The Flying Hat Band

The Flying Hat Band

The Flying Hat Band was a prominent hard rock group from Birmingham, England, active in the early 1970s. Alongside Judas Priest, they were considered a leading contender from the Midlands music scene to achieve widespread success. Despite never releasing an official album during their active years, the band established a strong reputation as a popular club act and even supported Deep Purple on a European tour.

Formation and Line-up Changes

Initially formed as a quartet named Merlin, the band underwent several line-up adjustments before its core members solidified. Key figures in the band's history included:

Unreleased Album and Demise

In 1973, as a trio signed to the Vertigo label, The Flying Hat Band recorded a studio album. However, the label decided against its release, citing similarities to the sound of Black Sabbath. It is believed that Glenn Tipton retains possession of the master tapes, though the possibility of any of this material being officially released remains uncertain.

The band's active period concluded in May 1974 with the departure of Glenn Tipton. Tipton went on to join Judas Priest as their second guitarist shortly after the band had signed their initial record deal with Gull Records.

Later Releases and Connections

In 1992, the German label SPM International issued a split CD titled "Buried Together." This release featured four demo tracks from The Flying Hat Band, recorded in 1973, alongside material from the progressive rock band Antrobus.

Drummer Steve Palmer is notably the brother of Carl Palmer, a member of the renowned progressive rock trio Emerson, Lake, and Palmer.