Ray Stiles started playing bass at the age of 14 on a guitar made by his dad. His musical influences were the beat groups of the early 60s; including The Hollies.  

He joined Mud in 1966 and turned professional in 1968. The band enjoyed fourteen top twenty hits, including three number one records, and performed all over the country. Mud ‘retired’ in 1979.

Soon after Ray formed the function band, ‘Taboo’, with his wife Anne and fellow Hollie, Steve Lauri. Taboo is still a working band.

Ray played his first Hollies show at the Alhambra Theatre, Bradford on Saturday 28th June 1986.