The Troggs are one of British rock’s most primal and enduring acts, formed in Andover, England in 1964. Fronted by the late Reg Presley, the band became international stars almost overnight when their raw, three-chord recording of “Wild Thing” shot to #1 in the United States in 1966 — recorded in just ten minutes of borrowed studio time. The song has since been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame and ranks among Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. Jimi Hendrix famously covered it at the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival, setting his guitar on fire at the song’s end. The Troggs followed with a string of UK hits including “With a Girl Like You,” “I Can’t Control Myself,” and “Love Is All Around.” Their loose, rebellious sound made them forerunners of punk rock, cited as an influence by Iggy Pop, the Ramones, and the Buzzcocks. The band continues to tour today, making their Happy Together Tour debut in 2026.