Mel Galley - the claw

  • ...I should've known Galley hurt his LEFT arm, 'cause i had this article laying around for years.
    it's from GUITARIST magazine February 1988.

    For comparison I added a guitar heroes MAGAZINE ARTICLE of February 1983, when he just joined Whitesnake.

    The pic of Mel hospitalized is from a 1985 DARKER THAN BLUE Deep Purple fanclub magazine

  • Thanks Ad,

    it is very interresting to read what David Coverdale answered to Mel, and to know that Glenn and Mel recorded some stuff from MGM. I suppose that it was played on "Welcome to the real world" and "From now on".

  • Great article! I alwasy wanted to know more about that contraption. When I saw Trapeze in '94 he was usng it & had Craig Erickson on 2nd guitar as well.

  • I promised to post this picture of Mel months ago, but have had prolems with my computer – but here it is finally.

    I work for the newspaper which carried the story about the two American writers doing the book about Trapeze.

    I have been a friend of Mel and the band for over 30 years and Mel told me about these guys giving him the Les Paul in lieu of payment for the information about the band. Thats how it got into the paper.

    I spoke to Mel earlier today and he's fine. He is working on getting some strength back into the arm so that he can start to play in earnest again.

    He's seemed pleased to know that there are people out there who care about him.

    For the record, he assures me that he and Sykes were sober when the accident happened. Just messing about!

    I saw him play with the 'claw' on many occasions and thought that it did nothing to impare his playing.

    I hope you all can open the attachment – I'm sure you'll let me know!

    Regards, Hackney

  • Quote from hackney



    I spoke to Mel earlier today and he's fine. He is working on getting some strength back into the arm so that he can start to play in earnest again.

    He's seemed pleased to know that there are people out there who care about him.

    Give Mel a message from his fans. We listen to his music because it was that good. Sure we remember. Thanks Mel. Good luck with getting a full recovery to your hand.

  • I read the whole article and a huge THANK YOU to Ad for putting this out there for all of us to read. I had always been curious as to just how the Claw enabled Mel to play again. And it is all the more satisfying to read that despite being told he would never be able to play guitar again, Mel proved all the specialists wrong.....good on you Mister Galley!! :thumbup:

    I don't think we really appreciate the intricate workings of the musculature and nervous systems until they are damaged in some way....which makes the Claw all the more impressive in its ability to let Mel play again.

    I look forward to reading the Trapeze book when it is available. Perhaps then they will get the recognition that is long overdue!

    And many thanks to Hackney for keeping Mel informed of just how many folks are pulling for him out there!!

    Yours In The Funk
    Bill "Capt. Midnite" Redford

    :ghcp:

    http://www.facebook.com/bill.redford

    "Cause if you fake the FUNK..your nose got to grow!" Bootsy Collins

  • So John, you work for the Chase Post. it was me that posted that article on here.

    Ask Mel if he wants to do a "Chat" on here. i live in Cannock :D and he can do it from here if he's up for it :thumbup: :)

    :ghcp: "It's in my blood"

  • Quote from james carl

    Give Mel a message from his fans.
    We listen to his music because it was that good.
    Sure we remember. Thanks Mel.
    Good luck with getting a full recovery to your hand.

    What he said.

    Quote from wolfysmith

    Ask Mel if he wants to do a "Chat"on here.
    I live in Cannock :D and he can do it from here
    if he's up for it.

    Oh great.
    ANOTHER "GHCP Trainee" like that Hughes guy :lol:

    Yep, wolfysmith, Mel does the talking, and you do the typing.
    Hey.......maybe BOTH Mel and Glenn could go on the CHAT
    together at the same time, and we "the audience" could listen,
    as the two of them discuss how "THEY ARE THE BAND."
    (An electronic Trapeze reunion! Kind of........)

    Sounds good to me.
    And thanks, Ad, for posting this.
    Grace

    axmuremoticon.gif

  • Quote from toadsterama

    Grace, those wheels just keep on turning... :lol:

    No, Todd, you have me confused with "Proud Mary." :hi5:

    Listen......if Mel Galley takes up this invitation and walks over to Paul's house,
    and gets on the GHPG chat, would you rather hear dopey questions from us fans
    of his work, or would you rather hear GREAT TRAPEZE STORIES from Mel and Glenn
    as they reminisce about the old days?
    (Ask Chip this question - see what answer you get.) :eek:

    "My wheels" only work toward:

    * "You Keep On Moving 2" (The GH / DC collaboration album.)

    * An all-line-ups Deep Purple reunion concert, so that the
    publicity from this event would help toward giving DP the
    recognition that I feel has never been sufficiently given to them
    for their 35 years plus continuing contribution torock and roll.

    * And......finally being able to use ANOTHER coffee cup each morning.

    Grace

    axmuremoticon.gif

  • Quote from hackney

    I know Wolfie has suggested a chat online with Mel, and I think it's a greatn idea, but I'm not sure if he'll do it. I'll see him next at John Ogden's leaving party on March 17 and will ask him to consider it then.

    If one or both are interested, feel free to email me so we can arrange a day and time that fits for everyone here, as we have folks from all over the world, so we usually pick a time that works for most all.

    Cheers and thanks for the controversy :D

  • Thought you might be interested in the band Mel was in when we first became friends. It would have been back in 1963 (circa) Mel and his brother Tom had a blues band called the Interns. Tom was the vocalist, Mel lead guitar, Johnny Jevons on bass and I can't remember who was on drums. They used to prctice in this upstairs room over a pub in Cannock called The Unicorn.

    I was at art college in Stafford and was pals with a fella called Jeremy Spencer who was a couple of years behind me. He was a Mod back then and played wonderful Blues/Jazz/Boogie piano – a real natural! I messed about on harmonica myself and we would jam in the college canteen at lunchtime.

    One night I took Jeremy over to Cannock to meet the band, as I thought he would make a great addition to the group. He sat in and jammed with them – but as I recall, Tom did'nt feel the same and rejected him.

    If the name sounds familiar, three or four years later Jeremy was playing the haunting slide riff on "Albatross" – he went on to become one of the founder members of the original Fleetwood Mac!

    Small world isn't it!!

  • Wow. Blown away to see someone has some Guitarist magazine scans on Mel. I'll look forward to my account being in a position were I can have a look at them, There's just so little out there, that's a really valuable save.

    Since (for the second time) having my chest opened up to have implants and wires to my heart its messed up my playing/teaching career. Its just too painful to have a guitar over my shoulder and on my chest. I had some work arounds first time but Im back here again and theres more hardware this time... Im keeping Mel in mind as an inspiration to work through it and get back on the horse.

  • Sorry I’m that carried away with all this great stuff I’ve missed that im raking up old posts :rolleyes:

    There's nothing that quite hits the same spot as finding morsels like these, can't wait to be able to see them. Thanks and apologies again :)

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