Mickie Most

Mickie Most, born Michael Peter Hayes (June 20, 1938 - May 30, 2003), successful record producer notably with a string of Number 1 hit singles with his own RAK Records label and acts such as The Animals, Herman's Hermits, Donovan and Hot Chocolate.

Most was born in Aldershot, Hampshire. The son of a regimental sergeant-major, he moved with his parents to the north London suburb of Harrow in 1951. Most was heavily influenced by skiffle music and early rock 'n' roll in his youth. Leaving school at the age of 15, he worked as a singing waiter at London's famous Two I's Coffee Bar where he made friends with future business partner Peter Grant, and formed a singing duo with Alex Wharton who billed themselves as The Most Brothers. They scored a minor hit with Decca Records called "Takes a Whole Lotta Loving to Keep My Baby Happy" before disbanding. Wharton later went on to produce the Moody Blues single "Go Now". After officially changing his name to Mickie Most in 1959, he travelled to South Africa with his wife, and formed a pop group, Mickie Most and the Playboys. The band scored eleven consecutive number 1 singles playing mostly cover versions by Chuck Berry, Ray Peterson, Gene Vincent, and Eddie Cochran.

Returning to London in 1962, Most appeared with other musicians on package tours as well as recording "Mister Porter", which became a minor hit in 1963. Becoming tired of touring clubs, Most decided to concentrate on other aspects of the music industry. His first job involved selling records in stores and displaying them on racks (which was the later inspiration for naming his own record label, RAK) before finding a niche with production for Columbia Records. After spotting The Animals playing at Newcastle's Club A-Go-Go, he offered to produce their first single called "Baby Let Me Take You Home" which reached Number 21 on the UK charts. Their follow-up 1964 single, "House of the Rising Sun", became a worldwide Number 1 hit. Most then won the "Producer of the Year" award at the 1964 Grammy Awards. His down-to-earth handling of the band, his business acumen and his unerring knack for selecting hit singles established Most as one of the first and most successful independent producers in Britain and kept him in high demand as producer throughout the 1960s and 1970s.

He had instant success with Manchester band Herman's Hermits after being approached by their manager Harvey Lisberg. Most thought their singer Peter Noone resembled John F. Kennedy, and would therefore sell well in the United States. Their first Most production, "I'm Into Something Good", went straight to #1 in 1964, beginning an incredible run of single and album sales (ten million units over twelve months) by the band, with the group for a time even challenging The Beatles in popularity in the United States. Most had equal success with other artists notably, Lulu, the Nashville Teens, and especially Donovan, for whom he produced a string of chart-topping albums and singles between 1966 and 1969, including all of Donovan's biggest and best-known Sixties hits -- Sunshine Superman, Mellow Yellow, Hudry Gurdy Man, Barabajagal and Atlantis.

Most's productions were regularly backed by top London session musicians including Big Jim Sulllivan and Jimmy Page on guitar, John Paul Jones on bass guitar and arrangements, and Nicky Hopkins on piano. He produced Jeff Beck's hit singles "Beck's Bolero" and "Hi-Ho Silver Lining" and the hugely influential Jeff Beck Group LPs Truth andBeck-Ola, teamed the Beck group with Donovan for the single Barabajagal, and signed up new artists such as singer-guitarist Terry Reid.

Most set up his own production office at 155 Oxford Street, sharing it with his business partner Peter Grant. It was through Most's association that Peter Grant was asked to manage The Yardbirds. In 1968, Most and Grant jointly set up RAK Management, but Grant's involvement with The Yardbirds which soon evolved into Led Zeppelin, meant that Most had control in late 1969. RAK Records and RAK Music Publishing were launched in 1969.

By 1967 music was turning to a heavier and improvisational sound that was at odds with Most's formulaic singles selection format. After the commercial and critical failure of The Yardbirds album Little Games, he decided to steer clear of rock groups, realising they did not share his vision. The Yardbirds objected to his obsession of aiming to cut every song in under three minutes and that albums were just an "afterthought" proceeding the singles. His focussed but undeniably successful approach also led to a split with Donovan in late 1969.

Despite these setbacks, Most's success continued with Mary Hopkin in the 1970 Eurovision song contest entrant, "Knock Knock Who's There?" followed by Julie Felix's hit "El Condor Pasa". The growing roster of artists signed to RAK Records included Alex Korner's CCS, Chris Spedding, Smokie, Kim Wilde, and Hot Chocolate who became RAK's longest active band. Hiring the songwriting production team of Nicky Chinn and Mike Chapman, RAK scored a slew of British #1 singles with Sweet, Suzi Quatro, New World, Mud, and Racey.

Most was also a panellist on various television talent shows such as ITV's New Faces and presented Revolver, a program devoted to punk rock which was at odds with his "old fashioned" approach to music. In the 1980s, the band Johnny Hates Jazz, which featured Micky's son Calvin Hayes was also signed to RAK Records. RAK was sold to EMI Records in 1983 but revived in 1988. Most was one of the first producers to own the rights to his own records and his RAK Studios in St John's Wood remains active. His later productions included "Perfect Stranger", which featured ex-Uriah Heep singer Peter Galby.

In 1995, Most's fortune was estimated to be valued at £50 million and he appeared in the Sunday Times annual Rich List amongst the Top 500 in England. His house was claimed to be the largest private home in Britain worth an estimated £4 million. His production work became less numerous after he was diagnosed with cancer in 2000. On May 30, 2003 Most died of mesothelioma, a form of lung cancer, in his London home. He is survived by his wife Christine and their three children.

Discography

Most's 1960s productions can be found on session compilation albums by Jimmy Page, and albums by Donovan and Jeff Beck.