Pete Staples

I was born in Andover, a rural Hampshire town, in 1944 and started playing with bands in the 60s’. After groups splitting, and then reforming, I eventually teamed up with fellow ‘Andoverians’ Reg Presley, Chris Britton and Ronnie Bond and we became ‘The Troggs’. We signed with Page One Records, which was then Larry Page and Dick James Music. When, in 1966, ‘Wild Thing’ was a UK hit and then No 1 in America I had just finished working as an electrician. We followed this success with ‘With a girl like you’, ‘Love is all Around’, ‘I can’t control Myself’ etc and performed extensively throughout Europe; also toured the UK with The Walker Brothers and Gene Pitney. In 1968 we toured America with The Who. I took up writing to record memories and events in my own words. Happily married since 1969 with 2 children and 3 grandsons.