Rock stars join fans to say farewell to Troggs frontman Reg Presley (From Daily Echo)
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Rock stars join fans to say farewell to Troggs frontman Reg Presley
6:01pm Thursday 14th February 2013 in News
Hundreds gathered to say goodbye to Troggs frontman Reg Presley
TROGGS fans mingled with rock royalty of the 1960s as hundreds gathered at in Hampshire to say goodbye to the band’s frontman Reg Presley who died last week, aged 71.
Among those paying their respects were national names such as Noddy Holder from Slade, and Bruce Welch from The Shadows.
There were also several members from groups that enjoyed great popularity in the 1960s such as Herman’s Hermits, The Merseybeats and Tremeloes.
Chip Taylor, who penned the Troggs’ biggest worldwide hit ‘Wild Thing’, flew in from the United States especially for the service.
But Reg’s close friend Colin Andrews, who worked with him on crop-circle research, was prevented from flying in from Connecticut by a snowstorm.
Wayne Fontana, who topped the US charts in 1965 with ‘Game of Love’ on the same Fontana record label as The Troggs, was one of those who was outside the overflowing Basingstoke crematorium iistening to the secular service over the loudspeaker.
He said: “Reg was always a pleasure to be with.
“I can remember sitting up for hours into the night when we were on the QE II talking about crop circles and putting the world to rights.
“He was a charming and very funny man with a dry humour – sometimes he didn’t realise just how funny he was.
“I had known him since the 1960s and he really will be missed.”
The service began with Sting’s song Fields of Gold but the other music was provided by The Troggs – ‘Love is All Around’ and ‘Wild Thing’.
The civil celebrant Leslie Nash spoke of Reg’s love for his home town of Andover and for his wife Bren.
The couple met at the Fiesta Hall in the town, he proposed that first night and the pair married in 1962.
