Strapps

Formed in 1975, the British hard rock quartet Strapps came together through Ross Stagg on vocals and guitar, Noel Scott on keyboards, Joe Read on bass, and Mick Underwood—formerly of Quatermass—on drums. EMI Records signed the group in 1976. Their sound drew from Deep Purple, Thin Lizzy, and Uriah Heep, leading to the release of four albums across the next five years. Commercial results stayed modest outside Japan, where a dedicated cult audience endured. In Europe the band remained confined to opening slots, an outcome that accurately reflected their overall reach. The lineup dissolved in 1979 once Underwood departed to join Gillan.