Trapeze (band)

Trapeze
Company type	Rock band
Industry	Music
Founded	1969
Headquarters	Cannock, Staffordshire, England
Products	Music albums, live performances

Trapeze was a rock group originating from Cannock, Staffordshire, established in 1969. The founding members comprised John Jones (trumpet, vocals) and Terry Rowley (keyboards), both formerly of The Montanas, along with Glenn Hughes (bass, vocals, piano), Mel Galley (guitar, vocals), and Dave Holland (drums), who had previously played with Finders Keepers. Following their 1970 debut album titled Trapeze, Jones and Rowley exited the band, leaving Hughes, Galley, and Holland as a trio. This trio went on to release Medusa in 1970 and You Are the Music... We're Just the Band in 1972 before Hughes departed in 1973 to join Deep Purple.

In 1974, Galley and Holland reassembled Trapeze with new members guitarist Rob Kendrick and bassist Pete Wright, issuing the album Hot Wire later that year, followed by another self-titled record in 1975. The classic trio briefly reunited for a tour in 1976 when Hughes returned after Deep Purple disbanded. After Hughes left again, Trapeze continued with new lead vocalist Peter Goalby, who appeared on their final studio album Hold On. Subsequent personnel changes included Holland joining Judas Priest in 1979, and the band ultimately dissolved in 1982 when Galley moved on to Whitesnake.

In 1991, Hughes, Galley, and Holland came together once more for tours during 1992, augmented by Asia's keyboardist Geoff Downes. This reunion produced the live record Welcome to the Real World: Live at the Borderline, released in 1998. The trio briefly revived Trapeze again in 1994 with guitarist Craig Erickson for a short series of shows before disbanding permanently.

1969–1973: Formation and early releases

Trapeze was formed in March 1969 with an original lineup featuring ex-The Montanas members John Jones (trumpet, vocals) and Terry Rowley (keyboards, guitar, flute), alongside former Finders Keepers musicians Glenn Hughes (bass, vocals, piano), Mel Galley (guitar, vocals), and Dave Holland (drums). One of their initial performances was recorded for BBC2’s Colour Me Pop on 5 July 1969 at Club Lafayette in Wolverhampton, where they played "Send Me No More Letters". Local promoter Tony Perry lauded their performance as "fantastic". Later that year, Trapeze became the inaugural signing of Threshold Records—a label established by The Moody Blues—distributed in the United States by London Records and internationally by Decca Records. The band reportedly turned down an offer from Apple Records to maintain greater artistic control under Threshold.

The group recorded their eponymous debut album at Morgan and Decca Studios in London with producer John Lodge of The Moody Blues. Although John Jones was officially designated as lead vocalist, management chose Glenn Hughes to perform all vocal parts on the album due to his stronger singing abilities. The composition "Send Me No More Letters," written by Rowley, was released as their first single later that year. Released in May 1970, Trapeze received favorable reviews; Billboard highlighted its "strong rock personality" and potential for commercial success, while critic Nigel Williamson described it as "a classic example of English prog from that era." The album enjoyed substantial airplay on BBC Radio 1 and was promoted through UK tours spanning January to July.

By August 1970, Jones and Rowley departed to rejoin The Montanas. The remaining members—Hughes, Galley, and Holland—continued as a power trio pivoting toward hard rock and funk influences. Their sophomore effort Medusa, again produced by Lodge, was released in November 1970 in the UK and March 1971 stateside. Critics have retrospectively hailed it as the band’s finest work and one of the most underrated hard rock albums of the decade. Author John Tracy noted its immediate acclaim at release. Ultimate Classic Rock credited Medusa with shaping early heavy metal sounds. The single "Black Cloud," penned by Galley alongside his brother Tom, was issued in the US with "Your Love Is Alright," a collaborative composition by all three band members.

Trapeze embarked on extensive touring primarily across the US to support Medusa, including opening for The Moody Blues in December 1970 and multiple headline tours throughout 1971. Their third studio album, You Are the Music... We're Just the Band, released on 1 December 1972, predominantly featured compositions by Hughes along with contributions from the Galley brothers. Produced by Neil Slaven, it included guest performances from Rod Argent (piano) and B.J. Cole (steel guitar). This release marked a stylistic shift toward softer melodies that garnered critical praise; Billboard described it as a "fine set," while Tracy called it "a masterpiece." It became Trapeze’s first charting record reaching number nine on the US Billboard Bubbling Under chart. Extensive touring followed across both US and UK territories during late 1972 into early 1973. Notably, prior to a December 1972 engagement at Village East (Fillmore East), their equipment was stolen which compelled them to use rented instruments for the performance.

1973–1976: Hughes's exit and comeback

In April 1973, Deep Purple members Ritchie Blackmore, Jon Lord, and Ian Paice attended a Trapeze performance at the Whisky a Go Go in Los Angeles with the intention of recruiting Glenn Hughes as their new bassist, replacing Roger Glover. Initially, Hughes declined the offer, describing Deep Purple's style as "too basic rock" and preferring to remain with Trapeze. However, intrigued by Deep Purple's reputation and the opportunity to collaborate with former Free vocalist Paul Rodgers, he reconsidered and accepted the role of bassist and secondary vocalist. This lineup change was officially announced in Melody Maker on 14 July 1973. Paul Rodgers ultimately declined the vocalist position to concentrate on forming Bad Company, which led to David Coverdale joining Deep Purple as lead singer. Hughes later reflected on his departure from Trapeze as a challenging choice, referring to the band as his "family" and expressing some remorse.

Following a brief break, Trapeze resumed activity in 1974 with Mel Galley taking over lead vocals, along with new members guitarist Rob Kendrick and bassist Pete Wright. In July of that year, they secured a deal with Warner Bros. Records to release a new album. In October, Threshold released their first compilation album, The Final Swing, which included selections from their first three records alongside previously unreleased tracks "Good Love" and "Dats It". The compilation reached number 172 on the US Billboard 200 chart. December saw the release of their fourth studio album Hot Wire, which climbed to number 146 on the Billboard 200 and also appeared on Cash Box and Record World charts. Former keyboardist Terry Rowley contributed synthesizer and backing vocals during this period, participating in the Hot Wire tour and featuring on Live at the Boat Club 1975.

In 1975, Trapeze issued a second self-titled album that featured Hughes on two songs. Billboard described it as "tight, cooking, soul-tinged hard rock," though some critics pointed out it lacked Hughes's characteristic funk influence. In November that year, Galley and Holland briefly paused Trapeze activities to tour with Justin Hayward and John Lodge in support of their collaborative album Blue Jays.

After Deep Purple disbanded in 1976, Hughes reunited with the classic Trapeze lineup for The Appreciation Tour across the US and UK. Following a short series of shows in America, Hughes left again due to drug-related problems. Galley later commented that Hughes "wasn't in a good state of mind," suggesting he could have achieved more under different circumstances. Manager Tony Perry recalled difficulties managing Hughes during this time and contemplated replacing him. During this reunion phase, the trio recorded new material including "L.A. Cut Off" and "Space High," which were subsequently included on Hughes's solo debut Play Me Out released in 1977.

1978–1982: Final phase and dissolution

After Hughes’s second exit, Trapeze reassembled in 1978 with Peter Goalby as lead vocalist and Pete Wright returning on bass. The group signed with Aura Records and released their final studio album Hold On in late 1979, produced by Jimmy Miller. Initially issued in Germany in 1978 under the title Running with an altered tracklist, the album represented a fresh creative direction for the band. Billboard praised its strong vocal harmonies and solid original compositions, predicting several songs would become staples of Album-oriented rock (AOR). Critics at AllMusic also commended its songwriting craftsmanship and production values.

In August 1979, Holland departed to join heavy metal outfit Judas Priest and was replaced by Steve Bray. Trapeze embarked on extensive tours supporting Hold On, including performances alongside Humble Pie and Scottish group Nazareth as well as Swiss band Krokus. In 1981, they released their first live album Live in Texas: Dead Armadillos, recorded during their May tour dates. By this time Goalby had left to join Uriah Heep. Subsequent lineup changes included Mervyn Spence on bass and vocals plus Richard Bailey on keyboards; Steve Bray was succeeded by Kex Gorin in 1982.

Trapeze ultimately dissolved late in 1982 when Mel Galley—the last original member—joined Whitesnake for their Saints & Sinners Tour beginning in October. Before his departure, the band had started work on new recordings that were later adapted for Whitesnake projects as well as Tom Galley’s Phenomena band initiative.

1991–1994: Reunions and Live Recordings

In 1991, Hughes, Galley, and Holland brought Trapeze back together for a concert series that included keyboardist Geoff Downes. On 20 March 1992, they opened for Fish at the Hammersmith Apollo. During May 1992, the band captured performances for the live album Welcome to the Real World: Live at the Borderline, which saw release in 1998. That same year also saw the launch of another live record, Live: Way Back to the Bone, comprising earlier material. The trio regrouped in 1993 to produce demos intended for a future album. On 9 February 1994, they played at Irving Plaza in New York City as part of a tribute concert honoring vocalist Ray Gillen, who had passed away in December 1993. Later that year, they embarked on a brief tour across the US and UK with additional guitarist Craig Erickson. Hughes described this period as a "wonderful run" and "great experience." A further live album, Live at the Boat Club 1975, was issued in 2006.

Aftermath

Following the 2006 release of Live at the Boat Club 1975, Trapeze ceased activity while Glenn Hughes focused on his solo endeavors and various collaborations. Mel Galley succumbed to oesophageal cancer on 1 July 2008, and Dave Holland died from lung cancer on 16 January 2018, leaving Hughes as the last surviving member of the classic lineup.

Band members

Mel Galley – guitar, vocals (1969–1982, 1991–1992, 1993–1994) (deceased 2008)
Dave Holland – drums, percussion (1969–1979, 1991–1992, 1993–1994) (deceased 2018)
Glenn Hughes – bass, vocals, piano (1969–1973, 1976, 1991–1992, 1993–1994)
Terry Rowley – synthesizers, keyboards, backing vocals, guitar (1969–1970, 1974–1976)
John Jones – trumpet, vocals (1969–1970)
Pete Wright – bass, backing vocals (1974–1981)
Rob Kendrick – guitar, backing vocals (1974–1976)
Peter Goalby – guitar, vocals (1978–1981)
Steve Bray – drums (1980–1982)
Mervyn Spence – bass, vocals (1981–1982)
Richard Bailey – keyboards (1981–1982)
Kex Gorin – drums (1982)
Geoff Downes – keyboards (1991–1992)
Craig Erickson – guitar (1994)

Discography

Studio albums

Trapeze (1970)
Medusa (1970)
You Are the Music...We're Just the Band (1972)
Hot Wire (1974)
Trapeze (1975)
Hold On (1979) / Running (1978, Germany)

Live albums

Live in Texas: Dead Armadillos (1981)
Welcome to the Real World: Live at the Borderline (1993)
Live: Way Back to the Bone (1998)
Live at the Boat Club 1975 (2006)
Live In Houston 1972 (2021) – vinyl and mp3 release

Compilations

The Final Swing (1974)
Way Back to the Bone (1986)
High Flyers: The Best of Trapeze (1996)
On the Highwire (2003)

Singles

"Send Me No More Letters" (1969)
"Black Cloud" (1970)
"Coast to Coast" (1972)
"On the Sunny Side of the Street" (1975)
"Don't Ask Me How I Know" (1979)
"Running Away" (1980)