24 Hour Runoff Poll: Pluto vs. Trapeze – Which 70s Deep Cut Gets The Deep Dive?
Pluto’s dual-guitar fire vs. Trapeze’s Glenn Hughes masterpiece. Cast the deciding vote in the 70s rock runoff.
Our paid subscribers delivered four incredible 70s rock nominations from the Discord: Julian’s Treatment’s sci-fi concept epic, Dr. Z’s occult Vertigo prog, Pluto’s hard rock sleeper, and Trapeze’s pre-Purple power trio masterpiece. You voted across Patreon and Substack. The result? A dead heat.
So what’s it gonna be? The overlooked hard rock gem that collectors hunt like treasure? Or the power trio masterpiece that launched three rock
Pluto – Pluto (1971)
Ever heard a hard rock album that hits like Free but thinks like early Genesis? Pluto’s self-titled debut is a collector’s secret—dual-guitar fire from Paul Gardner (who worked with Joe Meek!) and Alan Warner (of The Foundations fame), delivering meaty riffs on “Crossfire” and “Road to Glory” while sneaking in progressive flourishes that prove these guys could do more than just crush. Released on Dawn Records and rediscovered by obsessives in the late ’80s, this is pure early ’70s hard rock before the genre got too comfortable with itself.
Trapeze – Medusa (1970)
You already know the names: Glenn Hughes before Deep Purple. Mel Galley before Whitesnake. Dave Holland before Judas Priest. But Medusa is where this power trio peaked—funky, soulful, and heavier than anything Free was doing. Produced by Moody Blues bassist John Lodge, tracks like “Black Cloud” groove with bluesy swagger while epics like “Jury” and the title track build from acoustic whispers to spine-chilling climaxes. Hughes’ voice is jaw-dropping throughout.