Mickie Most
Name
Mickie Most
Birth date
20 June 1940
Death date
30 May 2003
Country
United-Kingdom 
City
Unknown
Becoming tired of touring clubs, Most decided to concentrate on other aspects of the music industry. His first job was selling records in stores and displaying them on racks (later inspiration for his record label, RAK) before finding a niche with production for Columbia Records. After spotting The Animals at Newcastle's Club A-Go-Go, he offered to produce their first single, "Baby Let Me Take You Home", which reached No. 21 in the UK Singles Chart. Their follow-up 1964 single, "The House of the Rising Sun", became a worldwide hit.
He had success with Herman's Hermits after being approached by their manager Harvey Lisberg. Their first Most production, "I'm into Something Good", went to No. 1 in 1964, beginning a run of single and album sales (ten million over 12 months), the group for a time challenging The Beatles in popularity in the United States. His down-to-earth handling of the band, his business acumen and knack for selecting hit singles established Most as one of the most successful producers in Britain and kept him in demand throughout the 1960s and 1970s.
In September 1964, with Most at the control board, Brenda Lee recorded "Is It True" and "What'd I Say." "Is It True" was released in England, and later in the US and became a hit, with gold record. "What'd I Say" became another hit throughout Europe, but was never released to the US. Most had equal success with other artists for whom he produced chart-topping albums and singles between 1965 and 1969, notably Donovan with "Mellow Yellow", "Jennifer Juniper", "The Hurdy Gurdy Man", and "Atlantis" and Lulu "To Sir, with Love", "The Boat That I Row", "Boom Bang-a-Bang" (which finished equal first in the 1969 Eurovision Song Contest), "Me the Peaceful Heart", and "I'm a Tiger". Most also produced The Seekers singles "Days of My Life" and "Love Is Kind, Love Is Wine", in 1968, and Nancy Sinatra's "The Highway Song" in 1969. Most signed new artists such as singer-guitarist Terry Reid.
Most's productions were backed by London based session musicians including Big Jim Sullivan and Jimmy Page on guitar, John Paul Jones on bass guitar and arrangements, Nicky Hopkins on piano, and Bobby Graham on drums. He produced Jeff Beck's hits "Love is Blue" and "Hi Ho Silver Lining" and the Jeff Beck Group albums Truth and Beck-Ola. He teamed the Beck group with Donovan for the single "Barabajagal". Most produced the 1968 Donovan hit "Hurdy Gurdy Man". By 1967, after commercial and critical failure of The Yardbirds album Little Games, he decided to steer clear of rock groups. The Yardbirds objected to his insistence that every song be cut to three minutes and that albums were an afterthought following the singles. His focused approach also led to a split with Donovan in late 1969. Most and Donovan reunited in 1973 for the album Cosmic Wheels on which Most was credited under his real name, Michael Peter Hayes.
He had success with Herman's Hermits after being approached by their manager Harvey Lisberg. Their first Most production, "I'm into Something Good", went to No. 1 in 1964, beginning a run of single and album sales (ten million over 12 months), the group for a time challenging The Beatles in popularity in the United States. His down-to-earth handling of the band, his business acumen and knack for selecting hit singles established Most as one of the most successful producers in Britain and kept him in demand throughout the 1960s and 1970s.
In September 1964, with Most at the control board, Brenda Lee recorded "Is It True" and "What'd I Say." "Is It True" was released in England, and later in the US and became a hit, with gold record. "What'd I Say" became another hit throughout Europe, but was never released to the US. Most had equal success with other artists for whom he produced chart-topping albums and singles between 1965 and 1969, notably Donovan with "Mellow Yellow", "Jennifer Juniper", "The Hurdy Gurdy Man", and "Atlantis" and Lulu "To Sir, with Love", "The Boat That I Row", "Boom Bang-a-Bang" (which finished equal first in the 1969 Eurovision Song Contest), "Me the Peaceful Heart", and "I'm a Tiger". Most also produced The Seekers singles "Days of My Life" and "Love Is Kind, Love Is Wine", in 1968, and Nancy Sinatra's "The Highway Song" in 1969. Most signed new artists such as singer-guitarist Terry Reid.
Most's productions were backed by London based session musicians including Big Jim Sullivan and Jimmy Page on guitar, John Paul Jones on bass guitar and arrangements, Nicky Hopkins on piano, and Bobby Graham on drums. He produced Jeff Beck's hits "Love is Blue" and "Hi Ho Silver Lining" and the Jeff Beck Group albums Truth and Beck-Ola. He teamed the Beck group with Donovan for the single "Barabajagal". Most produced the 1968 Donovan hit "Hurdy Gurdy Man". By 1967, after commercial and critical failure of The Yardbirds album Little Games, he decided to steer clear of rock groups. The Yardbirds objected to his insistence that every song be cut to three minutes and that albums were an afterthought following the singles. His focused approach also led to a split with Donovan in late 1969. Most and Donovan reunited in 1973 for the album Cosmic Wheels on which Most was credited under his real name, Michael Peter Hayes.