Rob Davis, Les Gray, Dave Mount, and Ray Stiles formed Mud in 1966 and released their first single, "Flower Power," the very next year on CBS Records.  But the band wasn't destined to make their name with psychedelic pop; instead, they persevered until breaking through in 1973 on Mickie Most's Rak label.  By that time, they'd morphed into glam rockers with a fifties revivalist sensibility.  Cherry Red's 7Ts label has already chronicled Mud's 1975-1979 albums on a 4CD box set as well as the band's 1973-1980 singles on a 3CD collection.  Earlier this year, the label returned to the Mud discography for the 2CD compilation The Rak Years 1973-75, offering remastered versions of their two Rak albums as well as revisiting their non-LP sides for the label.

Guitarist Davis, vocalist/keyboardist Gray, drummer Mount, and lead singer/bassist Stiles had their earliest successes on Rak on 45 RPM; all of their non-LP sides on Rak are brought together on the second disc of this set beginning with "Crazy," from the songwriting and production team of Nicky Chinn and Mike Chapman.  "Chinnichap" was responsible for the majority of Mud's Rak singles, though a handful were written by the four bandmates.

Though Mud's two Rak albums (1974's Mud Rock and 1975's Mud Rock Vol. II) emphasized glammed-up cover versions of golden oldies, their singles showcased original songs in the style.  With big guitars and a bright pop sensibility, Mud took such Chinnichap tunes as "Crazy" (No. 12 U.K.), "Hypnosis" (No. 16), "Dyna-mite" (No. 4), and "Tiger Feet" (No. 1) all up the charts.  "Dyna-mite" inaugurated a string of hits that continued, unabated, through the Rak years.  In addition to "Tiger Feet," both the original Elvis pastiche "Lonely This Christmas" and a cover of Buddy Holly and The Crickets' "Oh Boy" reached the top spot on the U.K. Singles Chart.  (The earliest Chinnichap songs were recorded with studio musicians, but as of "Dyna-mite," the band began playing on their own records as well as singing.)

When Rak assembled the first Mud Rock LP (on CD 1 of this collection), "Crazy" and "Hypnosis" were overlooked, and "Dyna-mite" and "Tiger Feet" were only represented in re-recorded form as part of a medley.  The lion's share of the album was dedicated to feel-good oldies with a glossy glam overlay, such as the Bill Haley and The Comets staples "Shake, Rattle, and Roll" and "See You Later Alligator" in a medley; Chuck Berry's "Bye, Bye Johnny;" The Swingin' Blue Jeans' "The Hippy Hippy Shake;" and even less expected choices like Skeeter Davis' mournful ballad "The End of the World" and Rodgers and Hart's 1934-vintage "Blue Moon" which went to No. 1 in 1961 for doo-woppers The Marcels.

Mud Rock Vol. II followed the same formula with updated versions of Cliff Richard's U.K. chart-topper "Living Doll" (penned by future Oliver! tunesmith Lionel Bart) as well as American hits "One Night" (introduced by Smiley Lewis but popularized by Elvis Presley), "Tallahassee Lassie" (a top ten for Freddie "Boom Boom" Cannon co-written by Bob Crewe), and "I Love How You Love Me" (a top five smash for girl group The Paris Sisters).  Paul Anka's ode to "Diana" and John D. Loudermilk's "Tobacco Road," the latter as recorded by the U.K.'s Nashville Teens, would have been well-known to fans on both sides of the Atlantic.

The Rak Years 1973-75 is housed in a six-panel digipak and includes a 20-page booklet with liner notes and memorabilia images.  James Bragg has remastered the audio.  This set of glam pop is available now from Cherry Red and 7Ts.  As an Amazon affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Mud, The Rak Years 1973-75 (7Ts/Cherry Red QGLAM2CD203, 2025) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

CD 1

Mud Rock (SRAK LP 508, 1974)

1. Rocket
2. Do You Love Me/Sha La La La Lee
3. Running Bear
4. The Hippy Hippy Shake
5. Shake, Rattle, and Roll/See You Later Alligator
6. Dyna-Mite/The Cat Crept In/Tiger Feet
7. The End of the World
8. Blue Moon
9. In the Mood
10. Bye Bye Johnny

Mud Rock Vol. II (SRAK LP 513, 1975)

11. The Secrets That You Keep
12. Living Doll
13. One Night
14. Tallahassee Lassie
15. Let's Have a Party
16. Tobacco Road
17. Oh Boy
18. I Love How You Love Me
19. Hula Love
20. Diana

CD 2

1. Crazy
2. Do You Love Me
3. Hypnosis
4. Last Tango in London
5. Dyna-Mite
6. Do It All Over Again
7. Tiger Feet
8. Bagatelle
9. The Cat Crept In
10. Morning
11. The Ladies
12. Watching the Clock
13. Lonely This Christmas
14. I Can't Stand It
15. Still Watching the Clock
16. Moonshine Sally
17. Hula Love

Tracks 1-2 from Rak single RAK 146, 1973

Tracks 3-4 from Rak single RAK 152, 1973

Tracks 5-6 from Rak single RAK 159, 1973

Tracks 7-8 from Rak single RAK 166, 1974

Tracks 9-10 from Rak single RAK 170, 1974

Track 11 from Rak single RAK 178, 1974

Track 12 from Rak single RAK 179, 1974

Tracks 13-14 from Rak single RAK 187, 1974

Track 15 from Rak single RAK 194, 1975

Track 16 from Rak single RAK 208, 1975

Track 17 scheduled for Rak single RAK 208, 1975​