Mickie Most, 64; ‘British Invasion’ Rock Producer for Animals, Donovan

Mickie Most, 64, a music producer who helped craft the sound of the 1960s’ “British invasion,” died Friday of cancer at his home in north London, his family reported.

Born Michael Peter Hayes in Aldershot, England, Most broke into Britain’s fledgling rock ‘n’ roll scene in the 1950s as a member of the Most Brothers. The band failed to make it big, but the name stuck.

Moving to his wife’s homeland of South Africa, he topped the charts there by covering U.S. hits with his band the Playboys.

But his biggest influence was as a producer who helped British acts such as the Animals, Lulu and Donovan break into the United States.

Among the hits he produced were the Animals’ “House of the Rising Sun,” an international smash in 1964; “I’m Into Something Good” by Herman’s Hermits; and Donovan’s “Sunshine Superman.”

Through the 1970s and ‘80s Most worked with commercially, if not always critically, successful bands including The Sweet, Suzi Quatro, Smokie and Hot Chocolate.