Crawler (band)

Crawler was a British rock band, active primarily in the late 1970s. The band was formed in 1976 from the remnants of the band Back Street Crawler, following the death of guitarist Paul Kossoff. Back Street Crawler, itself, was Kossoff's project after his initial departure from the band Free.

Following Kossoff's death, the remaining members – Terry Wilson-Slesser (vocals), Tony Braunagel (drums), and Terry Wilson (bass) – decided to continue as a group. They recruited guitarist Geoff Whitehorn, who had previously played with If and Magna Carta. The band renamed itself Crawler to signify a fresh start and distance themselves from Kossoff's legacy, while still acknowledging their roots.

Crawler's music was generally categorized as hard rock and blues-rock, often drawing comparisons to Free due to Wilson-Slesser's vocal style and the band's overall sound. They released two studio albums: Crawler (1977) and Snake, Rattle & Roll (1977), both of which featured Whitehorn's guitar work prominently.

Despite positive reviews and support slots with notable bands, Crawler failed to achieve widespread commercial success. Internal tensions and disagreements led to lineup changes. Terry Wilson-Slesser departed, and the band eventually dissolved in the late 1970s.

Geoff Whitehorn went on to a successful career as a session musician and later joined Procol Harum. Terry Wilson and Tony Braunagel also continued to work as session musicians and in various other bands. Terry Wilson-Slesser pursued a solo career.

Although relatively short-lived, Crawler is remembered as a solid hard rock act with talented musicians who emerged from the shadow of a legendary figure in British rock.