Freddie Mack

Freddie Mack (15 September 1934 – 11 January 2009), sometimes also spelled Freddy Mack and also known as Mr. Superbad, was a light-heavyweight boxer. He later enjoyed success in the UK as a Funk/Soul singer and DJ.

Biography Mack was born on a cotton plantation in Bennettsville, South Carolina, to father Fred Mack, black American foreman of the Carolina Breeding Estate and mother Florence Purvis, an Italian kitchen worker originally from Bracciano, just outside Rome, Italy.

He was a childhood friend of Floyd Patterson, who introduced him to boxing at Cus D'Amato's gym on 14th Street, Manhattan,

As a light-heavyweight boxer, he reached 3rd place in the world ranking and is remembered for his knockouts against Sante Amonti, Jack Bodell, Chic Calderwood and Roman Morais, among others.

After 66 professional fights he became a sparring partner for, among others, Henry Cooper, Billy Walker (The Blonde Bomber) and John "Cowboy" McCormack.

After living some time in Rome, he retired to England, c. 1965, where he was introduced to the movie scene by fight fans Sir Richard Burton and Rex Harrison. Freddie enjoyed a short film career especially his part in Cleopatra where, as one of the black slaves, he carried Elizabeth Taylor into Rome. He can also be found in small acting roles in the Invisible Man, The Great Rock n Roll Swindle with the Sex Pistols and Scotland's Taggart.

Then, Mack embarked on yet another initially successful career as a singer/entertainer backed by an ever-changing band of British jazz and R&B musicians.His first "group" was an R&B show with singers, dancers and two bands. This settled down into one backing band, called "The Mack Sound" put together by baritone sax player Roger Warwick. The band featured four to five horns, including, for a time, Otis Redding's trombone player Clarence Johnson, and full rhythm section with Alan Cartwright and B.J. Wilson.

From 1967 onwards his line-ups for the "Freddie Mack Sound", the "Fantastic Freddie Mack Show" or the "Freddie Mack Extravaganza" included, variously, Mel Day (vocals), Ray Lewis (bass), Dave Roffey (lead guitar), Ged Peck (lead guitar), Rod Jones (bass), Dick Morrissey (tenor sax), B.J. Wilson (drums), Roger Truth (drums). Alan Cartwright (bass), Johnny Orlando (vocals), Eddie 'Tan Tan' Thornton (trumpet), Bobby Morris (keyboards), Tex Makin (bass), Bill Davidson (organ), Art Regis(Organ), Viv Prince (Drums), Derry Wilkie (vocals), Tony Gomez (keyboards), Tony Morgan (vocals), Kookie Etan (vocals), Bob Mundy (vocals), Steve Mustang Sallis (lead guitar), Brian Williams (bass), Jimmy Jewell (tenor saxophone), Jeff Bridge (tenor saxophone), Phil Presland (baritone saxophone) John Walsh (organ), Pat Green (drums) and Chris Burdett (Tenor Saxophone) Steve Humphries, (Bass), Mick Clarke, (Guitar), Jeffrey Jai Seopardie, (drums), among many others.

In 1969 he was arrested for being an illegal alien in the UK but managed to avoid deportation.

At the end of 1974, Mack signed to K-Tel Records as Mr. Superbad and recorded many records under this label. He also sang on the 1975 hit "Kung Fu Man" on UltraFunk for Contempo Records.

He went to live in Plains, North Lanarkshire in 1979 and spent the time from then till his retirement in 2005 working as a Radio DJ and doing gigs with his Disco Show. His voice could be heard over the airwaves of Radio Clyde every Saturday night for many years.

In 1981, his strong American voice featured on the Tight Fit megamix song Back to the Sixties. The track reached number 4 in the UK Charts. His words are at the start of the song and are "Wam Bam Alakazam, that's the sound, the super sound of the 60's, going back and checking it out, ready for some more? Hit that floor! The great days are back again!" Following his departure from Radio Clyde, in 1991, he joined Glasgow's East End Radio and found huge popularity.

In 2001 he founded The Scot's Boxing Hall of Fame of which he was named President and there have been three Induction Events with a fourth on 13 September 2008 in the Quality Inn, Glasgow Central Hotel.

Between 2002 and 2003 he presented the Superbad Saturday Night programme on Lanarkshire radio station Clan FM which was a mix of soul music and chat. Mack died on 11 January 2009.

Discography The Fantastic Freddy Mack Show (live 1966) – (Rayrik TPLMP 142/143)

As Freddie Mack's Extravanganza in Sounds (Extravaganza is misspelt on 7" release): A: People – Part One; B: People – Part Two 1973

As Mr Superbad: Superbad is Back 1973 (released only in America) Superbad 1974 Souled Out 1975 Soul Motion 1976 Soul City 1977 Superbad Returns 1981

Professional boxing record

Loss

PTS 8 7 September 1965

Win

KO 8 3 February 1965

Win

TKO 5 29 September 1964

Win

KO 8 12 September 1964

Loss

PTS 10 24 May 1964

Win

PTS 10 6 May 1964

Win

TKO 5 25 March 1964

Win

DQ 2 3 March 1964

Loss

PTS 8 6 February 1964

Draw

PTS 10 15 November 1963

Win

TKO 4 23 October 1963

Win

KO 1 25 September 1963

Loss

PTS 10 10 August 1963

Loss

SD 10 5 June 1963

No Contest

NC 7 18 January 1963

Draw

PTS 10 20 September 1962

No Contest

ND 4 19 August 1962

Win

KO 7 13 April 1962

Win

KO 2 19 January 1962

Loss

PTS 10 24 November 1961

Win

TKO 3 6 October 1961

Draw

PTS 10 21 August 1961

Loss

PTS 10 29 July 1961

Loss

PTS 10 12 April 1961

Loss

PTS 10 24 February 1961

Win

UD 10 30 January 1961

Win

TKO 1 7 January 1961

Win

KO 6 8 July 1960

Win

PTS 6 10 December 1958

Win

PTS 6 1 December 1958

Loss

PTS 10 28 August 1958

Loss

TKO 4 5 May 1958

Win

PTS 6 7 April 1958

Win

UD 6 15 March 1958

Loss

SD 6 10 February 1958

Win

PTS 6 13 January 1958

Loss

TKO 8 2 September 1957

Win

TKO 5 23 July 1957

Win

PTS 6 18 July 1957

Win

PTS 6 24 June 1957

Win

PTS 6 13 May 1957

Loss

PTS 6 19 April 1957

Win

KO 1 8 November 1956

Win

PTS 4 29 September 1955

Loss

PTS 6 28 June 1955

Loss

PTS 6 14 June 1955

Loss

TKO 4 6 January 1955

Loss

TKO 3 8 November 1954

Win

PTS 4 23 August 1954

Loss

PTS 4 16 August 1954

Loss

KO 2 12 August 1954