Paul Trappett

Paul Trappett was born in Aston, Birmingham in 1964 making him the youngest member of Essential Journey. Although his father was a gigging pianist he never actually began to learn to play himself until he was 19when his brother whimfully suggested they ‘start a band’! Originally heintended to play the drums but soon developed a natural flair for the keyboard and within 6 months was playing in a band (though with littlesuccess). After a succession of other original rock bands (Mindz Eye Silent Witness, Jagged Edge, Tempting Fate) Paul applied another talent a keen computer programmer and sequencist) to music when asked to replace a leaving drummer for Social Club band Jump The Gun. This proved very successful and the band were noted for being among the pioneers of pc orientated gigging winning several awards. Paul's influences are concentrated to just a few acts such as Queen and esoteric artists such as Patrick Moraz, Yes (pre-Wakeman) and Jan Hammer. But Jeff Lynne and the Electric Light Orchestra are perhaps the major influence. Indeed Jump the Gun eventually transformed into the ELO tributeband Wishful Thinking, with Neil Craddock as their Jeff Lynne. With this band ending in 2003 Paul and Neil then formed a stopgap duo tosupplement income but this too ended recently when attention was concentrated on developing the Journey tribute Essential Journey.