Trapeze are onto a winner. If you like the early versions of Bad Company and to a lesser degree Whitesnake, then ‘Hot Wire’ should appeal greatly.
Written by: gdmonline
ARTIST: Trapeze
ALBUM: Hot Wire
LABEL: Warner Bros
SERIAL: BS 2828 (USA), K56064 (UK)
YEAR: 1974
CD REISSUE: Discogs Reissue List
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: England
LINEUP: Mel Galley – lead and backing vocals, guitars, slide guitar * Rob Kendrick – guitar, backing vocals * Pete Wright – bass, backing vocals * Dave Holland – drums, tambourine
Additional Musicians: Terry Rowley – synthesizers, organ, electric piano, backing vocals * Kenny Cole, Misty Browning – backing vocals * John Ogden – congas * Chris Mercer – saxophone
TRACK LISTING: 01 Back Street Love * 02 Take It Down The Road * 03 Midnight Flyer * 04 Wake Up, Shake Up * 05 Turn It On * 06 Steal A Mile * 07 Goin’ Home * 08 Feel It Inside
WEBLINKS: MySpace
Background
As part of the continued backfilling of articles relating to Rock Candy Records reissues, we take a look at British band Trapeze, and their fourth album ‘Hot Wire’. Eric has already written up one of their earlier releases, 1970’s ‘Trapeze’. From 1974, the band had at this point changed their sound and identity. Morphing into a 70’s hard rock band with a blues hint, the major change here was that original bassist and lead vocalist Glenn Hughes departed the band the previous summer, moving on to a lucrative gig with Deep Purple.
Mel Galley and Dave Holland were joined by new members Rob Kendrick (guitar) and Pete Wright (bass). Notwithstanding, former member Terry Rowley adds a guest role on keyboards. By 1974, Trapeze had signed to Warner Bros, after a five year stint with Threshold Records. Warners released both ‘Hot Wire’ and 1975’s self titled, these two albums also coincidentally reissued by Rock Candy Records nearly forty years later.
The Songs
From my way of thinking, this is a great set of tunes. If you like the early versions of Bad Company and to a lesser degree Whitesnake, then ‘Hot Wire’ should appeal greatly. The album holds up very well even if Glenn Hughes was no longer around.
You hear pretty much from the outset with the lead track ‘Back Street Love’. Cool riffs and some inspired vocals from Mel Galley. Aah the late great 70’s. This is what it’s all about. ‘Take It On Down The Road’ could surely be a Bad Company doppelganger? Yes, and Mick Ralphs could be justified in his bemusement. I’m not complaining, this is great stuff.
‘Midnight Flyer’ changes it up at this point, a funky little groover in the mould of the Average White Band, so too track 5 ‘Turn It On’ and the overly funky last track ‘Feel It Inside; which is no bad thing really. ‘Wake Up Shake Up’ sits in the middle territory of commercial hard rock, while ‘Steal A Mile’ is aimed at American audiences I’d suggest, with some Doobie Bros styled guitar work thrown in. Trapeze slow things up for the intense burn of ‘Goin’ Home’, with Galley proving the band can survive with his vocals.
In Summary
Only the eight tracks, and surprisingly fun and good. The album made a slight dent in the US Billboard charts, getting to #146. Trapeze followed this up with the 1975 self-titled LP, and from this point on, the band went through numerous line-up changes until about 1982 when Galley put Trapeze on hiatus, then joined Whitesnake. There’s a lot to admire about their discography, and we may yet see more articles on Trapeze in future.
