Head First (Uriah Heep album)
Encyclopedia
Head First was the 15th studio album
from British
rock
band Uriah Heep
. It was released in 1983, on Gerry Bron's
UK label Bronze Records
.
The album was recorded by the line-up responsible for the previous year's Abominog
, but this time with a greater proportion of the songs written by the band members. Bob Daisley
left the group shortly after the album's recording to rejoin Ozzy Osbourne
; on the Head First tour former Heep bassist Trevor Bolder
rejoined the band, effectively replacing his replacement, and remains to this day.
Though Head First was deemed to be a worthy successor to Abominog by critics such as Geoff Barton
, it suffered from a lack of promotion as Bronze went into liquidation
the month after its release.
Video footage of the tour, from a show in New Zealand, was heavily featured on the longform video Easy Livin': A History Of Uriah Heep. In Japan only, this was also released on laserdisc.
Head First was remastered and reissued in 1997 with four bonus tracks:
Reissued again in 2005 with the following bonus tracks:
"Lonely Nights", a cover version of the previous year's hit by Bryan Adams
, was the second single. A picture-disc 7" was released.
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
from British
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band Uriah Heep
Uriah Heep (band)
Uriah Heep are an English rock band formed in London in 1969 and regarded as a seminal classic hard rock act of the 1970s. Uriah Heep's progressive/art rock/heavy metal fusion's distinctive features have always been massive keyboards sound, strong vocal harmonies and David Byron's operatic vocals...
. It was released in 1983, on Gerry Bron's
Gerry Bron
Gerald L. Bron is an English record producer and band manager. In his early days, he managed the Bonzo Dog Band.Bron is the brother of actress Eleanor Bron. His family is Jewish. He is also of Eastern European origin...
UK label Bronze Records
Bronze Records
Bronze Records is an independent English record label set up in 1971 by record producer Gerry Bron, and based in Chalk Farm, London.Bron had been producing Uriah Heep for Vertigo Records, and he set up this new label for future Uriah Heep releases, along with Juicy Lucy, Richard Barnes and Colosseum...
.
The album was recorded by the line-up responsible for the previous year's Abominog
Abominog
Abominog was the 14th album for British rock group Uriah Heep. It was the first album without keyboardist Ken Hensley. The album was critically acclaimed and fairly commercially successful album due, in part, to the band retooling and updating their sound to a contemporary heavy metal style. It...
, but this time with a greater proportion of the songs written by the band members. Bob Daisley
Bob Daisley
Robert John "Bob" Daisley is an Australian musician, bassist and lyricist who has performed in genres of rock, blues, R&B, hard rock and metal.-Early career:...
left the group shortly after the album's recording to rejoin Ozzy Osbourne
Ozzy Osbourne
John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne is an English vocalist, whose musical career has spanned over 40 years. Osbourne rose to prominence as lead singer of the pioneering English heavy metal band Black Sabbath, whose radically different, intentionally dark, harder sound helped spawn the heavy metal...
; on the Head First tour former Heep bassist Trevor Bolder
Trevor Bolder
Trevor Bolder is an English rock bassist, musician, songwriter and record producer. He is best known for his long association with Uriah Heep and his tenure with The Spiders From Mars, the one-time backing band for David Bowie, although he has played alongside a variety of musicians since the...
rejoined the band, effectively replacing his replacement, and remains to this day.
Though Head First was deemed to be a worthy successor to Abominog by critics such as Geoff Barton
Geoff Barton
Geoff Barton is a British journalist who founded Kerrang! heavy metal magazine and was an editor of Sounds music magazine.He joined Sounds at the age of nineteen after completing a journalism course at the London College of Printing. He specialised in covering rock music and helped popularise the...
, it suffered from a lack of promotion as Bronze went into liquidation
Liquidation
In law, liquidation is the process by which a company is brought to an end, and the assets and property of the company redistributed. Liquidation is also sometimes referred to as winding-up or dissolution, although dissolution technically refers to the last stage of liquidation...
the month after its release.
Video footage of the tour, from a show in New Zealand, was heavily featured on the longform video Easy Livin': A History Of Uriah Heep. In Japan only, this was also released on laserdisc.
Track listing
- "The Other Side Of Midnight" (Box/Daisley/Goalby/Kerslake/Sinclair) 3.55
- "Stay on Top" (Jackson) 3.35
- "Lonely Nights" (Adams/Vallance) 4.07
- "Sweet Talk" (Box/Daisley/Goalby/J. & L. Sinclair/Kerslake) 3.51
- "Love is Blind" (Carbone/Zito) 3.38
- "Roll-Overture" (Box/Daisley/Goalby/Sinclair) 2.18
- "Red Lights" (Box/Daisley/Goalby/Sinclair) 2.57
- "Rollin' the Rock" (Box/Daisley/Goalby/Sinclair) 5.31
- "Straight Through the Heart" (Box/Daisley/Goalby/Sinclair/Kerslake) 3.39
- "Weekend Warriors" (Box/Daisley/Goalby/Sinclair/Kerslake) 3.50
Head First was remastered and reissued in 1997 with four bonus tracks:
- "Playing For Time" (B-side)
- "Searching" (Instrumental Out-Take)
- "The Wizard" (Live Version)
Reissued again in 2005 with the following bonus tracks:
- "Playing For Time" (B-side)
- "Searching" (Extended Demo Version)
- "Other Side Of Midnight" (Live Version)
- "Lonely Nights" (Live Version)
- "Angel" (Live Version)
Singles
"Stay On Top" was released as a single and a video was made. A double-7" gatefold edition was released. Non-album track Playing For Time was included."Lonely Nights", a cover version of the previous year's hit by Bryan Adams
Bryan Adams
Bryan Adams, is a Canadian rock singer-songwriter, guitarist, bassist, producer, actor and photographer. Adams has won dozens of awards and nominations, including 20 Juno Awards among 56 nominations. He has also received 15 Grammy Award nominations including a win for Best Song Written...
, was the second single. A picture-disc 7" was released.
Personnel
- Peter GoalbyPeter GoalbyPeter Goalby is a singer and guitarist. He was the lead vocalist for Uriah Heep between 1982–1985, recording three albums with the band. He also wrote Blood Red Roses, recorded by the band for their 1989 album Raging Silence and released as the second single from the album.Before singing for Uriah...
- lead vocals - Mick BoxMick BoxMichael Frederick Box , better known by his stage name Mick Box, is the lead guitarist of British rock group Uriah Heep, having previously been a member of The Stalkers and Spice, both with original Uriah Heep vocalist David Byron. He is the only member from the band's founding in 1969 who is...
– guitars, backing vocals - John SinclairJohn Sinclair (musician)John Sinclair is a keyboardist who has played for bands such as The Babys, Heavy Metal Kids, Savoy Brown, The Cult, but is probably best known for his time in Uriah Heep and playing for Ozzy Osbourne's band...
– keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, synthesizerSynthesizerA synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
, guitars, backing vocals - Bob DaisleyBob DaisleyRobert John "Bob" Daisley is an Australian musician, bassist and lyricist who has performed in genres of rock, blues, R&B, hard rock and metal.-Early career:...
- bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - Lee KerslakeLee KerslakeLee Kerslake is an English musician, best known as the longtime drummer and backing vocalist for the rock band Uriah Heep, in addition to his work in the Ozzy Osbourne band...
- drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
, backing vocals