Reg King
{{About|the musician|the New Zealand international football (soccer) player|Reg King (footballer)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2016}}
{{Use British English|date=July 2016}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Reg King
| image =
| caption =
| image_size =
| background = solo_singer
| birth_name = Reginald King
| alias = Reggie King
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1945|2|5|df=yes}}
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2010|10|08|1945|2|5|df=yes}}
| origin = Paddington, London, England
| instrument =
| genre = Blue-eyed soul, pop music
| occupation =
| years_active = 1964–2010
| label = United Artists
| past_member_of = The Action
| website =
}}
Reginald King (5 February 1945 – 8 October 2010), known professionally as Reg King or Reggie King, was an English singer, songwriter and record producer, most famous for being the solo and lead singer with The Boys and The Action. He died of cancer, aged 65, in October 2010.{{cite news|author=Pierre Perrone |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/reg-king-soulful-lead-singer-with-the-underrated-but-influential-mod-band-the-action-2129487.html |title=Reg King: Soulful lead singer with the underrated but influential mod band The Action |newspaper=The Independent |date=2010-11-10 |access-date=2020-05-20}}{{cite news|author=Pat Long |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2010/nov/07/reg-king-obituary |title=Reg King obituary | Music |newspaper=The Guardian |access-date=2020-05-20}}{{cite web|url=http://www.spinner.com/2010/11/15/reg-king-the-action-dead/ |title=Yahoo |website=Spinner.com |access-date=2020-05-20}}
Early life
Reg King was born on 5 February 1945 in Paddington, West London. King and drummer Roger Powell had known each other since their schooldays, and were involved in the early days of the Scene Club in Soho, London, becoming pioneers in mod subculture and fashion.
Career
{{Main article|The Action}}
King was lead singer and songwriter of the Boys (1963–1964) and the Action (1965–1968). His first venture into song-writing was for Sandra Barry, in which he penned "Really Gonna Shake" b/w "When We Get Married" in March 1964 on Decca.{{Cite web |title=Sandra Barry & The Boys (12) – Really Gonna Shake / When We Get Married |url=https://www.discogs.com/master/1845717-Sandra-Barry-The-Boys-Really-Gonna-Shake-When-We-Get-Married |access-date=May 5, 2024 |website=Discogs}} In 1967, King wrote the Action B-side's, "Twenty Four Hours" and "Something Has Hit Me", the latter co-written by King with Melody Maker journalist and flatmate Nick Jones.{{Cite web |title=The Action - Record Collector Magazine |url=https://recordcollectormag.com/articles/action |access-date=2024-05-05 |language=en}} For the Action's Rolled Gold compilation album King wrote "Come Around", "Climbing Up The Wall" and of course, "Little Boy".Raison, Mark (February 6, 2011). THE ACTION AND MIGHTY BABY: MIKE EVANS INTERVIEW (2000). Monkey Picks. Retrieved May 5, 2024. In 1968, he produced Gary Farr's album Take Something With You (1969) on Marmalade Records.{{Cite web |title=Gary Farr (2) – Take Something With You |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/1948520-Gary-Farr-Take-Something-With-You |access-date=May 5, 2024 |website=Discogs}}
= Solo career =
In 1971, King released his first self-titled solo album on United Artists. It was accompanied by B.B. Blunder (ex-Blossom Toes) and Mighty Baby (former band members), along with other guest musicians such as Mick Taylor, Steve Winwood (credited as Mystery Man), Brian Auger and Danny McCulloch. This album was self-produced, and co-written by Peter Dale and King.{{Cite web |title=Reg King – Reg King |url=https://www.discogs.com/master/202617-Reg-King-Reg-King |access-date=May 5, 2024 |website=Discogs}} An earlier version of "Little Boy" and "In My Dreams" (co-written with Alan "Bam" King), also appears on the Action compilation album titled Rolled Gold.Raison, Mark (January 7, 2011). THE ACTION: REGGIE KING INTERVIEW (1995). Monkey Picks. Retrieved May 5, 2024 King also collaborated with B.B. Blunder and released a single "Little Boy" b/w "10,000 Miles" – songs from King's album.{{Cite web |title=Reg King & B. B. Blunder* – Little Boy |url=https://www.discogs.com/fr/release/4521203-Reg-King-B-B-Blunder-Little-Boy |access-date=May 5, 2024 |website=Discogs}} The 1971 self-titled album was digitally remastered and re-released in 2023, with bonus material in CD format.{{Cite web |title=Reg King: Reg King, Deluxe 3CD Edition |url=https://www.cherryred.co.uk/reg-king-reg-king-deluxe-3cd-edition |access-date=2024-05-07 |website=www.cherryred.co.uk |language=en}}
King's EP, Missing in Action (2007) was released on Circle Records.{{Cite web |title=Reg King – Missing In Action |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/2834457-Reg-King-Missing-In-Action |access-date=May 5, 2024 |website=Discogs}} His second solo album, Looking For A Dream (2013) was released posthumously, also on Circle Records. The majority of the songs was written by King himself, except for "Get Up, Get Away" and "Suddenly" which he co-wrote with Kevin Westlake.{{Cite web |title=Reggie King* – Looking For A Dream |url=https://www.discogs.com/master/572853-Reggie-King-Looking-For-A-Dream |access-date=May 5, 2024 |website=Discogs}}
Death
King died of cancer, aged 65, on 8 October 2010 in Belvedere, London Borough of Bexley. He was buried at Hillview Cemetery in Welling, London Borough of Bexley. His grave was unmarked as grave 190, until fan Paul Anderson tracked down the resting place of Reginald King in October 2020. King's grave plaque was adorned with the inscription
Solo discography
=Albums=
== ''Reg King'' (1971) ==
The eponymous solo LP{{cite web|author=Richie Unterberger |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/reg-king-r42358 |title=Reg King - Reg King | Songs, Reviews, Credits |website=AllMusic |access-date=2020-05-20}} was released by United Artists records, and features members of B.B. Blunder (ex-Blossom Toes) and Mighty Baby (ex-The Action), with Mick Taylor, Steve Winwood, Brian Auger and Danny McCulloch.
The album was reissued in 2006 by Circle Records, the CD has 6 bonus tracks.
{{Track listing
| title1 = Must Be Something Else Around
| length1 = 3:34
| writer1 = King
| title2 = You Go Have Yourself A Good Time
| length2 = 3:15
| writer2 = {{hlist|King|Peter Dale}}
| title3 = That Ain't Living
| length3 = 6:45
| writer3 = {{hlist|King|Dale}}
| title4 = In My Dreams
| length4 = 3:53
| writer4 = {{hlist|King|Alan King}}
| title5 = Little Boy
| length5 = 3:26
| writer5 = King
| title6 = 10,000 Miles
| length6 = 3:21
| writer6 = {{hlist|King|Dale}}
| title7 = Down The Drain
| length7 = 6:09
| writer7 = {{hlist|King|Dale}}
| title8 = Savannah
| length8 = 11:51
| writer8 = {{hlist|King|Dale}}
| title9 = Gone Away
| length9 = 2:39
| writer9 = {{hlist|King|Dale}}
}}
== ''Looking For a Dream'' (2013) ==
This collection is a second, previously unreleased album,{{cite web|url=http://monkey-picks.blogspot.de/2013/01/reggie-king-looking-for-dream-2013.html |title=Monkey Picks: REGGIE KING - LOOKING FOR A DREAM (2013) |website=Monkey-picks.blogspot.de |date=2013-01-17 |access-date=2020-05-20}} issued again by Circle Records, under his nickname Reggie King.
{{Track listing
| title1 = Get Up, Get Away
| length1 = 2:44
| writer1 = {{hlist|King|Kevin Westlake}}
| title2 = Let Me See Some Love In Your Eyes
| length2 = 2:48
| writer2 = King
| title3 = You Gotta Believe Me
| length3 = 3:05
| writer3 = King
| title4 = All Up To Heaven
| length4 = 2:30
| writer4 = King
| title5 = So Full Of Love
| length5 = 4:15
| writer5 = King
| title6 = Merry Go Round
| length6 = 3:27
| writer6 = King
| title7 = Suddenly
| length7 = 2:55
| writer7 = {{hlist|King|Westlake}}
| title8 = Picking Up Nancy's Grin
| length8 = 3:22
| writer8 = King
| title9 = In And Out
| length9 = 3:13
| writer9 = King
| title10 = Put Something Together
| length10 = 5:38
| writer10 = King
| title11 = Live Forever
| length11 = 3:00
| writer11 = King
| title12 = Magenta
| length12 = 5:56
| writer12 = King
| title13 = Thinkin' 'Bout Getting Out
| length13 = 3:12
| writer13 = King
| title14 = They Must Be Talking 'Bout Me
| length14 = 5:10
| writer14 = King
| title15 = You'll Be Around
| length15 = 3:51
| writer15 = King
}}
=Singles=
=EPs=
== ''Missing In Action'' (2007) ==
10"/6-Track EP (Circle Records CPW E10-101, 2007)
Side 1
{{Track listing
| title1 = Merry-Go-Round
| length1 = 3:27
| writer1 = King
| title2 = You Go Have Yourself A Good Time
| length2 = 3:54
| writer2 = {{hlist|King|Dale}}
| title3 = Magenta
| length3 = 5:56
| writer3 = King
}}
Side 2
{{Track listing
| title1 = So Full Of Love
| length1 = 4:16
| writer1 = King
| title2 = 10,000 Miles
| length2 = 3:20
| writer2 = {{hlist|King|Dale}}
| title3 = Must Be Something Else Around
| length3 = 4:31
| writer3 = King
}}
=Compilation albums=
- The track "Gone Away" appears on United Artists Records 1971 sampler All Good Clean Fun (UDX 201/2)
- The single "Little Boy" appears on the 2004 EMI CD re-package of All Good Clean Fun (Liberty 8660902)
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{discogs artist}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:King, Reg}}
Category:Singers from the City of Westminster
Category:People from Paddington
Category:English male songwriters