A highly respected trio of elite players that, although held in high esteem by their musical contemporaries, would never reap the just rewards their undoubted talent deserved. Instead, TRAPEZE would found a loyal sales base in the Southern States of America, particularly in Texas, and after their break up go on to influence the platinum hued careers of acts of such status as DEEP PURPLE, JUDAS PRIEST and WHITESNAKE.

TRAPEZE was formed during 1969 around the nucleus of former PINKERTONS ASSORTED COLOURS drummer Dave Holland, ex RED CAPS guitarist Mel Galley and bassist / vocalist Glenn Hughes. The trio originally came together to form FINDERS KEEPERS with guitarist Alan Clees and vocalist Ian 'Sludge' Lees. The latter individual later found success out of the Rock n' Roll field as a comedian.

Hughes, Holland and Galley split to form TRAPEZE with ex-MONTANAS vocalist Johnny Jones and keyboard player Terry Rowley. With this line-up the band appeared on the TV show 'Colour Me Pop', scoring interest from Threshold Records. This was a new label set up by MOODY BLUES bassist John Lodge. Terry Rowley took over production duties in order to record the debut 'Trapeze' album in 1970. The album was a noted success, with Radio One actually playing the album in its entirety from start to finish! Despite this straight out of the box success all was not well within the band as Jones and Rowley quit, returning to the ranks of the MONTANAS. Coincidentally, when TRAPEZE slimmed down to the more familiar trio Jones followed Ian Lees into a comedy career.

TRAPEZE's second album, 'Medusa', was another success and the single 'Black Cloud' gained the band valuable American airplay. TRAPEZE by now specialised in hard Funk Rock workouts and achieved remarkable success in Texas, so much so that the band relocated to the US state. This would lead to TRAPEZE touring America six times in three years.

Needless to say, the band played infrequently in their home country due to concentrating on America. When the band did undertake the occasional club gig it was known that LED ZEPPELIN drummer John Bonham would often jam with them for encores if they were playing in the Midlands.

TRAPEZE only really came to public attention in their home country when Hughes left to join DEEP PURPLE, replacing Roger Glover, following the 'You Are The Music, We're Just The Band' album. Hughes, after a creative if turbulent spell in DEEP PURPLE, was also to turn up later in various shades of distinction with HUGHES/THRALL, BLACK SABBATH and GARY MOORE.

TRAPEZE soldiered on, adding guitarist Bob Hendrick and bassist Pete Wright. The band's profile was kept high by the release of the compilation album 'The Final Swing' in 1974, which featured two new tracks in 'Good Love' and 'Dat's It'. It was the band's first album to crack the national American charts, peaking at number 172.

The new line-up signed to Warner Bros. Records to release 1974's 'Hot Wire', another chart album reaching number 146. A further two albums followed, including the Steve Smith produced 'Trapeze' in 1976, with TRAPEZE maintaining their cult status in the southern states.

The original trio of Galley, Hughes and Holland reunited for a short period in late 1976, announcing their intention to craft a new album. A short tour ensued but Hughes once again left the band before the album was finished. Glenn Hughes solo album, 'Play Me Out' released in 1977, would feature two of these songs in 'LA Cut-Off' and 'Space High'.

Having added vocalist Pete Goalby and bassist Peter Mackie, both previously with Wolverhampton band FABLE, in 1978 TRAPEZE debuted their new singer with a show supporting HUMBLE PIE before touring as support to NAZARETH promoting new record 'Hold On', this set produced by Chris Suppa. During the same year Holland upped and left to JUDAS PRIEST, a stay that lasted until 1990 and included platinum albums such as 'Screaming For Vengeance' and 'Turbo'.

The July 1981 TRAPEZE live album, 'Live In Texas: Dead Armadillos', therefore featured drummer Steve Bray as Goalby quit, briefly joining RAINBOW before finding a more solid base with URIAH HEEP. TRAPEZE re-assembled the same year with Galley, Bray, ex BIG DAISY vocalist Mervyn 'Spam' Spence and erstwhile MAGNUM keyboard player Richard Bailey.

This line-up toured Britain supporting EDGAR WINTER. Bray was replaced by another ex-MAGNUM member, Kex Gorin, and the band began recording for a projected album. However, Galley was also working on the PHENOMENA concept album project and was eventually lured to WHITESNAKE. Spence joined up with WISHBONE ASH in 1983 whilst Bailey teamed up with ALASKA. Many of the TRAPEZE recording session songs from this time were to turn up on the next WHITESNAKE release and the PHENOMENA album.

TRAPEZE toured in 1991 with the addition of ASIA and YES keyboard player GEOFF DOWNES. These shows resulted in a 1993 live opus 'Welcome To The Real World'. TRAPEZE eventually reformed yet again as the classic trio in February 1994 when the band played a New York show in tribute to former BADLANDS and BLACK SABBATH vocalist RAY GILLEN. Rumours of a more permanent Hughes/Galley/Holland reunion in 1993 finally bore fruit in mid 1994 with a batch of American dates.

During 1994 ex-TRAPEZE man Pete Goalby teamed up with German guitar guru ULI JON ROTH for dates in Europe in a vocal quartet that also included JOHN PARR, ex ZENO vocalist Michael Flexig, former V2 and FAIR WARNING frontman Tommy Heart.

Whilst Hughes was still pursuing various solo projects, Dave Holland managed Rock act THE LOVEGARDEN and had been planning to record a solo album, which came to naught. Another high profile union in 1996 saw Holland recording with GLENN HUGHES, DON AIREY, Geoff Nicholls and BLACK SABBATH mainstay TONY IOMMI for a projected solo album from the moustachio'd guitarist. Although this project was shelved the tapes would surface on a Japanese bootleg CD entitled 'Eighth Star'. The drummer emerged onto the scene once more in 1998 when he teamed up with a fellow ex-JUDAS PRIEST member AL ATKINS for his solo album 'Victim Of Changes'. Somewhat surreally the album is made up of early JUDAS PRIEST re-works, none of which Holland played on originally. The pair are then worked on new material, under the band name of STEELFORCE.

As 2004 dawned came the disturbing news that Dave Holland had been convicted at Northampton Crown Court of trying to rape a special needs youngster. The 55 year old drummer, sentenced to eight years in prison, denied all charges. The offences occurred at the drummer's Stoke Buerne home between June and December 2002 when he was giving the seventeen year old drumming lessons.

In 2004 ex-OZZY OSBOURNE guitarist JAKE E. LEE paid homage by covering 'Way Back To The Bone' on his album of seventies cover versions.

Sad news emerged in February 2008 when TRAPEZE guitarist Mel Galley revealed he had been diagnosed with terminal cancer of the oesophagus. The guitarist used his MySpace page to chronicle his thoughts, stating "I have been very lucky. I have seen some great bands, played with many great musicians and enjoyed some tremendous experiences. I am thankful that I can say a proper goodbye to all the friends I have made, who are now rallying round me.'

As his condition progressed for the worse, Galley continued to post amusing bulletins, saying "I have drugs in me 24/7, and I have a plentiful supply of gin and tonic by my bedside. I even have my own ice machine! In fact, it's just like my WHITESNAKE days."

Honouring an ailing former comrade, David Coverdale of WHITESNAKE dedicated 'Love Ain't No Stranger', a song co-written with lhis friend Galley, to him on a nightly basis. Mel Galley died on 2nd July. GLENN HUGHES paid tribute with the words "He alone is respinsible for my career as a working musician... Melville, your legacy is in safe hands with me. I'll see you in the Garden one day, and truly recognise you as my brother..."

February 2010 saw the inclusion of TRAPEZE's 'Monkey' included on the Swedish MOUNTAIN OF POWER album 'Volume 2'. 

Garry Sharpe-Young