Michael John Hugg (born 11 August 1940) is a British musician who was a founding member of the 1960s group

Manfred Mann Manfred Mann were an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1962. They were named after their keyboardist Manfred Mann (musician), Manfred Mann, who later led the successful 1970s group Manfred Mann's Earth Band. The group had two l ...

, and co-founder of the psychedelic jazz-fusion group, Manfred Mann Chapter Three. He is known for his creativity in his music, and always made jingles for advertisements.

Career

Manfred Mann

Hugg first thought about wanting a career in music when he was sixteen years old. Pursuing a career in jazz, he met the pianist

while working as a musician at

Butlin's Clacton Butlin's Clacton was a holiday camp located in Clacton-on-Sea in England. It opened in 1938 and closed in 1983. History Clacton-on-Sea is the largest town on the Tendring Peninsula in Essex and was founded in 1871. It is a seaside resort that ...

, and they formed a seven-piece group. The Mann–Hugg Blues Brothers recruited Paul Jones and later Tom McGuinness. Upon their signing with

His Master's Voice His Master's Voice is an entertainment trademark featuring a dog named Nipper, curiously peering into the horn of a wind-up gramophone. Painted by Francis Barraud in 1898, the image has since become a global symbol used across consumer elect ...

, their producer, John Burgess, changed their name to

. Prominent in the

Swinging London The Swinging Sixties was a youth-driven cultural revolution that took place in the United Kingdom during the mid-to-late 1960s, emphasising modernity and fun-loving hedonism, with Swinging London denoted as its centre. It saw a flourishing in ...

scene of the 1960s, the group regularly appeared in the UK Singles Chart. Three of their most successful singles, "

Do Wah Diddy Diddy "Do Wah Diddy Diddy" is a song written by Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich and originally recorded in 1963, as "Do-Wah-Diddy", by the American vocal group the Exciters. ''Cash Box'' described the Exciters' version as "a sparkling rocker that bubbl ...

", " Pretty Flamingo", and " Mighty Quinn", topped the UK charts. The band's 1964 hit " 5-4-3-2-1" was the theme tune for the ITV pop music show ''

Ready Steady Go! ''Ready Steady Go!'' (or ''RSG!'') was a British rock/pop music television programme broadcast every Friday evening from 9 August 1963 until 23 December 1966. It was conceived by Elkan Allan, head of Rediffusion TV. Allan wanted a light ente ...

''. They were also the first southern-England-based group to top the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 during the

British Invasion The British Invasion was a cultural phenomenon of the mid-1960s, when Rock music, rock and pop music acts from the United Kingdom and other aspects of Culture of the United Kingdom, British culture became popular in the United States with sign ...

Hugg is a competent pianist and an able

vibraphone The vibraphone (also called the vibraharp) is a percussion instrument in the metallophone family. It consists of tuned metal bars and is typically played by using Percussion mallet, mallets to strike the bars. A person who plays the vibraphone ...

player, but his main role in Manfred Mann was as drummer. However, he recorded several vibraphone solos with the band (e.g. "I'm your Kingpin") and used the instrument to augment hits such as " Oh No Not My Baby". He was credited as co-writer of the group's early hits and contributed solo compositions throughout its life, including jazzy instrumentals ("Bare Hugg") and wistful acid-pop (" Funniest Gig", " Harry the One Man Band"). His abilities as a songwriter grew throughout the group's career.

Solo career

He and his brother composed " Mister, You're a Better Man Than I" which was recorded by

the Yardbirds The Yardbirds are an English rock music, rock band formed in London in 1963. The band started the careers of three of rock's most famous guitarists: Eric Clapton (1963–1965), Jeff Beck (1965–1966) and Jimmy Page (1966–1968), all of whom ...

in 1965. Hugg also composed the majority of the songs for the 1968

Paramount Paramount (from the word ''paramount'' meaning "above all others") may refer to: Entertainment and music companies * Paramount Global, also known simply as Paramount, an American mass media company formerly known as ViacomCBS. **Paramount Picture ...

film '' Up the Junction'', as well as co-writing the theme from the BBC sitcom '' Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads'' with La Frenais, which was recorded by Hugg's session featuring Tony Rivers on lead vocals. In 1972, he released his debut solo album, "Somewhere". The next year, "Stress & Strain" was made. In 1975, Hugg was a member of the group "Hug" who released one studio album titled "Neon Dreams". By the early 1980s, he was working with a Fairlight, one of the first computer musical instruments. In 2015, he released a solo album with help from Simon Currie (who is currently in the Manfreds). Hugg formed the acoustic jazz trio PBD.

The Manfreds

In 1991, Hugg formed

The Manfreds The Manfreds is a British pop group, formed in 1991 as a reunion of former members of the 1960s pop group Manfred Mann, though without their eponymous founder Manfred Mann. History The original members of Manfred Mann, minus keyboard player Man ...

with some of the original members of Manfred Mann, without Manfred Mann himself (which was why they were "The Manfreds" instead of being a reformed Manfred Mann) to celebrate the 50th birthday of Tom McGuinness and the release of a new Manfred Mann compilation album. For most of the bands run, it has included Jones, d'Abo, McGuinness, and Hugg. Hugg retired from touring in 2022, but is still turning up with them for private bookings and small gigs. According to Paul Jones, Hugg was the oldest member of Manfred Mann the Manfreds, and his decision to retire from touring was because he had been off from many concerts with "ear problems".

Discography

;Solo * 1972 ''Somewhere'' * 1973 ''Stress & Strain'' ;Manfred Mann Chapter Three * 1969 '' Manfred Mann Chapter Three'' * 1970 '' Manfred Mann Chapter Three Volume Two'' * 1971 ''Manfred Mann Chapter Three Volume Three'' (unreleased) ;Hug * 1975 ''Neon Dream''

References

External links

Mike Hugg on the Manfreds' official website
* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Hugg, Mike 1942 births British rhythm and blues boom musicians English rock drummers English rock keyboardists English male songwriters Living people Manfred Mann members People educated at St John's College, Portsmouth People from Gosport The Manfreds members Manfred Mann Chapter Three members