1972-75

By now MUD had been professional for three years and had still failed to make the big time. It was a frustrating time for the band, but they continued gigging all over the country. Then, in late 1972, they got the break they so desperately needed.

Songwriter/Producer team Nicky Chinn and Mike Chapman, who had already had successes with the SWEET, were looking for a new band to write for and manage. Les, Ray, Dave and Rob leaped at the opportunity and signed a contract with RAK records. They were given a new imaged, new suits and a new song written especially for them - “Crazy”. The single was released in January 1973 and got to number 12 in the UK charts. MUD had made it at last!

“Crazy” and their next record “Hypnosis” were both based on a tango beat. MUD admit that they weren’t too keen on the idea at first and it was touch and go whether they would catch on.

In October 1973 the image changed with the introduction of teddy-boy gear and a rock and roll sound. Their third RAK single “Dynamite” reached number 4 in the charts. The new look and sound caught on and MUD were quickly becoming one of the hottest new bands around.

January 1974 saw the release of MUD’s biggest hit, “Tiger Feet”. An instant hit, “Tiger Feet” shot to number one in the UK charts for four weeks in February and became the number one selling record of 1974. It was knocked of the number one slot by fellow RAK artist Suzi Quatro with “Devil Gate Drive”.

In May 1974 “The Cat Crept In” got to number two, followed by “Rocket” in August which reached number six. At this time MUD also released their first album “Mud Rock”.

By now MUD had become regular guests on BBC’s Top Of The Pops and other music shows of the time. They continued to tour extensively throughout the UK and Europe.

Their second number one single came in December 1974 when “Lonely This Christmas” shot to the top of the charts. The single stayed at the number one slot for four weeks. Their appearance on the Top Of The Pops Christmas special is almost legendary, with stage hands climbing step ladders to pour imitation snow on the band as they sang. Anyone who has seen the clip will also note Les’ use of a ventriloquist dummy during the spoken part. As Les told a recent TV interviewer, miming the singing parts was relatively easy, but miming to a spoken part was almost impossible, so he didn’t try!

MUD’s next single, “The Secrets That You Keep”, was released on 14th February 1975 and reached number three in the UK. During March and April MUD were on the road in the UK, Ireland and East Germany and Belgium, where they were voted Number One Pop Attraction. MUD came up against censorship laws for the first time in East Germany where the authorities banned Rob’s costume because he was showing too much bare chest!

On 20th May 1975 the GTO film “You’re Never Too Young To Rock” was released. The film featured MUD, alongside the Rubettes and the Glitter Band. The film itself was not particularly well received - the music was, as you’d expect, good, but the plot and acting are best described as poor, even from the professionals.

MUD’s last number one single, “Oh Boy” was released in April 1975, at about which time MUD’s split with Chinn and Chapman and RAK became common knowledge. On 14th June, RAK released “Moonshine Sally”, which had been recorded several years earlier but kept ‘in the can’. It reached number 10 in the charts.

MUD’s second album, “ Mud Rock II”, was released in July 1975, along with their last single for RAK, “One Night”.

1975-76

This marked the band’s split with RAK and Chinn & Chapman and they went into the studio in July to start work on their own songs for their new label, Private Stock. The boys announced that ex-Candlewick Green keyboard player ANDY BALL was to join the band on stage and in the studio.

In September, RAK released “Mud’s Greatest Hits”, while MUD released their first single for Private Stock, “L’L’Lucy”. The new single was written by Rob Davis and Ray Stiles and did well, reaching number 10 in the charts, proving that the boys could make it on their own.

“Show Me You’re a Woman”, their next single, entered the charts just as “L’L’Lucy” left. It reached number 8.

Their third album “Use Your Imagination” was released at the beginning of December. The album contained six of their own songs, showing Rob and Ray’s diverse song writing talents.