Mickie Most - Charlbert Street, London, UK - Blue Plaques on Waymarking.com

The blue plaque, provided by Musical Heritage, reads:

The RAK Studios website tells us:

"Michael Hayes was born on the 20th June 1938 in Aldershot, England. He formed his first band at the age of seventeen, and called it Mickie Hayes and the Most. Later Mickie and Alex Murray founded the duo The Most Brothers. They landed a recording contract with Decca and toured extensively with artists like Marty Wilde, Cliff Richard and Eddie Calvert. The Most Brothers also went on tour with Cliff Richard and the Drifters, The Kalin Twins and others in early October 1958.

In 1959 Mickie married Christina Fusco and settled in Hillbrow, Johannesburg. Mickie resumed his career as a solo performer and worked at popular nightspots in Johannesburg. He recorded a single for Decca entitled "Flip, Flop and Fly / Don’t Be a Fool" before Trutone signed him to their indigenous Rave label. On 18th May 1959 Mickie recorded his first single "Give Me More / Rumours" for Trutone’s Rave label. A 6 track EP on the Renown label was issued in quick succession. Mickie started 1960 with the single Shivering With Cold / I’m in Love, and in April of the same year "I Need the Money / Make Love to Me" was issued.

In 1961 Mickie went to the UK to sign Gene Vincent to tour South Africa with himself and the Playboys. The media labelled Mickie South Africa’s hottest impresario when he confirmed that Gene accepted the offer to travel to South Africa for five shows in May of that year. Mickie Most and the Playboys amassed 11 consecutive number ones on the South African charts.

Returning to Britain in 1962, Most found himself in the middle of an R&B revolution and, looking for a group to produce, discovered the Animals in a Newcastle club. He had them record "Baby, Let Me Take You Home" and "House of the Rising Sun," the latter becoming a worldwide smash that catapulted the group to stardom and Most to credibility. He produced "I'm Into Something Good" for Herman's Hermits and "Tobacco Road" for the Nashville Teens and, in 1966, Most produced Donovan's widely acclaimed Sunshine Superman album.

After producing Jeff Beck in the late '60s, Most decided to form his own label, RAK Records, in 1969. This included RAK Publishing and RAK management, the latter of which was alongside Peter Grant who went on to manage Led Zeppelin.

In addition to work as a record producer and label boss Mickie also appeared as a judge on Granada Televisions ‘New Faces’ a forbearer to today’s X factor and Pop Idol.

He also produced cult TV show ‘Revolver’ which showcased many unknown acts including ‘The Tourists’ who ended up as The Eurythmics!

RAK records went on to have a fairly constant stream of hits throughout the 70’s and early to mid 80’s. In 1973 for example fourteen out of 18 releases were top 30 hits or better.

Here is a list of songs you may remember covering the period 1970 to 1985 that were released on RAK records.

    Mud – Tiger Feet
    Suzi Quatro – Can The Can
    Smokie – Living next Door to Alice
    Duncan Brown - Journey
    Cozy Powell – Dance With The Devil
    Steve Harley & The Cockney Rebel – Make Me Smile (come up and see me) – (no.1 single in the UK charts)
    Racey – Lay Your Love On Me (Which ended up being RAK records biggest ever single selling over 800.000 units)
    Hot Chocolate – Emma (no.2 in UK chart)
    Kim Wilde – Kids In America (no.2 in UK chart)
    Adrian Gurvitz – Classic
    Hot Chocolate – You Sexy Thing (no.2 in UK charts)

In 1986 he sold his RAK records label to EMI and concentrated on managing the publishing catalogue and the studios.

The recording studios have continued be as popular as ever with today’s contemporary artists 30 years since their creation.

RAK Publishing continues to be successful many years after the copyrights original releases, for example Hot Chocolate’s ‘You Sexy Thing’ featured in the worldwide hit movie ‘The Full Monty’, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts ‘I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll was covered by Britney Spears and Steve Harley’s ‘Make Me Smile’ was not only re-released twice but was used in a recent Marks and Spencer’s TV campaign.

RAK Publishing also continues to sign new artists and writers.

On May 30, 2003, Mickie Most succumbed to cancer, passing away quietly in his London home at the age of 64."