Mickie Most
b. Michael Peter Hayes, June 1938, Aldershot, Hampshire, England. In the late '50s Most toured and recorded for Decca as the Most Brothers with Alex Wharton who later produced the Moody Blues’ hit Go Now. From 1959-63 he worked in South Africa, producing his own hit versions of songs such as Chuck Berry's Johnny B. Goode and Ray Peterson's Corrina Corrina. He returned to Britain aiming to develop a career in production and after scoring a minor hit with Mister Porter, he became producer of the Newcastle R&B group the Animals. Beginning with Baby Let Me Take You Home in 1964, Most supervised seven hit singles by the group and was now in demand as a producer. Much of his skill at this time lay in his choice of songs for artists such as the Nashville Teens and Herman's Hermits, for whom he found Silhouettes, I'm Into Something Good and Wonderful World. After his earliest UK successes Most was given a five-year retainer production deal by CBS in America, under which he produced records by Lulu, Terry Reid, Jeff Beck and Donovan, for whom he created a new electric sound on Sunshine Superman (1966). He had later successes with artists such as Mary Hopkin (the 1970 Eurovision Song Contest entry, Knock Knock Who's There) and Julie Felix (El Condor Pasa) but after 1969 he concentrated on running the RAK label. For over a decade, RAK singles were regularly to be found the the UK Top 10. The roster included Hot Chocolate, Alexis Korner's CCS, Smokie, Chris Spedding, Kim Wilde, New World, Suzi Quatro and Mud. The last three acts were produced by Nicky Chinn and Mike Chapman for RAK. During the '70s Most was a member of the panel on the UK television talent show NEW FACES and with the arrival of punk, he presented REVOLVER, a short-lived show devoted to the new music. However, he was out of sympathy with much of punk and the subsequent New Romantic trend and after the RAK back catalogue was sold to EMI in 1983, Most was less active. Among his few later productions was Me And My Foolish Heart an early record by Johnny Hates Jazz which included his son Calvin. After taking a brief sabbatical, Most returned in 1988 with a revived RAK label, producing Perfect Stranger which featured ex- Uriah Heep singer Peter Goalby.