Strapps – Bound For Glory: The Complete Recordings 1976–1979 (4CD Box Set Review)
Some reissues arrive with a warm glow of nostalgia. Others arrive like unexpected time capsules, reopening a forgotten chapter of British rock history. And then sometimes – as with this excellent new 4CD set from Cherry Red’s HNE Recordings – a release arrives that feels long overdue.
Strapps – Bound For Glory: The Complete Recordings 1976–1979 finally gives proper space to a band who, for a brief but fascinating burst of creativity, were part of rock’s ever-shifting landscape in the late 70s. For me personally, this one has been eagerly awaited. I saw Strapps live back in 1977 supporting the Ian Gillan Band on the Clear Air Turbulence tour, right down the front in front of Ross Stagg. They made an impact then, and revisiting these recordings has been a joy.
A Bit of Background – The Strapps Story
Strapps occupy a unique spot in the extended Deep Purple / Gillan family tree.
Roger Glover produced their 1976 debut (though his name appears as “Roger Giver” in a charming typo on this new box set!).
Mick Underwood, later crucial to the heavier Gillan line-up, was their powerhouse drummer.
They toured with the Ian Gillan Band at a time when jazz-rock was morphing back toward hard rock and the new wave of British heavy metal.
Musically, Strapps were hard to pigeonhole – and that might be part of the reason they slipped through the cracks. Glam rock, funk, edgy proto-new-wave vocals, hard rock riffs, and even early metal all weave through their catalogue. They were ahead of their time in some ways, and out of step in others.
Their marketing didn’t help – certain controversial promotional photos (a trend also seen with bands like Boxer) created the wrong type of attention rather than highlighting the genuinely exciting music.
But listen past all that, and what you find is a band evolving rapidly, creatively, and confidently.
What’s Inside the Box?
This 4CD set contains five albums:
CD One:
• Strapps (1976)
• Secret Damage (1977)
Two full albums on one disc. Personally, I like albums kept separate, but for a cult band like Strapps the practical decision makes sense. At least they haven’t split albums across discs – my number one box-set pet hate!
CD Two:
• Prisoner of Your Love (1978)
Originally with a Japan-only sleeve, this one shows the band tightening as songwriters and leaning into a more melodic hard-rock direction.
CD Three:
• Ball of Fire (1979)
This was the real surprise for me. A complete change of energy with a twin-guitar line-up and a sound heading toward the NWOBHM boom that was about to erupt. Tracks like “Bring on the Thunder,” “Evil,” and “One Way Love” hit with the same wild energy as early Gillan – fast, aggressive, and riff-heavy. Strapps suddenly sound like a band ready to join the 1980 metal resurgence… before history moved on without them.
CD Four:
• Live at the Rainbow (1977)
A superb live recording – not a bootleg, but a proper, vibrant mix that captures Strapps as I remember them: edgy, muscular, keyboard-driven rock with a uniqueness that set them apart. A welcome inclusion and a reminder of how strong they were on stage.
Packaging, Booklet & Extras
The booklet includes:
✔ Period advertising
✔ Single covers
✔ Press clippings
✔ Full credits and mastering notes
…but no essay, background notes, or interviews. That, for me, is the set’s only real missed opportunity.
I would have loved a proper retrospective from Ross Stagg—his perspective on the band’s evolution, the Gillan/Purple connections, the marketing missteps, the sudden pivot into heavy metal, and what ultimately brought the journey to an end. That kind of context elevates these sets enormously.
Still, the remastering from Tony Dixon (Masterpiece) is excellent, and the involvement of Hugh Gilmour and Steve Hammonds—names synonymous with quality archival work—is reassuring.
Album-by-Album Impressions
Strapps (1976)
A glam-tinted, funky, edgy record with vocals that in places anticipate the coming wave of quirky new-wave singers. Bold, unusual, and very different from the heavier direction the band would later explore.
Secret Damage (1977)
My personal favourite from the era – and the album I discovered the band through.
Highlights include:
“Child of the City”
“Pain of Love”
A tighter, stronger, more confident record.
Prisoner of Your Love (1978)
A success in Japan and a real step forward. You can hear the band searching for their identity—hard rock, melody, funk, and even touches of soul coming through as the album progresses.
Ball of Fire (1979)
The real hidden gem.
This is a heavy metal album.
Aggressive guitars, big riffs, and Mick Underwood thundering away with renewed intensity. It’s a shame this line-up didn’t get the chance to grow—they were onto something.
Live at the Rainbow (1977)
Exactly how I remember them – raw, energetic, and exciting. A great inclusion.
Final Thoughts
This is an excellent, long-awaited box set that finally puts Strapps back on the map. The band’s evolution across these four short years is genuinely fascinating, and the quality of the music—especially the later material—shows just how much potential they had.
Would I have liked a band interview or historical essay? Absolutely.
But musically, this set succeeds brilliantly.
If you were there at the time, if you remember them supporting Gillan, or if you’re curious about a corner of British rock history that has been largely forgotten, this box set is absolutely worth your time.
A big thank you to HNE / Cherry Red for making this happen.
Phil Aston | Now Spinning Magazine
