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Trapeze (band)

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Trapeze
OriginCannock, Staffordshire, England
GenresFunk rock, hard rock, blues rock
Years active1969–1982
1991–1994
LabelsThreshold, Warner Bros., Major League Productions (MLP)
Past membersMel Galley
Dave Holland
Glenn Hughes
John Jones
Terry Rowley
Pete Wright
Rob Kendrick
Peter Goalby
Steve Bray
Richard Bailey
Mervyn Spence
Geoff Downes
Craig Erickson
Websitemyspace.com/trapezetheband

Trapeze were an English rock band formed in March 1969, by vocalist John Jones and guitarist/keyboardist Terry Rowley (who named the band), with guitarist Mel Galley, singer/bassist Glenn Hughes, and drummer Dave Holland. The band had a fairly fluid line up, finally dissolving in 1994. Several members went on to join better known bands, including Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, Whitesnake, Judas Priest, Uriah Heep and Wishbone Ash.

The core and most familiar line-up of the band was Glenn Hughes, Mel Galley, and Dave Holland. After Glenn Hughes' departure in June 1973, Galley and Holland kept the band together with constantly varying members until 1979, when Holland went on to join Judas Priest. Holland tried to revive the band in 1990, after leaving Priest, but the band finally broke up in 1994. Their first three albums remain their best known and most commercially successful.

History

1969–1973

Trapeze was formed in 1969 by vocalist John Jones and guitarist/keyboardist Terry Rowley (both former members of the band 'Montanas') with guitarist Mel Galley, singer/bassist Glenn Hughes, and drummer Dave Holland. Trapeze issued its self-titled debut album Trapeze in 1970, but early that year Jones and Rowley returned to Montanas. In late 1970 the more familiar trio of Galley, Hughes, and Holland surfaced for the first time with the album Medusa. Trapeze would tour as this trio until early 1973. The band toured mostly in the UK and the Southern U.S. Their commercial success was minimal up to this point. You Are the Music...We're Just the Band was released in 1972. Glenn Hughes left the band after the 1973 tour to replace Roger Glover in Deep Purple. After the departure of Hughes the band's profile and sales grew, mostly based on the first three albums with Hughes; but their concert base grew as well, with them playing small arenas all over the U.S.

1974–1977

In 1974 the band released The Final Swing a compilation album that had two previously unreleased tracks "Good Love" and "Dat's It", which had been a fan favorite at concerts for many years prior. Guitarist Rob Kendrick and bassist Pete Wright signed on for Trapeze's 1974 album Hot Wire, followed by a second self-titled album, Trapeze, in 1976.

The original trio of Galley, Hughes, and Holland reunited for a short time in late 1975. It was to be a full-fledged reunion with an album of new songs, but Hughes again left the band before the album could be produced. Hughes' 1977 solo album called Play Me Out had two new songs, "LA Cut-Off" and "Space High", that Hughes had written for the cancelled Trapeze album, and that Galley and Holland had played with him on the short 1975 reunion tour.

1978–1982

Hold On also called Running was released in late 1978, and again featured Pete Wright in addition to new guitarist and singer Pete Goalby. The 1981 live album Live in Texas: Dead Armadillos featured new drummer Steve Bray, Dave Holland was playing with Judas Priest as of late 1979. Mel Galley toured one last time after Pete Goalby left to sing for Uriah Heep in 1981, then went on to play for Whitesnake, leaving Trapeze disbanded by late 1982.

1991

The original trio of Galley, Hughes, and Holland reformed again in 1991, joined by Asia's and Yes's keyboard player, Geoff Downes, for a small tour. They released a live album of the reunion show in 1993, called Welcome to the Real World.

1994

In February 1994 Galley, Hughes, and Holland reformed again, playing in New York in a tribute concert for vocalist Ray Gillen, of Badlands and Black Sabbath fame. This led to other dates, kicking off in the UK in March 1994 at the 'Robin R'n'B Club' in their home town of the West Midlands region, and in April in the U.S., with veteran blues guitarist Craig Erickson accompanying Hughes on both lead and rhythm guitar.

Post-Trapeze

1989 saw "The Loser" appear on Time-Life's Lost 70s Guitar Classics. The 23-track best-of compilation On the Highwire came out in 2003, featuring the tracks "Black Cloud", "Way Back To The Bone", "Keepin' Time", "Your Love is Alright" and "Back Street Love". In 2004 ex-Ozzy Osbourne guitarist Jake E. Lee paid homage by covering "Way Back To The Bone" on his album of 1970s covers. In 2006 Pat Travers also paid homage by covering "You Are The Music" on his album of 1970s covers called P.T. Power Trio 2.

Guitarist and band leader Mel Galley died of esophagus cancer on 1 July 2008 at the age of 60, effectively ending any future chances of the band reforming.

Many Trapeze songs have been performed live by Glenn Hughes over the last 20 years.

Personnel

Members

  • Mel Galley – guitars, bass guitar, lead vocals (1969–1982, 1991-1992, 1994)
  • Dave Holland – drums (1969–1980, 1991-1992, 1994)
  • Glenn Hughes – bass guitar, guitars, lead vocals (1969–1974, 1991-1992, 1994)
  • John Jones – vocals, trumpet (1969–1970)
  • Terry Rowley – organ, guitar, piano, flute (1969–1970)
  • Pete Wright – bass (1974–1982)
  • Rob Kendrick – guitars (1974–1978)
  • Peter Goalby – guitars, lead vocals (1978–1982)
  • Steve Bray – drums (1980–1982)
  • Richard Bailey – keyboards (1982)
  • Mervyn Spence – bass, vocals (1982)
  • Geoff Downes – keyboards (1991-1992)
  • Craig Erickson – guitars (1994)
Touring musicians
  • Pete MacKie – bass guitar (live 1973)

Lineups

1969–1970 1970–1974 1974–1978 1978–1980
  • Mel Galley – guitars, bass guitar
  • Dave Holland – drums
  • Glenn Hughes – bass guitar, six-string guitar, piano, trombone, lead vocals
  • John Jones – vocals, trumpet
  • Terry Rowley – organ, guitar, piano, flute
  • Mel Galley – guitars, vocals
  • Dave Holland – drums, percussion
  • Glenn Hughes – bass guitar, piano, lead vocals, rhythm guitar (live 1973)
Touring musicians
  • Pete MacKie – bass guitar (live 1973)
  • Mel Galley – guitars, lead vocals
  • Dave Holland – drums, percussion
  • Rob Kendrick – guitars
  • Pete Wright – bass
  • Mel Galley – guitars, vocals
  • Dave Holland – drums, percussion
  • Pete Wright – bass
  • Peter Goalby – guitars, lead vocals
1980–1982 1982 1982–1991 1991-1992
  • Mel Galley – guitars, vocals
  • Pete Wright – bass
  • Peter Goalby – guitars, lead vocals
  • Steve Bray – drums
  • Mel Galley – guitars, lead vocals
  • Steve Bray – drums
  • Richard Bailey – keyboards
  • Mervyn Spence – bass, vocals

Disbanded

  • Mel Galley – lead, some rhythm and bass guitars, vocals
  • Dave Holland – drums, percussion
  • Glenn Hughes – bass guitar, six-string guitar, rhythm guitar, piano, trombone, lead vocals
  • Geoff Downes – keyboards
1992–1994 1994

Disbanded

  • Mel Galley – guitars, bass guitar, vocals
  • Dave Holland – drums, percussion
  • Glenn Hughes – bass guitar, six-string guitar, rhythm guitar, piano, trombone, lead vocals
  • Craig Erickson – guitars

Timeline

Discography

Studio albums

Live albums

Compilations

References

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