Mud: "Car Friends" Single (1978)

Roly’s "Car Friends" backed with "Roly Pin", was released as a 7-inch vinyl single in the UK by Philips Records (catalog number 6006 645) on September 15, 1978.

Both songs were written by Rob Davis and Ray Stiles, who were core members of Mud.

Background and Connection to Mud: Rob Davis (lead guitarist) and Ray Stiles (bassist) were founding members of Mud, formed in 1966 in Carshalton, Surrey, alongside lead vocalist Les Gray and drummer Dave Mount. Mud achieved significant success in the 1970s with glam rock and rock and roll revival hits like "Tiger Feet," "Dyna-mite," and "Lonely This Christmas." By 1978, Mud's popularity was declining due to changing musical tastes and the end of their contract with RCA Records. After Les Gray left the band in 1978 to pursue a solo career and perform in Jack Good's "Oh Boy" show, Davis and Stiles continued working together under the name Roly, releasing two singles for Logo Records in 1978, including "Car Friends" / "Roly Pin."

Single Details:

A-side: Car Friends

Written by Rob Davis and Ray Stiles.

The track did not chart, reflecting the limited commercial success of Roly's releases.

B-side: Roly Pin

Also written by Rob Davis and Ray Stiles.

Release Information:

Released on 7" vinyl by Logo Records UK (GO 327) on September 15, 1978.

Matrix/Runout: Side A: GO 327-A-1; Side B: GO 327-B-1, with hand-etched matrices indicating a first UK pressing, as noted in collector listings.

Context of Roly and Mud's Decline: In 1977, Mud moved from Private Stock to RCA Records, releasing singles like "Slow Talking Boy" and "Cut Across Shorty," but these failed to replicate earlier successes. Les Gray's departure in 1978 marked a turning point, and Davis and Stiles formed Roly as a side project to continue their creative output. The Roly project was short-lived, releasing only two singles in 1978, including "Car Friends" / "Roly Pin." After Roly, Stiles joined The Hollies in 1986, where he remains active, while Davis became a successful songwriter, co-writing hits like Kylie Minogue's "Can't Get You Out of My Head" and Spiller's "Groovejet (If This Ain't Love)." Since 2015, Davis and Stiles have reunited to perform as Mud with a new lineup, playing nostalgic gigs with hits like "Tiger Feet" and "Lonely This Christmas."

Legacy and Context: The Roly single is a minor footnote in the careers of Rob Davis and Ray Stiles, representing a brief post-Mud collaboration before they pursued separate paths. It highlights their continued partnership and songwriting efforts during a transitional period.

The single likely used a plain sleeve or minimal artwork, typical of Logo Records' low-budget releases.

No direct connection exists between this single and later properties like Roary the Racing Car, despite the thematic similarity of car-related titles.

Another Roly single, "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" / "All I Ever Wanna Do," was also released in 1978 on Logo Records, further confirming Roly as a Davis-Stiles project.

Sources and Verification: Information is drawn from my knowledge of Mud's discography and supplemented by web sources, including mudrock.org.uk, Wikipedia, and a YouTube upload of "Roly Pin." Additional context comes from Express.co.uk, Lancashire Telegraph, and darrensmusicblog.com, which detail Davis and Stiles' Mud history and later careers. Collector listings on Discogs and eBay provide release details.