September 1966

The Troggs | I Can’t Control Myself | (Page One) 1966 | “Oh No,” yells Mr Presley at the beginning of the record. But oh yes, the Troggs have done it again. Another number one on the way.

The Troggs’ well-developed signature – the “bah bahs” and the solid Presley sexiness are all apparent. A more mature and hideously evil sound on this song than they’ve managed before. Actually the lyrics – if you knew what I was thinking says old Reg your hair would curl – are rather splendid. Wowee. (Disc & Music Echo, 01/10/66)

Better Than Bricklaying

IT’S just six months since The Troggs started on their sudden rise to the top — and understandably they’re still feeling a bit dazed. “Even to us, the outlook around that time was so shaky that we didn’t believe we stood much of a chance,” singer Reg Presley told me.

“We’d never been the sort of guys to sit back, taking it easy, being happy with £15 bookings. We were triers. We wanted to get ahead. But everyone was going around saying that the group were finished. It looked as though we were too late.”

However, thanks to manager Larry Page and to The Troggs hit record, “Wild Thing”, all has gone phenomenally well. “Things are great,” admitted Reg in his slow Andover drawl, “but — when I’m asked — I find it hard to say just that. Don’t want to sound too pleased with ourselves do we?

“It has given us a great deal of confidence to see records leaping up in the charts. The more popular our discs have become, the better we’ve played. At first, we felt peculiar when we realised we had to be REALLY professional all the time. We were no longer going on and playing for a hours and hours. We used to stand up and play. Nothing wrong with that — there’s 101 well-known groups who do that. Our presentation, though, has got wilder. We reckoned: ‘Why stand around like dummies?’ So we responded to the enthusiasm of the audiences. We gave them back what they gave to us.”

Reg got into the business through Ronnie Bullis, now the Troggs’ drummer. “I’d done a bit of singing and playing Spanish guitar, had entered for a few competitions In the Andover area, but that was all. I was a bricklayer by trade — which could be interesting work, especially when restoring old buildings. But even working on council houses was creative. Yet, I enjoyed building. At the same time, I’d always dreamed of how it would be to be in pop music, having fans chase me and all that! I was ready to grab any opportunities that came my way. And when Ronnie got turfed out of a group he was playing with, a friend of his formed another group and I was asked to learn bass. We had a few rehearsals — then Chris Britton and Peter Staples left a group called Ten Feet Five and joined us, The Troggs.

“Peter was a better bass player than I was, so it was decided that I should concentrate on singing. I’m still learning bass, and when we get time to work it out we’re hoping to feature some two bass numbers. Right now, we don’t have much time.”

All the Troggs arc from the Andover area. Reg is the first to have abandoned his old home and moved up to a fiat in the middle of London.

“Andover is 65 or so miles from London and it was getting very difficult, up at dawn to come into town. So I’ve moved, and the other boys are flat hunting now. Can’t say I like being in the middle of London all that much. I’d prefer to have a house on the outskirts. Still, it’s convenient — and I’ve been taking a bit of a look round the London scene. I’d never been in these so-called swinging, with-it clubs before. Now I’ve been to see what they’re all about. Frankly, I don’t see what most of the customers find worthwhile. They’re just dance and drink places yet they cost pounds! Don’t see why I should have to pay for a lot of fancy lighting. Well, I don’t mind paying a hit extra, but not THAT much!”

Well, if the bright lights of London have not Proved so alluring to Reg as he might have hoped, he anticipates no disappointments from the group’s forthcoming trips abroad. “We went to Germany, Weisbaden, to make a film for television over there. Just two days — but it was great fun. Now we’re looking forward to touring Scandinavia and then America. Yes, it’s a little more intriguing than laying bricks.” (Record Mirror, 24/09/66)

OH NO! but it’s really OH YES as THE TROGGS notch up 8 million sales!

FOR Larry Page, Chelsea soccer supporter and a man-of-all-trades in the music business, things never seem to go wrong. For Dick James, former singer and now millionaire music-publisher of all that Beatle catalogue, ditto holds true. And together they’ve created Page One Records, distributed through Philips Records.

And their trump card so far is obviously labelled The Troggs. Two top hits so far with “Wild Thing” and “With A Girl Like You”, they look like getting their hat-trick with “I Can’t Control Myself.” So there they were, at a Page One launching ceremony . . . Larry and Dick and the Troggs.

We learned about the other artistes signed to the label. Stop – press signings were Bobby Solo, the young Italian who has sold over four mil-lion copies of his hits on the Continent; and the Graham Bond Organisation, who have been bigger on LP’s than singles here, but hope to rectify matters.

And the others were Toni Carroll, 16-year-old from Wales, a five-foot half-pint with a strong vocal style; The Chants, five-strong vocal harmony group in the Drifters’ tradition; Bella and Gunnel; The Trend, five-strong group; Lee Drummond one-time demo-disc singer; The King Brothers, long-established trio of musicians and singers; the Larry Page Orchestra, usually featuring alto sax; Col Garnet, a musician who supervises the Page One Sessions; Giorgio, first of the foreign artistes to come out on the label—title is “Full Stop.”

We heard that Page One will be distributed throughout the world. We heard Philips’ boss Leslie Gould say that it was six months ago that Larry Page first asked that the Troggs be given a chance. “We gave them the chance. Now they’ve sold eight million records throughout the world.”

We heard Dick James say that Larry Page was the big influence on the company and that he felt very proud of this “launch.” And we heard Larry Page say: “I KNEW the Troggs had what it takes. I also knew that we should form our own company. The Troggs are genuinely friends of mine . . . they simply haven’t changed. Normally you get a new artiste and they call you Mr. Page. In a few weeks, it’s Larry. After that, it’s ‘Hey, YOU”. The Troggs just don’t change.”

We saw a swift exchange of Gold Discs to mark the Troggs’ successes. And we read that: “Page One are now proposing an enterprising new scheme whereby amateur talent scouts can put the wheels of showbusiness in motion for their “finds” simply by phoning a number and letting the company know of their discoveries . . . for which the talent spotter will be guaranteed a split commission should the artiste make the grade.

WORLD TOUR

And I heard Trogg Reg Presley tell me about their world-touring plans for the next year or so. First a six-week tour of Britain, which started on October 1. Then a tour of Scandinavia from November 21 to December 1, then Germany and Holland from December 4 – 11. A visit to France for concerts from February 4-12, then immediately afterwards a tour of Australia, New Zealand, Japan and Singapore.

We heard Larry Page reveal: “I’ve talked to Reg Presley about the lyrics of ‘I Can’t Control Myself’ and he tells me they are not meant to be sexy. He also sang over the words of the follow-up in the cab coming over . . . and, brother —we’re in dead trouble!”

I heard Reg Presley say something VERY like “Hey, YOU” to Larry Page as he bundled his Gold Disc into Larry’s arms. And that was about it. Another label established. With an immediate hit in the shape of the Troggs. As I was saying, Messrs. James and Page simply can’t go wrong! (Record Mirror, 08/10/66)

Why a TROGG owes a debt to CLIFF . . .

RONNIE BOND of the Troggs has one special reason for being grateful to Cliff Richard. It was because of Cliff that Ronnie met his wife Pat! Then, they were both pop fans. It was six years ago. Cliff was topping the bill with the Shadows at a theatre in Salisbury, some twenty miles away from the Troggs’ home town of Andover.

For the pop fans of Wiltshire and Hampshire, this was a night to remember. And all the buses into Salisbury that night were packed with young teenagers. Two of them were Ronnie, who had trained as a jockey but had then become an apprentice carpenter, and Pat Hounslow, who also lived in Andover and was working as a ladies hairdresser.

“That coach to Salisbury rocked from one side of the road to the other, and I started to feel really sick.” recalled Pat, as she sat in the Bond’s lounge in Andover playing with Ronnie’s two young children. “Ronnie was so kind to me that I don’t think I even looked at Cliff all night!” she added with a laugh. “Although he had gone there to see the show, too, Ronnie was far more worried because he thought I wasn’t well—and I liked him immediately for that.”

Gentle streak

She was to find later that this kind, gentle streak was typical of Ronnie’s loving nature. In fact, he had gone out that night determined to see Tony Meehan, who was then the Shadows’ drummer. Since a child, it had been his ambition to become a star drummer, too.

But for years, his mother could not afford to buy him a drum set, for Ronnie was the youngest of eleven children.

“You had to admire young Ronnie,” says his 65-years-old mother. Mrs Louisa Bullis—Ronnie’s real name, “He was determined to learn—and he taught himself.

Threw up his job

“Even as a young lad, he wanted a drum kit—but he had to wait until he left school at 15. Then, Ronnie saved all his money to buy a second-hand set for £30. After that, he saved for the deposit on a beautiful £230 set he bought on hire purchase.

“It was the most expensive thing we had ever had in this house, I can tell you.”

Ronnie went to the local secondary modern school with his friends Pete Staples and Reg Ball—who now calls himself Reg Presley. The fourth Trogg, Chris Britton, attended the local grammar school.

“Ronnie didn’t like school much,” says Mrs. Bullis. “The one thing he really hated was woodwork—which was funny, because he became a carpenter!

“After he left school, he became very good at making chairs and coffee tables—he used to do it in the evenings for a hobby, until he took up drumming.

“But it was typical of Ronnie that when he got into debt with that £230 drum set, he threw up his job as a carpenter and took a job as a labourer—because he could earn more money to get himself straight.”

‘Wild Thing’

Ronnie first played with a number of different groups, but for four years he and one other person always played together. That was Reg Presley.

Says Mrs Bullis: “For three of those years there were four of them. The other two boys were David Wright and Howard Blakey —very nice young lads they were, too.

“They called themselves the Troggs all that time, often practising five nights a week in a room above the Copper Kettle restaurant.

“It was so sad about Howard and Dave. They left just because they thought the group was getting nowhere—that was not long before ‘Wild Thing’ was released. I’ll always remember the day.”

That was the day Ronnie came running home to tell her that London manager Larry Page had signed them, saying they were bound to have a hit with ‘Wild Thing.’ Page was the man who brought Sonny and Cher to Europe, and he used to record the Kinks.

“He started hugging me and dancing me all round he room,” said Mrs Bullis.

“We’re going to do it! We’re going to do it” said Ronnie excitedly. But Mrs Bullis was still unimpressed. “Go on . .” she said. “You’re always saying that—and every time you do tell me something good, the group breaks up!”

Number One!

And she was right, too. For that day the group had broken. Howard had left to take a job in Bracknell. Dave had decided to work in a builder’s business. Chris Britton and Pete Staples had agreed to take their place. For all four of them, it was a gamble. After all, the original Troggs had made seven demo discs without getting anywhere.

After signing with Larry Page and the release of their record, everything happened so quickly. Within weeks they were No. 1 in the British chart—and then in the U.S., too.

“I must admit I felt a little guilty,” says Mrs Bullis. “People had been telling me for years that Ronnie was becoming a very good drummer, and that he was going to get somewhere—but I never believed them.”

Now people who have known the Bullis family for years come up to Ronnie’s mother in the streets of Andover and call her “Granny Trogg.”

THE TROGGS FAMILIES AND THEIR WIVES—RONNIE, CHRIS AND REG ARE ALL MARRIED WITH YOUNG BABIES—HAVE BECOME THE TOAST OF THE TOWN.

Sexy disc? It was meant to be funny! say THE TROGGS

RECENTLY, the powers-that-be of Rediffusion decided to protect their young viewers by banning the Troggs new single “I Can’t Control Myself” from their Five O’Clock TV programme. Reason? It was considered “too sexy” for the kiddie-winkies.

But, says Troggs’ guitarist Chris Britton, the record wasn’t really meant as a sexy song. “It was done more as a tongue-in-cheek number,” he told MM this week. “Mind you, it’s probably more sexy than funny.

PUBLICITY

“A lot of records are very sexy these days. Perhaps it’s just that this one was a bit more sexy than the others. When the record was banned by Rediffusion—which is the only company that has banned it — we were worried to a certain extent, but when we calmed down, we realised that it wasn’t that bad.”

Chris said they didn’t consider the publicity value of the ban at all. “We never really thought that being banned could be good publicity. There are better ways of getting publicity than this. It isn’t a way I would have chosen.”

But as it happened, the Troggs can’t be blamed if they are pleased that reports of the ban created interest in the disc when it was released.

The Troggs freely admit they try for a sexy image on stage. “We obviously try to promote the image in any way we can,” said Chris, relaxing in a Dundee hotel during their marathon tour of Britain with the Walkers and Dave Dee and Co.

“But it’s not something that you can force. It either comes across naturally or it doesn’t. You can’t try to manufacture it. The kids wouldn’t be fooled by that.

“I think that most of the top name groups have sex-appeal otherwise the fans wouldn’t go for them in the first place.”

Had the group considered their next single and could Chris foresee any change of formula. “It’s too early to consider the next single properly, but Reg has a couple of ideas which he’s working on at the moment. It’s difficult to do anything other than think about a follow-up when you’re on tour. We’ve decided to wait until after the tour before going back into the studios.

“As for formulas, the only formula we have really is that we are the Troggs and Reg writes the numbers. All three singles so far have been very different really so we aren’t working to a set pattern at all.”

FIRST

“I Can’t Control Myself” is the first release by Page One records, a new company run by Troggs manager Larry Page. It’s got away to a bold start, for the Troggs’ record this week jumped to number 8 in the MM Pop 50. It has been a pretty shrewd business move to blast a new label into existence with an obvious hit (and possibly a number one). Larry Page is the brain behind the venture, but have the Troggs any financial interest in the new company.

“We have no financial interest at all,” said Chris. “But we think that being with a small independent label, we get a much better deal all round. And of course so does Larry.”

ESTABLISHED

Three hit singles in a row—do the Troggs feel they are firmly estab-lished now? “We didn’t expect the first two to be so big and the news that the new one has come into the charts is great. But we are still carrying on as usual working as hard as we can and hoping that the next record will do as well.

The Troggs aren’t splashing out either. Chris still has the same car he had before the group made it and the only money they spend is on clothes. “Pete has bought a couple of radios, too, but one of those has been pinched,” said Chris.

The group’s eyes are set on the States later this year and Larry Page is flying out this weekend for business talks which could lead to appearances there later this year.

The group are managing to relax a bit more as the new tour progresses. “We were caged birds right at the start,” said Chris. “But since we arrived in Scotland, we’ve managed to relax a lot more. Last night for instance, we had some friends round to the hotel. Drank the night-porter dry, we did!” (Melody Maker, 15/10/66)

Soft-Hearted Reg Presley

REGINALD MAURICE BALL is a soft-hearted ex-bricklayer born in Andover on June 12, 1943, who reads the “Daily Mirror,” is particularly sensitive to anything which he feels involves cruelty to either animals or children (“I can’t stand bull-fighting or fox-hunting”), and gets physically sick when he reads of the tragedy of the children of Aberfan.

“I feel I would like to do a charity concert for them with the Troggs, but how can any amount of money bring back those children or help those poor people?”

He is now known as Reg Presley, for which I feel partially responsible, having made the suggestion for the surname (John Lennon forgive me) to his manager, Larry Page, shortly before “Wild Thing”, became a hit.

Wrote hits

Fortunately, things have worked out quite well since then for the new Presley, and he has written “With A Girl Like You,” which was a No.1 in the NME Chart, and “I Can’t Control Myself,” which this week stands at No. 3.

Songwriting is something he views quite seriously, and he looks with undisguised admiration upon the works of Dylan, Lennon and McCartney and Tim Hardin.

“I like Dylan’s anti-war songs because they express a basic hatred of war and killing which everyone can understand,” he said. “The Beatles I never knew existed until ‘Twist And Shout,’ and then I thought Wow!’, and sat up and took notice of everything they’ve done since.

“I have a theory that their real success came about after the fact that they were millionaires was publicised. Big, important people suddenly realised that pop groups were not a silly game, but big business. The upper classes adopted Beatle discs as the smart thing to have at a party. They became not only international favourites, but ‘classless’ favourites. Millionaires command respect, and the Beatles deserved it.

“Tim Hardin‘s composition ‘If I Were A Carpenter’ should be a No.1 when enough people have heard it—a beautiful song.

“I don’t rate my own songs as having a great social significance, but when I wrote ‘Our Love Will Still Be There’ for our first LP, I felt it and thought maybe I was capturing some of the magic which Lennon and McCartney manage. I’d like Sonny and Cher to record it.

“The Truth have recorded a new single of mine, ‘Jingle Jangle.’ I like what they’ve done, and nothing would please me more than to see them get a hit with it.”

Reg is a quiet, unassuming person, and prefers to laugh at himself before poking fun at others. He believes in a credible theory of reincarnation; reads books about unidentified flying objects by Dr. Adamaski; considers wars should be settled by two heads of state who should be allowed to blow themselves to pieces over a conference table if necessary, and not inflict pain upon millions of innocent women and children.

He has a basic, honest simplicity of character which enables him to see complex matters in a very uncomplicated manner. Believe it or not, he has a grasp of Einstein’s Theory of Relativity, and if you don’t believe it, just ask him about “the train that never leaves the station,” and be prepared for a two-hour discussion on time and space!

Reg is well aware of the image he has been given as an out-of-town “hick” by some misguided reporters, and admits to being partially responsible for this promotion of a country-boy image, but he retires behind those village idiot tones only through nervousness. Rather like Dusty Springfield, who reverts to using Goon humour in awkward moments of an interview, Reg will slide into Andoverian exaggerations because he feels it’s almost expected of him.

He has no conception of himself as a pop idol, but feels he has a certain responsibility to young people.

“I’ve got no real confidence in myself,” he admitted. “Larry is my confidence,” he added, referring to their manager, Larry Page.

Pet hate

“I hate to think that I’m influencing young people by what I do or say – I try to avoid being seen drinking or smoking in photos, but you can’t go too far with this.

Reg Presley, who believes that football is a silly game, but wishes he didn’t because “one million soccer fans now won’t buy my records, and will write in saying I’m a long-haired git who only knows how to pick up a guitar.”

Reginald Maurice Ball hopes to convince his manager that he has written a better number than the Chip Taylor single which has been brought back from America as the Troggs’ new single.

“I thought of a great new song, but it’s a bit naughty, and the tune sounds a bit like ‘Waltzing Matilda,’ said Reg, innocently. (NME, 04/11/66)

Ronnie Bond: He’s got a grip on their money

THERE is the air of a surprised cocker spaniel about Trogg drummer Ronnie Bond who uses his hands to communicate what his conversation lacks. He is a man of almost perpetual good humour, carries around a supply of “war libraries” and American comics for light reading and is the self appointed treasurer in the group.

“The others dare not so much as order a round of sandwiches without obtaining a receipt for me,” he said proudly during a break in their recording session at the new recording studio in Barnes.

“We were running up incredible bills for cases of cokes, taxis and the late night meals,” he told me earnestly. “Someone had to get a grip on it – we were losing hundreds of pounds.”

Ronnie was born Ronald Bullis in Andover on May 4, 1943, and likes his birthplace so much “where everyone knows everyone” that he intends to retire there to a country residence as soon as the money is made. At school the only subject he liked or excelled in was P.T.

“I was very good at doing backward somersaults,” says Ronnie. “Always used to land on me head though—very painful.”

Original

Ronnie was the original “trogglet” and at 16 years of age was only four feet five inches tall and weighed about five stone six pounds. He claims the only advantages this gave him as a child was being able to hide in dustbins when the older boys chased him and giving him an obvious vocation—jockey.

“I joined this riding school,” recalled Ronnie, “but I grew myself out of a job and shot up to five feet nine inches in about three months.

“The doctor couldn’t believe it—he’d have me measured every week and say ‘No-it’s medically impossible—you’ve grown another inch’ —then he’d go away somewhere and have a cry.”

From horse riding Ronnie switched to carpentry and worked for some months for a firm carving out the interiors of caravans.

“We made this monstrous model for Chipperfield’s Circus,” said Ronnie. “It was for a troupe of trapeze artists or something—and we built it in this shed but forgot about getting it out.

“When we finished we had to knock the shed down to get it out and remove a brick wall at the end of the drive.

The only musical influence in Ronnie’s life—he is the youngest of a family of nine—was his elder brother, Billy, who was an amateur singer. The Shadows were beginning to make their music felt in Andover and Ronnie joined a school group called “The Emeralds” and picked up the drums.

“The only instrument I played before that was a huge green ocarina which we had lying about the house,” said Ronnie. “Never did find out who bought it, or where it came from.”

The switch from Ronnie Bullis came about shortly after manager Larry Page decided to turn Reg Ball into Reg Presley. Ronnie was filled with foreboding!

“They kept pulling my leg and saying they were going to call me Ronnie Sinatra or Ronnie Crosby,” he grinned. “When they finally came up with ‘Bond’ I breathed a sigh of relief—I can live with that”

Ronnie is also the Trogg with some double trouble. Over the past two weeks someone pretending to be Ronnie has rung up a number of managers and agents saying the group wanted a new road manager and were considering changing their agency.

“The pest is evert using a West Country accent and everyone thought it was me at first,” said Ronnie. “I just hope he doesn’t send the phone bill, that’s all!”

In addition to being something of a comic himself—his impersonation of Wilfred Pickles and the “Have A Go” programme is a revelation.

Ronnie goes to see horror films for a laugh.

“I sat through the ‘Brides Of Frankenstein’ when I was 13 with my hands over my ears and I’ve never been the same since.”

The one thing guaranteed to get him annoyed is the censorship of any of the group’s songs—particularly the recent trouble Over ‘I Can’t Control Myself’ in the U.S.

Dirty

“Someone is trying to make ‘sex’ a dirty word,” says Ronnie. “Who are they trying to kid—the youngsters of today know what’s going on in the world. Who do these small-minded people think they are protecting?”

Since being a part of show business Ronnie’s biggest kick was going back to the Prince of Wales and meeting Johnny Mathis. “What a great artist,” enthused Ronnie, “I’ve never seen anyone so emotionally knotted up but his voice is the greatest.”

Other things that Ronnie likes include Mick Jagger‘s interpretation of slow ballads like “Lady Jane” and “You Better Move On” – the Beach Boys harmonies – and John Maus – “who is much more maligned and is one of the more intelligent people in this business.

“I enjoy any music which seems to protect itself off the record – particularly a voice. If a person can get off the disc and into the air the effect is far greater. Reg can do this – Jagger can do it – Al Jolson was the first person I ever heard do it.

“Tina Turner does it so effectively that when she sings ‘River Deep’ I feel like one side of my face has gone numb. (NME, 18/11/66)

ANOTHER SMASH HIT SESSION

AT a recording session at the new Olympic studios in Barnes last Friday the Troggs recorded their new single—another composition by Chip (“Wild Thing”) Taylor and with “Any Way That You Want Me” (Page One) they have done it again.

This is the disc that is going to wipe the self-satisfied smile of patronisation right off the faces of one or two so called “progressive” producers who believe this group is backward.

One for the top

With the inspired addition of cellos, Larry Page has produced a fusion of classical and pop, which is equally beautiful in musical feel—if not in lyric—as “Eleanor Rigby”. The vocal is easily the best thing Reg Presley has ever done and he sings with genuine sincerity and warmth.

It this one makes the top three, and I believe it will, then the Troggs have become an established part of the pop scene ’66 and look out “Beatles, Stones, Walkers” because these four “country hicks” are about to prove they are not just out-of-town boys with a lucky break.

“This one frightens me to death,” admitted manager and record producer Larry Page after the session. “It’s so different from what anyone is going to expect and yet it’s such a fantastic performance that I have to release it as a single. We might have been safer sticking to the already proven formula but this will prove just how different they can be, and still make a hit.”

Mozart-like texture

Reg sat in the control room perched on a high stool and listening to the playback with the sweeping cellos behind his softly controlled vocal giving it an almost Mozart-like texture.

“Oooooooh,” gasped Reg, doing his famous impression of a bicycle tyre losing air. “I like thaaat!”

Issue for this disc should be late December but look out people because the new Troggs single is another ear-opener! And if I might borrow a Scott Engelism—it’s a “mouth-shutter” to all those cynics. (NME, 18/11/66)

Reg will have to mumble!

The hazards of being a top pop star can be far removed from the image of beer and skittles. Ask anyone who’s ever had a hit and done the rounds of ballrooms, clubs and theatres. The Troggs are one of the latest groups to find out how difficult things can be.

I spoke to Chris Britton in the hotel room of Wolverhampton just before he and the other Troggs went off for another concert on the tour with the Walker Brothers and DDDBM&T.

After three hit records, sales of over eight million throughout the world and a vast fan following, the Troggs have become part of the real pop biz scene. How, I asked Chris, were they getting on with the other members of the clan?

“We don’t get much chance to meet them,” he replied “We’re living in suitcases. We only see other people in studios or when we go down to the Cromwellian for an evening. We’ve got on well with the people we have met though.”

Chris added that the artistes on the tour were all getting along famously. Various members of various groups were wandering about in one another’s dressing rooms and everybody had made friends from the word “go”.

As “I Can’t Control Myself” shoots into the RM’s Top Ten and looks likely to challenge for the top spot, the Troggs have had to put up with a bit of undue criticism over the lyrics of the song. Were they content to continue recording songs written by Reg Presley!

“I don’t see any reason why not as long as he keeps on coming up with songs we like,” Chris told me. “We hope to have another LP out before Christmas, but we’re not sure if we can make it. Reg is writing a lot of material but there’s not a lot of time, we’re a bit pushed.”

How about the partial ban that was imposed on the record? Now it has been completely lifted in this country, it seems to have been taken up by the Australian Broadcasting Control Board. The Troggs are due for a tour there early in 1967.

“I don’t think it will effect the visit,” Chris replied. “I don’t really know what the ban is, ‘Newly Pressed’ and ‘Five O’Clock Club’ banned it first here, but we aren’t unduly worried. We were at the time.

“The lyrics aren’t bad when you consider some of the other songs going round at the moment. Perhaps Reg pronounces his words too clearly. He’ll have to mumble on the next one.” (Record Mirror, 22/10/66)