Customer Reviews

Medusa

5 star:		(26)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Is that my theme song or what? This was the first album and CD I ever got by Trapeze. For a three piece, they were awesome! Mel Galley[guitars], Glenn Hughes[bass/vocals], and Dave Holland[drums], played some great rock music throughout the 70's. My two favorite songs on this disc are "Black Cloud" and "Medusa". The music on this release isn't quite what you would expect from a recording in the early 70's. This is as fresh and heavy today as it was 30 years ago. If you recognize the names of the band members, you'll realize their influences lasted long after they departed Trapeze. MEDUSA is an integral part of Heavy Metal's finest. This is a great selection!

Trapeze, in their most popular line up, consisted of bassist/vocalist Glenn Hughes, guitarist Mel Galley, and drummer Dave Holland. Glenn Hughes is best known as "The Voice of Rock", one of the most aclaimed voices in all of music. All three would later depart to form integral parts of bands such as Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, Whitesnake and Judas Priest. So their influence was wider spread than one would first believe.

Their style of hard rock was as intelligent as it was heavy. So unique was this combination, that they were signed to the Moody Blues record label, Threshold records. Among the rockers like "Black Cloud" and "Touch My Life" were the slow burners like "Jury" and the soulful "Seaful".

This album is still among the best hard rock albums ever recorded. And given the range of influence the members have had on rock music over the last 3 decades, one would be negligant for not picking up this classic.

For many years this recording was unavailable on cd and could only be found on long out of print used LP's. The mastering to CD has been splendidly done. The recording now has the clarity and dynamic range that the LP never had. Do yourself a favor and pick up this legendary album today.

This is one of the best hard rock albums of the early seventies. Most people who were around in those days (like me) equate this album with the very best rock of the era. Only a tin ear can compare this with the much later, less interesting and somewhat formulaic Judas Priest or Whitesnake. I certainly don't, however, blame any of these musicians (Galley, Holland, or Hughes) for cashing in with the bands they eventually joined. But even Hughes' Deep Purple period (excepting the brilliant "Burn" lp) dims in comparison to this album which is the first lp of the mk II Trapeze lineup.
A little background helps: Trapeze first (self titled) album is a different and larger band with a sound much like "Hush" era Deep Purple-- only not as good.
The second album, "Medusa", is their first recording as a power trio (mk II lineup). Everything about it is excellent with great songwriting dynamics, superb rock riffs and terrific vocals from Hughes. The next album, also mk II, is "You are the Music...", and is almost as good as "Medusa".
The following 2, "Hotwire" and "Trapeze" (not to be confused with the first self-titled lp), are mk III and sans-Hughes but still quite good. As a foursome, Pete Wright replaces Hughes on bass, and Rob Kendrick is added on second guitar.
Those two cd's are now very difficult to obtain collectors items.
Finally, "Hold On" had yet another personnel shift (vocalist Goalby replacing second guitarist Kendrick), but with Stones producer Jimmy Miller at the helm, it's still a worthy swan song and readily available. All of these are good but a bit more pedestrian than the Hughes era.
In summary, anyone interested in the influential but little known band, Trapeze, should snap up a copy of their definitive album, "Medusa".
Free's "Fire and Water", and Humble Pie's "Smokin'" are other essential yet underappreciated classics in this style.

In 1990 I recorded this vinyl LP on cassette tape. Until now I never thought this album could be bought on CD. This is one of the top 5 rock albums of all time. I am a big Grand Funk, Mountain,Humble Pie etc. fan. Trapeze rocked 'em all. I am 43 years old and buying the Medusa CD. If you like hard bluesy rock and roll, you'll love this CD.

Somewhere between heavy metal and psychedelia, with a bit of J. Geils-style blues thrown in, Trapeze rocked its way into obscurity in the early 70's. Its members went on to fame with other groups but their own albums continue to be ignored. What a shame, because this album is at least on a level with Deep Purple's "Machine Head" and is better than anything Judas Priest ever did. There's a nice balance of riff-rockers ("Black Cloud", "Your Love Is Alright") and moody, scorching ballads ("Jury", "Seafull", "Medusa"). The lyrics are unusually thoughtful for hard rock but the group mostly manages to avoid pretension, letting you just sit back and groove to the music. If you like Alice Cooper, Free, or Blue Oyster Cult, consider this one for your collection.

I found the first three Trapeze albums many years ago when they were re-released on cd. I had the albums but not the cd's. I proceeded to trash the first one, simply entitled"Trapeze". The band had additional members and seemed to be leaning toward rock opera type music. When the band decided to go with just the three guys (Glenn, Mel, and Dave) they took off!! The first album after the switch was "You are the Music, We are the Band". The cover was taken at the Shell in Memphis , Tennessee (early 70's). I was there for that show, but didn't make the album cover. It was a hot day.....The Marshall Tucker Band warmed the audience up with Argent scheduled to play next. Argent decided that they wanted to play last and so the audience got to joke on who they wanted to end the show.....Trapeze was an overwhelming favorite and Argent decided to walk...good riddance. To thank the audience for their support, Trapeze rocked the place ...it was great!!
To me, "Medusa" is a great cd, but is not as good as "You are the Music". I have both and even though I love most of the songs on "Medusa"...I play "You Are the Music" more often. Maybe because it contains more ballards that show-off Glenn's vocal power...( "Coast to Coast" and "Will Our Love End").
Black Cloud is about the only song that ever gets played on any of the classic rock stations in the U.S. which is a shame. Sadly, after the release of only their second album as a three piece band, they tried to go back to a five piece band and sucked. Why they did that, I have no idea. If you want to do yourself a favor, but both cd's, put them in a player and hit random, sit back and enjoy.

Most of the reviewers have said it right. Trapeze was a power trio that could rarely be matched. This album captured their best stuff. Its great that these old classics are now becoming available on CD. BUY THIS ONE.

heard blackcloud on xm deeptracks the other day and it took me back in time-saw this band in houston and austin texas several times in early seventies and they were quite tight-as has been said before this is classic rock-not on the grandest of scales but classic none the less

If you are a true fan of hard rock at it's best then you need to add this CD to your collection. Trapeze was as good as it gets at producing hard bluesy rock. I've had this CD for many years now and just can't put it down. It's number one in my collection.

OriG. rec'd & released on Threshold in 1970. Glen HuGhes is one of the Greatest white-soul/heavy rock vocalists ever! A smokin' concept/theme album for retro-'70s late-nite blacklite & headphone sessions. Or crank it up out loud and piss off the neiGhbors and "turn-on" the uninitiated. Then spin Trapeze's "You Are the Music... We're Just the Band", and hear how amazinG'ly they improved and matured with ass-kickin' rock'n'roll and a couple of perfect-for-love-makinG' mood-piece electric piano ballads, includinG "Coast To Coast" which received an updated readinG in the early '80s on HUGHES/THRALL! "The White-Stevie-Wonder"'s (Glen HuGhes)vocals are breathtakinG'ly astonishinG! Mel Galley's Guitar is always sharp as an axe, and Dave Holland's drums were superb. These Guys were biG out West in the early '70s and shamefully overlooked by the hiGhbrow "RollinG Stone" rock-press idiots, and sadly missed out on by the unaware and unhip radio proGrammers. Do yourself a favour. These will Grow on you. If You just want one compilation, the "HiGh Flyers"/best of Trapeze has everythinG you need except the 2nd trac from MEDUSA, entitled "Jury"; but it also includes another achinGly beautiful ballad called "This Is Good Love", that was not incl'd on YOU ARE THE MUSIC... *The only dud is the opener "Send Me No More Letters." They must've been tryinG for an EnGlish pop radio hit sinGle at the time. This is the only trac from the first TRAPEZE, which had too many members; Why they also close the compilation CD w\another "sinGle edit version is beyond comprehension (must be that "bonus trac" thinG). This particular cut does show off a younG Glen HuGhes unbelievably hiGh voal ranGe; but it sounds way too much like that Uriah Heep sonG from "Sweet Freedom", where they snorted helium to hit the hiGh notes! Save yourself the headache, and Get both of the Threshold titles: MEDUSA, and YOU ARE THE MUSIC...you are in for a real "underGround" (remember "underGround" music? - we really didn't care if an album Got on the radio back then; we traded and borrowed amonG friends; Good albums were spread by word of mouth!) retro (and I don't mean disco; - this is real "acid rock" esp. MEDUSA) "treat", and the full LP trax are well worth it. enjoy!