Uriah Heep are an
EnglishEngland 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...
rockRock 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 formed in
LondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in
1969-Events:Perhaps the two most famous musical events of 1969 were concerts. At a Rolling Stones concert in Altamont, California, a fan was stabbed to death by Hells Angels, a biker gang that had been hired to provide security for the event...
and regarded (along with
Deep PurpleDeep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although some band members believe that their music cannot be categorised as belonging to any one genre...
and
Led ZeppelinLed Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
) as a seminal
classicClassic rock is a radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format features music ranging generally from the late 1960s to the late 1980s, primarily focusing on the hard rock genre that peaked in popularity in the...
hard rockHard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
act of the 1970s. Uriah Heep's
progressiveProgressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
/
art rockArt rock is a subgenre of rock music that originated in the United Kingdom in the 1960s, with influences from art, avant-garde, and classical music. The first usage of the term, according to Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, was in 1968. Influenced by the work of The Beatles, most notably their Sgt...
/
heavy metalHeavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
fusionA fusion genre is music that combines two or more styles. For example, rock and roll originally developed as a fusion of blues, gospel and country music. The main characteristics of fusion genres are variations in tempo, rhythm, i a sometimes the use of long musical "journeys" that can be divided...
's distinctive features have always been massive keyboards sound, strong vocal harmonies and (in the early years)
David ByronDavid Byron -Early Life 1967-1969:From mid-60's to early 70's David Byron did a lot of session work for a company called Avenue Recordings singing lead and backing vocals...
's operatic vocals. Twelve of the band's albums have made it to the
UK Albums ChartThe UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
(
Return to FantasyReturn to Fantasy is the eighth studio album released by British rock band Uriah Heep.The experienced John Wetton was the band's new bassist.The original vinyl release was as a gatefold-sleeve, with the lyrics reproduced on the inner-liner....
reached #7 in 1975) while of the fifteen
Billboard 200The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
Uriah Heep albums
Demons and Wizards was the most successful (#23, 1972). In the late 1970s the band had massive success in
GermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, where the "
Lady in Black"Lady in Black" is a song by the 1970s rock band Uriah Heep. It is the fourth track of their 1971 album Salisbury.The song is credited to Ken Hensley. It tells the story of a man wandering through war-torn darkness and encountering a goddess-like entity who consoles him...
" single was a big hit.
Uriah Heep's audience declined by the 1980s, to the point where they became essentially a cult band in the United Kingdom and United States. The band maintains, though, a significant following and performs at
arenaAn arena is an enclosed area, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theater, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators. The key feature of an arena is that the event space is the...
-sized venues in the
BalkansThe Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
,
GermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
,
JapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, the
NetherlandsThe Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
,
RussiaRussia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
and
ScandinaviaScandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
. They have sold over 30 million albums worldwide.
1967-1971
The band's origins go back to 1967 when
Mick 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...
, who was 20 at the time, formed in
BrentwoodBrentwood is a town and the principal settlement of the Borough of Brentwood, in the county of Essex in the east of England. It is located in the London commuter belt, 20 miles east north-east of Charing Cross in London, and near the M25 motorway....
a band called The Stalkers which started playing in local clubs and pubs. When the band's singer left, drummer Roger Penlington suggested his cousin
David GarrickDavid Byron -Early Life 1967-1969:From mid-60's to early 70's David Byron did a lot of session work for a company called Avenue Recordings singing lead and backing vocals...
(who knew the band) as a replacement. Box and Garrick instantly formed a songwriting partnership and, having higher musical aspirations than their colleagues, decided to give up their day jobs and go professional. They set up a new band called
SpiceSpice was the immediate precursor to English rock band Uriah Heep, featuring David Byron , Mick Box , Paul Newton , and Alex Napier...
; it was then that David Garrick changed his second name to Byron. Drummer
Alex NapierAlex Napier was the drummer for the musical bands Spice and Uriah Heep.-With Uriah Heep:*Very 'eavy... Very 'umble *The Lansdowne Tapes -External links:*...
joined, having answered a music paper ad and bassist
Paul NewtonPaul Newton was the original bass guitarist for Uriah Heep, and played on the band's first three albums. He subsequently played for a band called "Carnival" for several years on the Mecca Palais circuit and also worked as a studio musician and appeared on various recordings...
of
The GodsThe Gods were an English group founded in 1965. The original bandmembers included Mick Taylor , Brian Glascock, and his brother John .-Career:...
completed the line-up.
From the very beginning Spice avoided playing covers and, according to Box, "were always striving to do something original". Managed initially by Newton's father, the band climbed their way up to the
marqueeA marquee is most commonly a structure placed over the entrance to a hotel or theatre. It has signage stating either the name of the establishment or, in the case of theatres, the play or movie and the artist appearing at that venue...
level, then got signed by
Gerry BronGerald 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...
(the Hit Record Productions Ltd.'s boss) who saw the band at the Blues Loft club in
High WycombeHigh Wycombe , commonly known as Wycombe and formally called Chepping Wycombe or Chipping Wycombe until 1946,is a large town in Buckinghamshire, England. It is west-north-west of Charing Cross in London; this figure is engraved on the Corn Market building in the centre of the town...
. "I thought they were a band I could develop and I took them on that basis", remembered Bron later. He became the band's manager and signed them to
Vertigo RecordsVertigo Records today is a UK-based record label operated by Universal Music UK.-History:Vertigo Records was the name Philips Records chose in the late 1960s for its record sub-label to counter the progressive labels of its rivals EMI with Harvest Records and Decca Records with Deram...
, the newly formed
PhilipsPhilips Records is a record label that was founded by Dutch electronics company Philips. It was started by "Philips Phonographische Industrie" in 1950. Recordings were made with popular artists of various nationalities and also with classical artists from Germany, France and Holland. Philips also...
label. The four-piece found themselves booked into the Lansdowne Studios in London, still under the name of Spice. Then the name was changed to that of the well-known character from
David CopperfieldThe Personal History, Adventures, Experience and Observation of David Copperfield the Younger of Blunderstone Rookery , commonly referred to as David Copperfield, is the eighth novel by Charles Dickens, first published as a novel in 1850. Like most of his works, it originally appeared in serial...
,
Uriah HeepUriah Heep is a fictional character created by Charles Dickens in his novel David Copperfield.The character is notable for his cloying humility, obsequiousness, and insincerity, making frequent references to his own "'umbleness". His name has become synonymous with being a yes man...
(for, according to biographer Kirk Blows, "
DickensCharles John Huffam Dickens was an English novelist, generally considered the greatest of the Victorian period. Dickens enjoyed a wider popularity and fame than had any previous author during his lifetime, and he remains popular, having been responsible for some of English literature's most iconic...
' name being everywhere around Christmas '69 due to it being the hundredth anniversary of his death") and the decision came of widening the sound. "We'd actually recorded half the first album when we decided that keyboards would be good for our sound. I was a big
Vanilla FudgeVanilla Fudge is an American rock band. The band's original lineup – vocalist/organist Mark Stein, bassist/vocalist Tim Bogert, lead guitarist/vocalist Vince Martell, and drummer/vocalist Carmine Appice – recorded five albums during the years 1966–69, before disbanding in 1970...
fan, with their
Hammond organThe Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond in 1934 and manufactured by the Hammond Organ Company. While the Hammond organ was originally sold to churches as a lower-cost alternative to the wind-driven pipe organ, in the 1960s and 1970s it became a standard keyboard...
and searing guitar on top, and we had David's high vibrato vocals anyway so that's how we decided to shape it", Box recalled. First session player
Colin WoodColin Arthur Wood is a British musician engaged in the field of jazz and rock music.Wood was born in Camberwell, South East London, & was moved to Somerset in 1950. He played jazz piano while still at school. In 1962 he went to Durham University to study mathematics...
was brought in by Gerry Bron, then
Ken HensleyKenneth William David Hensley is a keyboard player , guitarist, singer, songwriter and producer best known for his work with Uriah Heep during the 1970s....
a former Newton's colleague in The Gods who was currently playing guitar in
Toe FatToe Fat was an English rock music band, active from June 1969 to 1971, notable for including two future members of Uriah Heep.-Career:Formed in June 1969, the band was fronted by former Rebel Rouser Cliff Bennett and, in the course of its two year, two album career, featured lead guitarist and...
was lined up. "I saw a lot of potential in the group to do something very different", remembered Hensley.
Their debut album,
Very 'eavy... Very 'umbleVery 'eavy... Very 'umble is the debut album of British hard rock band Uriah Heep.It was released in the United States as Uriah Heep with alternate sleeve artwork, and with "Bird of Prey" in place of "Lucy Blues." The album is notable for being rooted more in raunchy blues rock than the band's...
(which was self-titled in the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
), introduced Hensley's heavy organ and guitar-driven sound, with David Byron's theatrical, dynamic vocals soaring above thunderous sonic backgrounds, although acoustic and
jazzJazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
elements also featured in the mix. The album's title references the signature phrase of the Dickens character
Uriah HeepUriah Heep is a fictional character created by Charles Dickens in his novel David Copperfield.The character is notable for his cloying humility, obsequiousness, and insincerity, making frequent references to his own "'umbleness". His name has become synonymous with being a yes man...
("very 'umble") from the novel
David CopperfieldThe Personal History, Adventures, Experience and Observation of David Copperfield the Younger of Blunderstone Rookery , commonly referred to as David Copperfield, is the eighth novel by Charles Dickens, first published as a novel in 1850. Like most of his works, it originally appeared in serial...
from which the band took its name. Hensley had little to contribute to the debut: Box and Byron wrote most of the material, including "Gypsy", in many ways (according to Blows) "...a marriage of contrasts that would, in time, become their trademark". "The funny thing was we wrote it at the Hamwell Community Centre, Shepherds Bush, and
Deep PurpleDeep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although some band members believe that their music cannot be categorised as belonging to any one genre...
were rehearsing in the room next door to us. You can imagine the kind of racket we were both making between us", recalled Mick Box in a 1989 interview. Three quarters into the recording of the album Alex Napier was replaced by
Nigel OlssonNigel Olsson is an English rock drummer, who is best known for his work with Elton John. Olsson helped establish the Elton John sound as one of the first members of John's band, on drums, percussion and backing vocals. When not working with Elton, Olsson has taken up the role of a session musician...
, recommended to Byron by
Elton JohnSir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
. The debut was not popular with rock critics (especially in the USA where a
Rolling StoneRolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
reviewer infamously promised to commit suicide "if this band makes it") but in retrospect the attitude towards it changed. "Those unfamiliar with Uriah Heep may want to try out
Demons and Wizards or a compilation first, but anyone with a serious interest in Uriah Heep or the roots of heavy metal will find plenty to like on
Very 'eavy... Very 'umble", advises critic Donald A. Guarisco. In the course of the album's making the writing relationship between Box, Byron and Hensley was beginning to develop. "It was very quick, because we were all into the same things. It was like it was meant to be, there was that kind of chemistry", Mick Box recalled.
With Nigel Olsson returning to the Elton John group again, Keith Baker took his place. The band's second album
SalisburySalisbury is the second album released by British rock band Uriah Heep.Although the majority of tracks are clean hard rock, more so than on the previous Very 'Eavy Very 'Umble, the album features forays into both jazz-fusion on "The Park", and square progressive rock on the band's first foray into...
was more squarely in the
progressive rockProgressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
genre, with its 16-minute title track featuring a 24-piece
orchestraAn orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
. One of the album's tracks, "
Lady in Black"Lady in Black" is a song by the 1970s rock band Uriah Heep. It is the fourth track of their 1971 album Salisbury.The song is credited to Ken Hensley. It tells the story of a man wandering through war-torn darkness and encountering a goddess-like entity who consoles him...
", described as "a stylishly arranged tune that builds from a folk-styled acoustic tune into a throbbing rocker full of ghostly harmonies and crunching guitar riffs", became a hit in Germany upon its re-release in 1977 (earning the band the Radio Luxemburg Lion award). Produced by Gerry Bron, the second album went a long way to (according to AllMusic) perfect Uriah Heep's "blend of heavy metal power and prog rock complexity" and was also significant for Ken Hensley's instant rise to a position of the main author. Soon after the release Keith Baker left the band to be replaced by Ian Clarke (from another Vertigo band
CressidaCressida is a character who appears in many Medieval and Renaissance retellings of the story of the Trojan War. She is a Trojan woman, the daughter of Calchas a priestly defector to the Greeks...
). With him the band made their first US tour, supporting
Three Dog NightThree Dog Night is an American rock band best known for their music from 1968 to 1975. During that time the band charted 21 Billboard top 40 hits in America, three of which reached Number One...
and
SteppenwolfSteppenwolf are a Canadian-American rock group that was prominent in the late 1960s. The group was formed in 1967 in Los Angeles by vocalist John Kay, guitarist Michael Monarch, bassist Rushton Moreve, keyboardist Goldy McJohn and drummer Jerry Edmonton after the dissolution of Toronto group The...
.
By the Spring 1971 Gerry Bron's deal with Philips/Vertigo was over, so he set up his own label,
Bronze RecordsBronze 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 third album was recorded in the Summer months of 1971, during the band's three visits to Lansdowne. "It was the point in time when the band really found a solid musical direction", said Bron later. The third album,
Look at YourselfLook at Yourself is the third album released by British rock band Uriah Heep.It is Uriah Heep's most straight ahead "hard rock" album, with one notable foray into progressive territory on "July Morning"...
, released in October 1971, marked the solidification of disparate ideas that had been a prominent feature of
Salisbury and presented the unified sound and direction. Among the stand-outs were the title track, "Tears In My Eyes" and "
July Morning"July Morning" is a song by Uriah Heep. It is the third track of their 1971 album Look at Yourself.The song was written by the band's keyboardist Ken Hensley and original lead singer, David Byron. Approximately the last four minutes of the piece consist of an organ solo, serving as a fine example...
", an epic which Heep fans regard as equal to
Led ZeppelinLed Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
's "
Stairway to Heaven"Stairway to Heaven" is a song by the English rock band Led Zeppelin, released in late 1971. It was composed by guitarist Jimmy Page and vocalist Robert Plant for the band's untitled fourth studio album . The song, running eight minutes and two seconds, is composed of several sections, which...
" and
Deep PurpleDeep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although some band members believe that their music cannot be categorised as belonging to any one genre...
's "
Child in Time"Child in Time" is a song by British hard rock band Deep Purple. Featured on their 1970 album Deep Purple in Rock, the song is 10 minutes and 18 seconds long.-History and characteristics:...
". "I think that "July Morning" is one of the best examples of the way the band was developing at that point in time. It introduced a lot of dynamics, a lot of light and shade into our sound", Ken Hensley argued. The album peaked at #39 in the UK.
1972-1976
By the end of 1971 it became clear, according to Hensley, that he, Byron and Box had become the tightly knit nucleus of the band. Feeling marginalised, first Newton left to be briefly replaced by Mark Clarke, then in November 1971 Ian Clarke was replaced by
Lee 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...
, once of The Gods.
New ZealanderNew Zealanders, colloquially known as Kiwis, are citizens of New Zealand. New Zealand is a multiethnic society, and home to people of many different national origins...
Gary ThainGary Mervin Thain was a rock bassist, best known for his work with British band, Uriah Heep.-Biography:Born in Christchurch, New Zealand, Thain was part of the rock trio The New Nadir, and with the drummer Peter Dawkins, he travelled from New Zealand to London, and once jammed with Jimi Hendrix...
, a then member of
Keef HartleyKeef Hartley was an English drummer and bandleader. He fronted the Keef Hartley Band, and played at Woodstock. Hartley was later a member of Dog Soldier, and variously worked with Rory Storm, The Artwoods and John Mayall.-Biography:Hartley was born in Preston, Lancashire, England...
band, joined Uriah Heep as a permanent member halfway through another American tour. "Gary just had a style about him, it was incredible because every bass player in the world that I've ever known has always loved his style, with those melodic bass lines", Box commented later. Thus the 'classic' Uriah Heep was formed and, according to biographer K. Blows, "everything just clicked into place".
The result of this newly found chemistry was the
Demons and WizardsDemons and Wizards is the self-titled debut album of power metal / heavy metal band Demons and Wizards released in February 2000. A limited edition version of the album contains a remake of the classic Cream song "White Room." The Japanese release also features "White Room," but includes an...
album which in June 1972 reached #20 in the UK and #23 in the USA. While the title of it and
Roger DeanRoger Dean is an English artist, designer, architect, and publisher. He is best known for his work on posters and album covers for musicians, which he began painting in the late 1960s. The covers often feature exotic, fantasy landscapes...
's sleeve both suggested that the band was romantically working medieval myth into their songs - and surely songs like "Rainbow Demon" and "
The Wizard"The Wizard" is a single from rock band Uriah Heep's 1972 album Demons & Wizards and was the first single to be lifted from the album. It was composed by Mark Clarke and Ken Hensley...
" (co-written by Mark Clarke, during his short stay) did have thematical links with fantasy world - more straight-forward, hard-rocking approach was also obvious. To discard any possible insinuations concerning any kind of concept behind it, Hensley's note on the sleeve declared the album to be "just a collection of our songs that we had a good time recording". Both critics and the band's aficionados consider the album as 'definitive' and 'crowning achievement' which (according to AllMusic) "solidified Uriah Heep's reputation as a master of gothic-inflected heavy metal". Ken Hensley remembered:
Two singles were released form the album: "The Wizard" and "Easy Livin'", the second (a defiant rocker, according to Blows, "tailor-made for Byron's extrovert showmanship") peaked at #38 in Billboard Hot 100. Six months later, in November 1972, Uriah Heep's fifth studio album
The Magician's BirthdayThe Magician's Birthday is the fifth album released by British rock band Uriah Heep. The story line is "based loosely on a short story" written by Ken Hensley in June and July 1972....
(#28 UK, #31 USA) came out, with "Sweet Lorraine" released as an American single and the title track (a multi-part fantasy epic featuring Hensley-Byron vocal duel and Box' extensive guitar solo in the middle) being the album's highlight. "Uriah Heep used to have an image, now they have personality", wrote
Melody MakerMelody Maker, published in the United Kingdom, was, according to its publisher IPC Media, the world's oldest weekly music newspaper. It was founded in 1926 as a magazine targeted at musicians; in 2000 it was merged into "long-standing rival" New Musical Express.-1950s–1960s:Originally the Melody...
in 1973. A lot stemmed from the flamboyant Byron. "David was the communication point, the focal point of the whole group's stage presentation. He had so much charisma, so much ability," admitted Hensley many years later. But Hensley too developed into a sophisticated instrumentalist and stage persona, whose writing and keyboard flair ignited the rest of the band.
A lavishly packaged (an eight-page booklet plus) double album
Uriah Heep LiveUriah Heep Live is a 1973 double live album by British rock group Uriah Heep. In addition to a live version of the band's hit "Easy Livin'", the record includes classic live cuts such as "Sweet Lorraine", "Sunrise" and an extended live version of "July Morning"...
followed, recorded at the
BirminghamBirmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
Townhall in January 1973. Having completed another Japanese tour, the band (due to tax problems) went to record to Chateau d'Heronville in France. It was there that the solid, but rather mainstream-sounding
Sweet FreedomSweet Freedom is the sixth studio album released by British rock band Uriah Heep.The original vinyl release was as a gatefold-sleeve, reproducing the lyrics within. There was also a central page with a photograph of each band member...
(#18 UK, #33 USA) was created with "
Stealin'"Stealin'" is Uriah Heep's biggest hit from the concept album, Sweet Freedom. The second track on the album, it deals with the regrets that come with living a self-obsessed life.It was a huge hit worldwide and reached gold status in New Zealand....
" released as a single. Having gained the world-wide recognition, the band quit the fantasy world in lyrics and made an obvious stab at versatility by adding funk ("Dreamer") and acoustic folk ("Circus") elements to the palette. Ken Hensley meanwhile had been gradually recording his own, mellower material; his solo debut
Proud Words on a Dusty Shelf was released the same year.
WonderworldReleased in 1974, Wonderworld is the seventh album released by British rock band Uriah Heep.The original vinyl release was a single sleeve, with the lyrics reproduced on the inner-liner.The album was the last to feature bass player Gary Thain...
(1974), recorded in
MunichMunich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
's
Musicland StudiosMusicland Studios was a recording studio located in Munich, Germany. It was established by Italian record producer, songwriter and performer Giorgio Moroder in the late 1960s...
in January, proved to be a disappointment to both fans and band members alike. "Recording abroad disrupted the band's normal method of operation and that had a big negative effect on the group. Our communication was falling apart, we were arguing over stuff like royalties and we were getting involved in matters beyond music", Hensley said. Box remembered weeks spent in the studio as 'dramatic' for all the wrong reasons. "David was drunk for most of the time, Kenny was having an emotional time of it and I was constantly trying to help them so it was difficult for me too. There was also a little bit of friction because (artistic) Kenny didn't like all the attention that (flamboyant) David was getting". Gary Thain was in even more serious trouble. According to Blows, "A strenuous touring schedule, compounded by the bassist's heavy drug dependency (inherent even before joining Heep) was taking its toll, though matters came to a head while on tour during September", when the bassist got electrocuted on stage in Dallas. Soon after going out of hospital Thain in Sounds openly accused manager Gerry Bron of having turned Uriah Heep into a mere "financial thing" and was promptly fired. On December 8, 1975, Gary Thain was found dead in his
Norwood GreenNorwood Green is a place in the London Borough of Ealing in London, England. It is a suburban development situated west of Charing Cross and northeast of Heathrow Airport...
home, having overdosed on
heroin.
John WettonJohn Kenneth Wetton is an English bassist, guitarist, keyboardist, singer and songwriter. He was born in Willington, Derbyshire, and grew up in Bournemouth. He has been a professional musician since the late 1960s...
(ex-
FamilyFamily were an English rock band that formed in late 1966 and disbanded in October 1973. Their style has been characterised as progressive rock, although their sound often explored other genres, incorporating elements of styles like as folk, psychedelia, acid, jazz fusion and rock and roll...
and
King CrimsonKing Crimson are a rock band founded in London, England in 1969. Often categorised as a foundational progressive rock group, the band have incorporated diverse influences and instrumentation during their history...
) joined the band and with him
Return to FantasyReturn to Fantasy is the eighth studio album released by British rock band Uriah Heep.The experienced John Wetton was the band's new bassist.The original vinyl release was as a gatefold-sleeve, with the lyrics reproduced on the inner-liner....
was recorded; representing a revitalized Uriah Heep, it soared up to #7 in the UK. "It was a relief to have someone solid and reliable, and he had a load of ideas too", Box remembered. The following "Year-long world tour" (according to a headline in
NMEThe New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
), was marred by a new accident. Mick Box fell off stage in
LouisvilleLouisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
,
KentuckyThe Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, breaking the radial bone in his right arm (but persevered through both the set and the tour, receiving three injections a night). In November 1975
The Best of Uriah Heep compilation was released, preceded by two solo albums: Byron's debut
Take No PrisonersTake No Prisoners is the debut solo album of British rock singer David Byron. It was released whilst he was still vocalist for Uriah Heep and features Heep bandmates Mick Box and Lee Kerslake.-Track listing:...
and Hensley's second,
Eager to Please.
High and MightyHigh and Mighty is the ninth studio album released by British progressive rock band Uriah Heep."High and Mighty" was the last Uriah Heep album to feature vocalist and founding member David Byron, who was subsequently fired due to his troubles with alcohol.The album was not terribly well-received,...
that followed in June 1976 was considered lightweight; even in Box' assessment, "less of the 'eavy and more of the 'umble". The matter of production here became the point of major contention. With Bron committed to non-musical projects (including his air-taxi service) the band decided to produce the album themselves. The manager later insisted the result was "Heep's worse album", while Hensley accused the manager in deliberately ignoring the band's interests. The album, though, was launched in the most lavish manner (with journalists and business people being flown off to the top of a Swiss mountain for a reception). However, it was not matched with the quality of live concerts which were more and more chaotic due to Byron's inconsistency on stage. "He'd always got drunk after the show but it had never got to the point where it would jeopardize the show itself. The performance had always been first and foremost with David. It was when the show started to come second that the problems began", Hensley remembered. "The distance between David and the rest had grown to unworkable proportions", according to Blows. "It's a tragedy to say it but David was one of those classic people who could not face up to the fact that things were wrong and he looked for solace in a bottle", commented Bron. In July 1976, after the final show of a Spanish tour, Byron was sacked. Soon bassist John Wetton announced he was quitting. Obviously neither he was comfortable in the band, nor his colleagues with him. "When he joined we thought that we could replace a great bass player (Thain) with another great bass player, but we ignored the personality factor, which is crucial. It was like grafting on a new piece of skin but it just didn't work - the body rejected it", Hensley later explained.
1977-1981
Uriah Heep recruited bassist
Trevor BolderTrevor 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...
(ex-
David BowieDavid Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
,
Mick RonsonMichael "Mick" Ronson was an English guitarist, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, arranger and producer. He is best known for his work with David Bowie, as one of The Spiders from Mars...
) and, after having auditioned
David CoverdaleDavid 'Jack' Coverdale is an English rock singer, most famous for his work with the his own hard rock band Whitesnake which achieved massive commercial success.-Early life:...
(
Deep PurpleDeep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although some band members believe that their music cannot be categorised as belonging to any one genre...
,
WhitesnakeWhitesnake are an English rock band, founded in 1978 by David Coverdale after his departure from his previous band, Deep Purple. The band's early material has been compared by critics to Deep Purple, but by the mid 1980s they had moved to a more commercial hard rock style...
),
Ian HunterIan Hunter is the name of:* Ian Hunter , South African/British actor* Ian Hunter , cricketer with Derbyshire County Cricket Club* Ian Hunter , Australian association football player...
and
Gary HoltonGary Frederick Holton was an English singer-songwriter, musician and actor from London. He was the frontman of the band Heavy Metal Kids, for whom he played lead vocals, guitar, rhythm guitar, keyboards and harmonica, and played the part of Wayne in the UK television comedy Auf Wiedersehen, Pet...
(
Heavy Metal KidsThe Heavy Metal Kids are a British hard rock band, formed in 1972 in London. The band's former frontman Gary Holton and their core founding member Dave Dee are both deceased.-Early years:...
), brought in
John LawtonJohn Lawton is a rock and roll and blues vocalist best known for his work with Lucifer's Friend, Uriah Heep and the Les Humphries Singers.-Biography:...
, formerly of
Lucifer's FriendLucifer's Friend was a 1970s German Rock band. Allmusic author, Eduardo Rivadavia, noted the group as, "early practitioners of heavy metal and progressive rock." They also incorporated elements of jazz into their music. The band have also been cited as one of the pioneers of doom metal.-History:The...
and the
Les Humphries SingersThe Les Humphries Singers was a 1970s musical group formed in Hamburg, Germany in 1969 by the English born Les Humphries , who had been inspired to do his own version of the Edwin Hawkins Singers.The Les Humphries Singers dissolved at the end of the...
, with whom they turned away from fantasy-oriented lyrics and multi-part compositions back toward a more straightforward hard rock sound typical of the era. "Image-wise he wasn't quite what we were looking for, but his pipes were perfect and so we went for the music end of it", said Box later. "He had a voice that I thought would give a new dimension", Hensley agreed.
Firefly was released in February 1977, displaying "renewed effervescence and energy in unveiling what was clearly a new beginning for Heep" (per. K. Blows), "a new vigour and confidence" (according to a Record Mirror review) and also the new singer’s abilities: the latter (according to AllMusic), although lacking the multi-octave range of David Byron, "…boasted an impressive and emotionally rich hard rock voice that instantly jelled with the Uriah Heep sound". The band then toured the USA supporting
KissKiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973. Well-known for its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid to late 1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...
. "They were incredibly professional, and so consistent that their worst nights were excellent and their best were tremendous",
Paul StanleyStanley Harvey Eisen , better known by his stage name Paul Stanley, is an American hard rock guitarist, singer, musician, painter and songwriter best known for being the rhythm guitarist and primary lead vocalist of the rock band Kiss. He is the writer or co-writer of many of the band's...
later recalled.
Innocent VictimReleased in 1977, Innocent Victim is the eleventh album released by British rock band Uriah Heep.Although it did not chart in the US or UK, Innocent Victim was highly successful in Germany and New Zealand....
, released in November 1977, "had a slight edge on
Firefly", according to Box, but still in retrospect this "blend of sharp, short rockers and pop-friendly ballads" looked like "an attempt to court the American AOR market". The single "Free Me" (whose "acoustic style and accent on harmonies brought the group dangerously close to Eagles territory", according to AllMusic) became an international hit (making it to #1 in New Zealand). In Germany the album sold over a million copies and became Uriah Heep's most successful, which coincided with the success of the re-released "
Lady in Black"Lady in Black" is a song by the 1970s rock band Uriah Heep. It is the fourth track of their 1971 album Salisbury.The song is credited to Ken Hensley. It tells the story of a man wandering through war-torn darkness and encountering a goddess-like entity who consoles him...
". For some time during this period, there were three Uriah Heep singles sitting together in the German Top 20, these being "Wise Man" (from
Firefly), "Lady in Black" and "Free Me".
In the end of 1978
Fallen Angel came out, having completed a hat-trick of studio albums to feature a consistent lineup (only the second time in their career that they had done so). "Too poppy" for Mick Box’ liking (but still, "too eccentric to fit the bill of an AOR record", according to Allmusic), it was well received at the time (
Sounds gave it 4 stars) but failed to chart. Meanwhile the relative stability of the Lawton period belied the behind the scenes unrest having to do with Ken Hensley earning much more than his colleagues. "Everything he wrote, he had to use… And if you insist in using everything you end up with substandard albums," disgruntled Box opined. The major rift, though, developed between Hensley and Lawton. As K. Blows writes, "the combination of constant friction between the two (resulting in the nearest thing to violence the group had seen) and the constant presence of Lawton's wife on the road finally led to the vocalist getting the chop, shortly after playing the Bilzen Festival in Belgium".
Ex-
Lone Star-History:Lone Star were a Welsh rock band formed in Cardiff, Wales in 1975. An embryonic line-up consisted of former Iona members, Kenny Driscoll and Tony Smith, former Quest bassist Ray Jones, and drummer Jim Mathews...
John SlomanJohn Sloman was born as John Anthony David Sloman in Cardiff , 26 April 1957 as the eldest of six children. He is a former member of Trapper, Pulsar, Lone Star, and Uriah Heep...
was brought in, a younger singer who played keyboards and guitar and was, in the words of Box, "an all rounder". But almost instantly Lee Kerslake departed, following a row with Bron whom the drummer accused of favouritism towards Hensley's material. Several tracks of the next album had to be re-recorded with a new drummer,
Chris SladeChris Slade is a Welsh rock drummer.-Career:Slade has worked with Gary Numan, Tom Jones, Olivia Newton-John , and Uriah Heep. He was a member of Manfred Mann's Earth Band from 1972 to 1978...
(of the
Manfred Mann's Earth BandManfred Mann's Earth Band is a British progressive rock group formed in 1971 by Manfred Mann.-Formation:Having started in the 1960s with a British band that had such hits as "Do Wah Diddy Diddy" and "The Mighty Quinn", then moving on to Jazz Fusion with Manfred Mann's Chapter Three, Manfred's third...
).
Conquest LP was released in February 1980 and received 5 stars from Record Mirror, but, according to Box, "was a difficult album to record" and represented "a confused Heep", even "a mess" (in the words of Trevor Bolder). The band went on the 10th Anniversary Tour with
GirlschoolGirlschool are a British heavy metal band originating out of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal scene in 1978 and frequently associated with contemporaries Motörhead. They are the longest running all-female rock band, still active after more than 30 years...
as support and attracted respectable crowds. Hensley was very unhappy, primarily with Sloman, and he explained why:
A meeting at the manager’s office concerning the songwriting dissent was to be the last straw and in September 1980 Hensley quit. Gregg Dechert, a Canadian who had worked with Sloman in Pulsar, came in and the band went on a 23-date tour of the UK. After that Sloman left, citing musical differences for a reason. He would later go on to work with
UFOUFO are an English heavy metal and hard rock band, who were formed in 1969. UFO became a transitional group between early hard rock and heavy metal and the New Wave of British Heavy Metal...
,
Gary MooreRobert William Gary Moore , better known simply as Gary Moore, was a Northern Irish musician from Belfast, best recognised as a blues rock guitarist and singer....
and Robert Palmer. Hensley's acrimonious departure had left the group in a state of collapse. Box and Bolder paid a visit to David Byron with very attractive propositions; "we couldn't believe it when he said he didn't want to know", the guitarist remembered. Bolder, who by that time "had had enough of Gerry Bron and the management", decided to join
Wishbone AshWishbone Ash are a British rock band who achieved success in the early and mid-1970s. Their popular records included Wishbone Ash , Argus , There's the Rub , and New England...
and when Dechert left, Uriah Heep were down to just Mick Box with the name and contract. The
Melody MakerMelody Maker, published in the United Kingdom, was, according to its publisher IPC Media, the world's oldest weekly music newspaper. It was founded in 1926 as a magazine targeted at musicians; in 2000 it was merged into "long-standing rival" New Musical Express.-1950s–1960s:Originally the Melody...
headline "Heap of Heep" reflected the press’ attitude towards the band’s possible future.
1982-1986
"I locked myself in my flat for two days and drank myself senseless in complete self-pity. But I somehow managed to pull myself together and consider my options", remembered Box. First he rang Lee Kerslake (who in the meanwhile had co-founded
Blizzard of OzzBlizzard of Ozz is the first solo studio album by British singer/songwriter Ozzy Osbourne, recorded in Surrey, UK and released on September 20, 1980 in the UK and on March 27, 1981 in the U.S.. It is the comeback album of Osbourne following his firing from Black Sabbath the previous year...
with
Ozzy OsbourneJohn 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...
) and the drummer brought along with him bassist
Bob 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:...
. Then
John SinclairJohn 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...
came in whom Box knew from the times he was a member of
Heavy Metal KidsThe Heavy Metal Kids are a British hard rock band, formed in 1972 in London. The band's former frontman Gary Holton and their core founding member Dave Dee are both deceased.-Early years:...
and who currently played with a Los Angeles band called Lion. The band’s new vocalist became
Peter 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...
of
TrapezeTrapeze were an English rock band formed in March 1969, by vocalist John Jones and guitarist/keyboardist Terry Rowley , with guitarist Mel Galley, singer/bassist Glenn Hughes, and drummer Dave Holland...
fame. The latter had once auditioned for Uriah Heep and failed, ironically Hensley being the only band member who had supported him as a choice. "With us all contributing to the writing we forged our new direction", Box recalled.
Produced by Ashley Howe,
AbominogAbominog 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...
(1982) album (according to Blows) was "important… in the way it pulled Heep out of the Seventies and thrust them into the Eighties with determination muscle", even if sounded a bit too American. Released in March 1982 (and preceded by
Abominog Junior EP), it won favour with the critics. Sounds gave it a five star review, the newly established rock
Kerrang!Kerrang! is a UK-based magazine devoted to rock music published by Bauer Media Group. It was first published on June 6, 1981 as a one-off supplement in the Sounds newspaper...
declared it "the most mature and perhaps best album of their career" and in retrospect it is still seen as "one of the most consistent and engaging albums in the group's lengthy catalog." The album did relatively well in the American charts (#56) and the band successfully performed at the
Castle DoningtonCastle Donington is a village, with a population of around 7000 in the North West of Leicestershire, part of the Derby postcode area and on the edge of the National Forest. It is the closest town to East Midlands Airport.-Transport and housing:...
Monsters Of RockMonsters of Rock was an annual music festival held in England, then moved in other locations like The Netherlands, France, Italy, Germany, Canada, Brazil, Argentina, Chile.The Last show was in 2008....
event.
Head FirstHead 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...
(1983), produced again by Ashley Howe (who, according to Goalby, became "like the sixth member of the band"), followed much in the same vein, pursueing (according to AllMusic) "a similar combination of heavy metal firepower and AOR sleekness". Not long before its release Daisley left the band to return to Ozzy Osbourne and Trevor Bolder re-joined Uriah Heep. Both albums,
Abominog and
Head First, updated the band's sound and generated a brief, newfound interest in Uriah Heep among younger heavy metal fans.
Uriah Heep toured the USA supporting
RushRush is a Canadian rock band formed in August 1968, in the Willowdale neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario. The band is composed of bassist, keyboardist, and lead vocalist Geddy Lee, guitarist Alex Lifeson, and drummer and lyricist Neil Peart...
,
Judas PriestJudas Priest are an English heavy metal band from Birmingham, England, formed in 1969. The current line-up consists of lead vocalist Rob Halford, guitarists Glenn Tipton and Richie Faulkner, bassist Ian Hill, and drummer Scott Travis. The band has gone through several drummers over the years,...
and
Def LeppardDef Leppard are an English rock band formed in 1977 in Sheffield as part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement. Since 1992, the band have consisted of Joe Elliott , Rick Savage , Rick Allen , Phil Collen , and Vivian Campbell...
, whose vocalist Joe Elliot remembered: "They were the best band that we've ever toured with either as a headline or support, because there was no ego, no pretentious kind of stuff. They were good in as much that we learnt a lot from them”. By this time Gerry Bron was Uriah Heep manager no longer (they were looked after by Neil Warnock in Europe and Blue Oyster Cult's management team in the US) and finally, then Bronze Records collapsed under the weight of debts which, according to Box, "cost Heep a lot of money". Massive Asian and South American tours followed before the band returned to the studio with producer Tony Platt and a new deal with CBS's Portrait label secured by new manager Harry Maloney. Meanwhile,
David ByronDavid Byron -Early Life 1967-1969:From mid-60's to early 70's David Byron did a lot of session work for a company called Avenue Recordings singing lead and backing vocals...
died of a heart attack and liver disease on February 28, 1985 at the age of 38.
Equator (1985) sold poorly, due to the fact that "CBS just did a terrible job getting it into the shops," as Box saw it. On the other hand, what Kirk Blows described as "a solid piece of product that had the potential to do extremely well" was regarded less favourably by later reviewers. Jason Anderson, for one, argues that with this "lackluster" album, high only "in high-schmaltz rating", the band squandered the chance it's been given by Portrait. Totally exhausted and having serious voice problems, Goalby left mid-way through the Australian tour. "I loved and believed in Uriah Heep but it kicked the shit out of me in the end," were his parting words. Then John Sinclair quit deciding to join Ozzy Osbourne and keyboardist
Phil LanzonPhil Lanzon is the keyboardist for British progressive rock group Uriah Heep since 1986.Lanzon has worked with diverse performers of distinction in the rock and roll community...
(Grand Prix,
Sad CaféSad Café were an English rock band, which formed in Manchester in 1976, as a result of the unification of the rock bands Mandala and Gyro. Sad Café are best known for their song "Every Day Hurts" which reached Number 3 in the UK Singles Chart in 1979....
) came in to fit in immediately into the Box-envisaged scheme of things.
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer Steff Fontaine, formerly of
Christian metalChristian metal, also known as white metal, is a form of heavy metal music usually defined by its message in a song's lyrics as well as the band's dedication to Christianity...
band
JoshuaJoshua is a Christian metal band that formed in 1980. The band re-formed many times under differing names, but has remained centered around guitarist Joshua Perahia...
, joined but he was criticized for being totally "unprofessional" (he missed for some reason a San Francisco gig) and was sacked after just one American tour. Fontaine's position was offered then to ex-Grand Prix,
Praying MantisPraying Mantis are an English rock band. Although a part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal scene, they pursued a musical direction more melodic and AOR-sounding than their contemporaries.-Career:...
and
StratusStratus , was a short-lived English melodic hard rock supergroup. It was formed by ex-Iron Maiden drummer Clive Burr and members of then-inactive Praying Mantis...
vocalist
Bernie Shaw, and that in retrospect proved to be a winning move. Shaw "felt honoured at being invited to join such a legendary band" while for Box "it was like everything falling into place".
1987-present
The lineup remained unchanged from 1986 until 2007, being veteran Mick Box at the helm, Trevor Bolder on bass, Lee Kerslake on drums, vocalist Bernie Shaw and Phil Lanzon on keyboards. Their principal tour circuit has been in
GermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, the
NetherlandsThe Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
,
ScandinaviaScandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
,
JapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and
RussiaRussia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. In December 1987 they were the first ever Western band to play in Soviet Russia, under
Mikhail GorbachevMikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev is a former Soviet statesman, having served as General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1985 until 1991, and as the last head of state of the USSR, having served from 1988 until its dissolution in 1991...
's policy of
glasnostGlasnost was the policy of maximal publicity, openness, and transparency in the activities of all government institutions in the Soviet Union, together with freedom of information, introduced by Mikhail Gorbachev in the second half of the 1980s...
. At Moscow's
Olympic StadiumOlympic Stadium, known locally as the Olimpiyskiy or Olimpiski, is a large indoor arena, located in Moscow, Russia. It was built for the 1980 Summer Olympics and hosted the basketball and boxing events. A part of the Olimpiyskiy Sports Complex, it makes up one architectural ensemble with another...
the band played ten consecutive nights to a total of 180,000 people (following a reception that Bernie Shaw remembered as being "something like Beatlemania") which was represented in the international press as not just an achievement for Uriah Heep but a major breakthrough for Western music in general. The concerts were recorded and issued as the
Live in Moscow album which included three new tracks. Ironically, it was this behind the
Iron CurtainThe concept of the Iron Curtain symbolized the ideological fighting and physical boundary dividing Europe into two separate areas from the end of World War II in 1945 until the end of the Cold War in 1989...
excursion that did well to re-establish Heep's name back at home. After a series of sell-out dates in Czechoslovakia, East Berlin and Bulgaria the band returned to Britain for the Reading Festival in August 1988, and toured the UK with The Dogs D'Amour.
Raging SilenceRaging Silence is the 17th album by British progressive rock group Uriah Heep. It marked the studio debut of Canadian vocalist Bernie Shaw.It was the first Uriah Heep studio album to have a contemporary release on CD....
, produced by Richard Dodd and released in May 1989, was followed by a return to the Soviet Union, concerts in
PolandPoland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
,
East BerlinEast Berlin was the name given to the eastern part of Berlin between 1949 and 1990. It consisted of the Soviet sector of Berlin that was established in 1945. The American, British and French sectors became West Berlin, a part strongly associated with West Germany but a free city...
, six dates in
BrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
and another British tour. "The last two years have been the most enjoyable of all my time in Heep," Trevor Bolder was quoted to say at the time. The band played in the Central TV studios in
NottinghamNottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
(the film was shown as part of the Independent TV series "Bedrock" and a few years later it was repeated in the Cue Music series) and celebrated its 20th Anniversary with a series of compilations and re-issues.
Produced by Trevor Bolder and released early in 1991,
Different WorldDifferent World is the 18th album by British progressive rock group Uriah Heep. It was the second studio album to feature this line-up.Bass guitarist Trevor Bolder produced the album and has said that, although it was an experience, he found it tricky wearing the hats of both band member/musician...
got a mixed reception from the press (put down in Kerrang!, hailed in
Metal HammerMetal Hammer is a monthly heavy metal music magazine published in the United Kingdom by Future Publishing, and in several other countries by different publishers. Metal Hammer articles feature both mainstream bands and more unusual acts from the whole spectrum of heavy metal music...
) and sold poorly. "Yet another technically sound but artistically bland recording from Uriah Heep” (according to AllMusic) failed to chart and marked the end of the band's contract with Legacy Records. Touring incessantly, the band issued some compilations of which
Rarities from the Bronze Age and
The Lansdowne Tapes (featuring previously unreleased material from the early 1970s) are considered most noteworthy. Still the first half of the 1990s is regarded even by the Heep fans as "the wilderness years".
The
Sea of LightSea Of Light was the 19th album for British progressive rock group Uriah Heep. It is well regarded by fans and the songs have remained part of the band's live set to this day....
album (1995) produced by the band along with Kalle Trapp was well received and in retrospect is seen as the band's return to form, the key to success being (according to critic Donald A. Guarisco) the way it "forsook the ill-judged pop metal stylings of albums like
Equator for a return to the gothic-tinged old-school metal style that highlighted classic Uriah Heep albums like
Look at Yourself". Produced by Pip Williams,
Sonic OrigamiSonic Origami is the 20th studio album by Uriah Heep and was released in September 1998.The limited edition version of the CD contains one additional track....
, originally issued in Japan in 1998, then, a year later, in the U.S., had "a grand, epic tone throughout" that, according to rock critic Steve Huey, "doesn't always match Uriah Heep's journeyman-sounding prog-tinged hard rock," still being "a solid entry in its chosen genre. The release was followed by a successful European tour which continued all through 1999. The band released
The Legend Continues DVD and then toured the UK. A reunion gig with Ken Hensley & John Lawton took place in London on December 7th, 2001 in the course of the
Magicians Birthday Party, which since then became a tradition, even though Hensley never actually joined again. For most of the years that followed Uriah Heep have returned to Britain for a tour or just this annual showcase concert, which in 2003 was held at the now demolished
London AstoriaThe London Astoria was a music venue, located at 157 Charing Cross Road, in London, England. It had been leased and run by Festival Republic since 2000. It was closed on 15 January 2009 and has since been demolished...
. All the while
Mick 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...
acted as a
managerA talent manager, also known as an artist manager or band manager, is an individual or company who guides the professional career of artists in the entertainment industry...
for the band until, on April 5, 2005, they retained Simon Porter as their manager.
In early 2007, drummer Lee Kerslake had to leave the group due to ill health. In March of that year the band recruited
Russell GilbrookRussell Gilbrook is the latest drummer for the British progressive rock band, Uriah Heep.Over the last few years Gilbrook has been establishing himself on the UK clinic tour scene. He has supported artists such as Greg Bissonette and completed a tour with Liberty DeVitto...
as their new drummer and immediately started recording a new studio album entitled
Wake the SleeperWake the Sleeper is the 21st studio album by the progressive rock band Uriah Heep. It is their first studio album since 1998's Sonic Origami...
, where they used double drums in the songs "Wake the Sleeper" and "War Child". Originally slated for a summer 2007 release, Universal Music finally released
Wake the SleeperWake the Sleeper is the 21st studio album by the progressive rock band Uriah Heep. It is their first studio album since 1998's Sonic Origami...
on June 2, 2008. In October 2009 Uriah Heep released their 40th Anniversary
CelebrationCelebration is the 22nd album by the progressive rock band Uriah Heep. It features re-recorded classic songs from the band, as well as two tracks written specifically for this release. A double Deluxe Special Edition on digipak format features an extra live DVD recorded at the Sweden Rock Festival...
album, containing new studio recordings of twelve of their best known tracks, plus two brand new songs. "This collection underlines again that Uriah Heep are deserving great respect for their past achievements but far more importantly it makes it crystal clear that this is a band with a bright future as well as a glorious history", wrote Chris Kee in his 9/10 review in Powerplay magazine’s February 2010 issue. A United States tour for June/July 2010 was delayed due to immigration problems; the first two dates had to be rescheduled. This resulted in an appearance at B.B. King's in New York City as being the first date of the tour. Then Uriah Heep performed live on the Progressive Rock stage at the inaugural
High Voltage FestivalHigh Voltage is a music festival held in Victoria Park, London. The event hosts artists from various strands of rock music, including classic rock, progressive rock, and heavy metal. The first festival was held on the 24 and 25 July 2010...
in London's Victoria Park on July 25, 2010. They played their 1972 album
Demons and Wizards in its entirety, being joined by ex-
WhitesnakeWhitesnake are an English rock band, founded in 1978 by David Coverdale after his departure from his previous band, Deep Purple. The band's early material has been compared by critics to Deep Purple, but by the mid 1980s they had moved to a more commercial hard rock style...
man
Micky MoodyMichael Joseph "Micky" Moody is an English guitarist, and a former member of the rock bands Juicy Lucy and Whitesnake. He was also a founder-member of Snafu. Together with his former Whitesnake colleague Bernie Marsden he founded the Moody Marsden Band, and later, The Snakes...
on slide guitar.
Uriah Heep released their 23rd studio album
Into the WildInto the Wild is the 23rd studio album by the progressive rock band Uriah Heep. It was first released in Japan on April 12, 2011 by Universal Music Japan with 12 tracks and in SHM-CD and in Europe by Frontiers Records on April 15, 2011 with only 11 tracks and in standard material. A video for its...
on April 15, 2011 in Europe (May 3 in North America) via
Frontiers RecordsFrontiers Records is an Italian record label, predominantly producing melodic rock. It was formed in 1996 by Serafino Perugino and is based in Naples, Italy.-History:...
.
Lineups
| 1969–1970 |
- David Byron
David Byron -Early Life 1967-1969:From mid-60's to early 70's David Byron did a lot of session work for a company called Avenue Recordings singing lead and backing vocals...
– vocals
- Mick Box
Michael 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...
– guitar
- Ken Hensley
Kenneth William David Hensley is a keyboard player , guitarist, singer, songwriter and producer best known for his work with Uriah Heep during the 1970s....
– keyboards
- Paul Newton
Paul Newton was the original bass guitarist for Uriah Heep, and played on the band's first three albums. He subsequently played for a band called "Carnival" for several years on the Mecca Palais circuit and also worked as a studio musician and appeared on various recordings...
– bass guitar
- Alex Napier
Alex Napier was the drummer for the musical bands Spice and Uriah Heep.-With Uriah Heep:*Very 'eavy... Very 'umble *The Lansdowne Tapes -External links:*...
– drums |
| 1970 |
David Byron – vocals
Mick Box – guitar
Ken Hensley – keyboards
Paul Newton – bass guitar
Nigel Olsson Nigel Olsson is an English rock drummer, who is best known for his work with Elton John. Olsson helped establish the Elton John sound as one of the first members of John's band, on drums, percussion and backing vocals. When not working with Elton, Olsson has taken up the role of a session musician...
– drums |
| 1970 |
David Byron – vocals
Mick Box – guitar
Ken Hensley – keyboards
Paul Newton – bass guitar
Keith Baker Keith Baker is a drummer. He played for Bakerloo, but left the group following the release of its only album. Baker became a member of Uriah Heep prior to their second album Salisbury, replacing Nigel Olsson when he joined Elton John as a drummer...
– drums |
| 1970–1971 |
David Byron – vocals
Mick Box – guitar
Ken Hensley – keyboards
Paul Newton – bass guitar
Ian Clarke – drums |
| 1971–1972 |
David Byron – vocals
Mick Box – guitar
Ken Hensley – keyboards
Mark Clarke – bass guitar
Lee Kerslake Lee 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...
– drums |
| 1972–1975 |
David Byron – vocals
Mick Box – guitar
Ken Hensley – keyboards
Gary Thain Gary Mervin Thain was a rock bassist, best known for his work with British band, Uriah Heep.-Biography:Born in Christchurch, New Zealand, Thain was part of the rock trio The New Nadir, and with the drummer Peter Dawkins, he travelled from New Zealand to London, and once jammed with Jimi Hendrix...
– bass guitar
Lee Kerslake – drums |
| 1975–1976 |
David Byron – vocals
Mick Box – guitar
Ken Hensley – keyboards
John Wetton John Kenneth Wetton is an English bassist, guitarist, keyboardist, singer and songwriter. He was born in Willington, Derbyshire, and grew up in Bournemouth. He has been a professional musician since the late 1960s...
– bass guitar
Lee Kerslake – drums |
| 1976–1979 |
John LawtonJohn Lawton is a rock and roll and blues vocalist best known for his work with Lucifer's Friend, Uriah Heep and the Les Humphries Singers.-Biography:...
– vocals
Mick Box – guitar
Ken Hensley – keyboards
Trevor BolderTrevor 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...
– bass guitar
Lee Kerslake – drums |
| 1979–1980 |
John Sloman John Sloman was born as John Anthony David Sloman in Cardiff , 26 April 1957 as the eldest of six children. He is a former member of Trapper, Pulsar, Lone Star, and Uriah Heep...
– vocals
Mick Box – guitar
Ken Hensley – keyboards
Trevor Bolder – bass guitar
Chris SladeChris Slade is a Welsh rock drummer.-Career:Slade has worked with Gary Numan, Tom Jones, Olivia Newton-John , and Uriah Heep. He was a member of Manfred Mann's Earth Band from 1972 to 1978...
– drums |
| 1980–1981 |
John Sloman – vocals
Mick Box – guitar
Gregg Dechert Gregg Dechert is a former member of Uriah Heep. He was keyboardist for Uriah Heep between September 1980 and March 1981, replacing Ken Hensley after he left the band...
– keyboards
Trevor Bolder – bass guitar
Chris Slade – drums |
| 1981–1983 |
Peter Goalby Peter 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...
– vocals
Mick Box – guitar
John SinclairJohn 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...
– keyboards
Bob 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:...
– bass guitar
Lee Kerslake – drums |
| 1983–1985 |
Peter Goalby – vocals
Mick Box – guitar
John Sinclair – keyboards
Trevor Bolder – bass guitar
Lee Kerslake – drums |
| 1986 |
Steff Fontaine – vocals
Mick Box – guitar
Phil Lanzon Phil Lanzon is the keyboardist for British progressive rock group Uriah Heep since 1986.Lanzon has worked with diverse performers of distinction in the rock and roll community...
– keyboards
Trevor Bolder – bass guitar
Lee Kerslake – drums |
| 1986–2007 |
Bernie Shaw – vocals
Mick Box – guitar
Phil Lanzon – keyboards
Trevor Bolder – bass guitar
Lee Kerslake – drums |
| 2007–Present |
Bernie Shaw – vocals
Mick Box – guitar
Phil Lanzon – keyboards
Trevor Bolder – bass guitar
Russell Gilbrook Russell Gilbrook is the latest drummer for the British progressive rock band, Uriah Heep.Over the last few years Gilbrook has been establishing himself on the UK clinic tour scene. He has supported artists such as Greg Bissonette and completed a tour with Liberty DeVitto...
– drums |
Discography
Uriah Heep have released 23 studio albums, 13 live albums, 16 compilation albums and 27 UK singles.
Studio albums
| Title |
Year |
Record label |
| Very 'eavy... Very 'umble Very 'eavy... Very 'umble is the debut album of British hard rock band Uriah Heep.It was released in the United States as Uriah Heep with alternate sleeve artwork, and with "Bird of Prey" in place of "Lucy Blues." The album is notable for being rooted more in raunchy blues rock than the band's...
|
1970 |
Vertigo RecordsVertigo Records today is a UK-based record label operated by Universal Music UK.-History:Vertigo Records was the name Philips Records chose in the late 1960s for its record sub-label to counter the progressive labels of its rivals EMI with Harvest Records and Decca Records with Deram...
(UK)
Mercury RecordsMercury Records is a record label operating as a standalone company in the UK and as part of the Island Def Jam Motown Music Group in the US; both are subsidiaries of Universal Music Group. There is also a Mercury Records in Australia, which is a local artist and repertoire division of Universal...
(USA) |
| Salisbury Salisbury is the second album released by British rock band Uriah Heep.Although the majority of tracks are clean hard rock, more so than on the previous Very 'Eavy Very 'Umble, the album features forays into both jazz-fusion on "The Park", and square progressive rock on the band's first foray into...
|
1971 |
Vertigo RecordsVertigo Records today is a UK-based record label operated by Universal Music UK.-History:Vertigo Records was the name Philips Records chose in the late 1960s for its record sub-label to counter the progressive labels of its rivals EMI with Harvest Records and Decca Records with Deram...
(UK)
Mercury Records (USA) |
| Look at Yourself Look at Yourself is the third album released by British rock band Uriah Heep.It is Uriah Heep's most straight ahead "hard rock" album, with one notable foray into progressive territory on "July Morning"...
|
1971 |
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...
(UK)
Mercury Records (USA) |
| Demons and Wizards Demons and Wizards is the self-titled debut album of power metal / heavy metal band Demons and Wizards released in February 2000. A limited edition version of the album contains a remake of the classic Cream song "White Room." The Japanese release also features "White Room," but includes an...
|
1972 |
Bronze Records (UK)
Mercury Records (USA) |
| The Magician's Birthday The Magician's Birthday is the fifth album released by British rock band Uriah Heep. The story line is "based loosely on a short story" written by Ken Hensley in June and July 1972....
|
1972 |
Bronze Records (UK)
Mercury Records (USA) |
| Sweet Freedom Sweet Freedom is the sixth studio album released by British rock band Uriah Heep.The original vinyl release was as a gatefold-sleeve, reproducing the lyrics within. There was also a central page with a photograph of each band member...
|
1973 |
Bronze Records (UK)
Warner Bros. RecordsWarner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
(USA) |
| Wonderworld Released in 1974, Wonderworld is the seventh album released by British rock band Uriah Heep.The original vinyl release was a single sleeve, with the lyrics reproduced on the inner-liner.The album was the last to feature bass player Gary Thain...
|
1974 |
Bronze Records (UK)
Warner Bros. Records (USA) |
| Return to Fantasy Return to Fantasy is the eighth studio album released by British rock band Uriah Heep.The experienced John Wetton was the band's new bassist.The original vinyl release was as a gatefold-sleeve, with the lyrics reproduced on the inner-liner....
|
1975 |
Bronze Records (UK)
Warner Bros. Records (USA) |
| High and Mighty High and Mighty is the ninth studio album released by British progressive rock band Uriah Heep."High and Mighty" was the last Uriah Heep album to feature vocalist and founding member David Byron, who was subsequently fired due to his troubles with alcohol.The album was not terribly well-received,...
|
1976 |
Bronze Records (UK)
Warner Bros. Records (USA) |
| Firefly |
1977 |
Bronze Records (UK)
Warner Bros. Records (USA) |
| Innocent Victim Released in 1977, Innocent Victim is the eleventh album released by British rock band Uriah Heep.Although it did not chart in the US or UK, Innocent Victim was highly successful in Germany and New Zealand....
|
1977 |
Bronze Records (UK)
Warner Bros. Records (USA) |
| Fallen Angel |
1978 |
Bronze Records (UK)
Chrysalis RecordsChrysalis Records was a British record label that was created in 1969. The name was both a reference to the pupal stage of a butterfly and a combination of its founders names, Chris Wright and Terry Ellis...
(USA) |
| Conquest |
1980 |
Bronze Records (UK) |
| 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...
|
1982 |
Bronze Records (UK)
Mercury Records (USA) |
| Head First 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...
|
1983 |
Bronze Records (UK)
Mercury Records (USA) |
| Equator |
1985 |
Portrait Records Portrait Records was a sister label of Epic Records and later of Columbia Records. Cyndi Lauper and Sade signed with Portrait, but their contracts were absorbed by Epic after that incarnation of the label was shuttered....
(UK)
Columbia RecordsColumbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
(USA) |
| Raging Silence Raging Silence is the 17th album by British progressive rock group Uriah Heep. It marked the studio debut of Canadian vocalist Bernie Shaw.It was the first Uriah Heep studio album to have a contemporary release on CD....
|
1989 |
Enigma Records Enigma Records was a popular rock and alternative American record label in the 1980s. It was initially a division of Greenworld Distribution, an independent music importer/distributor, which it split-off from in 1985 to become its own company...
(USA) |
| Different World |
1991 |
Legacy RecordingsLegacy Recordings is Sony Music Entertainment's catalog division. It was founded in 1990 by CBS Records under the leadership of Jerry Shulman, Richard Bauer, Gary Pacheco and Amy Herot to handle reissues of recordings from the vast catalogues of Columbia Records, Epic Records and associated...
|
| Sea of Light Sea Of Light was the 19th album for British progressive rock group Uriah Heep. It is well regarded by fans and the songs have remained part of the band's live set to this day....
|
1995 |
Castle Records Castle Communications was a British independent record label founded in 1983 by Terry Shand, Cliff Dane and Jon Beecher. The company was acquired by the American music distributor Alliance Entertainment in 1994 and in 2000 it was absorbed into Sanctuary Records Group...
|
| Sonic Origami Sonic Origami is the 20th studio album by Uriah Heep and was released in September 1998.The limited edition version of the CD contains one additional track....
|
1998 |
Eagle Records Eagle Records is a leading independent record label, a division of Edel Records. Also exists as Eagle Rock Entertainment.In the United Kingdom the label's managing director is Lindsay Brown, former manager of Van Halen, while in the United States the head is Mike Carden, formerly of CMC...
|
| Wake the Sleeper Wake the Sleeper is the 21st studio album by the progressive rock band Uriah Heep. It is their first studio album since 1998's Sonic Origami...
|
2008 |
Sanctuary Sanctuary Records Group Limited was a record label based in the United Kingdom and a subsidiary of Universal Music Group. Until June 2007, it was the largest independent record label in the UK and the largest independent music management company in the world...
/UniversalUniversal Music Group is an American music group, the largest of the "big four" record companies by its commanding market share and its multitude of global operations...
|
| Celebration Celebration is the 22nd album by the progressive rock band Uriah Heep. It features re-recorded classic songs from the band, as well as two tracks written specifically for this release. A double Deluxe Special Edition on digipak format features an extra live DVD recorded at the Sweden Rock Festival...
|
2009 |
Sanctuary/Universal |
| Into the Wild Into the Wild is the 23rd studio album by the progressive rock band Uriah Heep. It was first released in Japan on April 12, 2011 by Universal Music Japan with 12 tracks and in SHM-CD and in Europe by Frontiers Records on April 15, 2011 with only 11 tracks and in standard material. A video for its...
|
2011 |
Frontiers Records Frontiers Records is an Italian record label, predominantly producing melodic rock. It was formed in 1996 by Serafino Perugino and is based in Naples, Italy.-History:...
|
UK singles
| Year |
Title |
Album |
| 1971 |
Look at Yourself |
Look at Yourself Look at Yourself is the third album released by British rock band Uriah Heep.It is Uriah Heep's most straight ahead "hard rock" album, with one notable foray into progressive territory on "July Morning"...
|
| 1972 |
The Wizard |
Demons and Wizards |
| Easy Livin' |
| 1973 |
Stealin' |
Sweet Freedom Sweet Freedom is the sixth studio album released by British rock band Uriah Heep.The original vinyl release was as a gatefold-sleeve, reproducing the lyrics within. There was also a central page with a photograph of each band member...
|
| 1974 |
Something or Nothing |
Wonderworld Released in 1974, Wonderworld is the seventh album released by British rock band Uriah Heep.The original vinyl release was a single sleeve, with the lyrics reproduced on the inner-liner.The album was the last to feature bass player Gary Thain...
|
| 1975 |
Prima Donna |
Return to Fantasy Return to Fantasy is the eighth studio album released by British rock band Uriah Heep.The experienced John Wetton was the band's new bassist.The original vinyl release was as a gatefold-sleeve, with the lyrics reproduced on the inner-liner....
|
| 1976 |
One Way or Another |
High and Mighty High and Mighty is the ninth studio album released by British progressive rock band Uriah Heep."High and Mighty" was the last Uriah Heep album to feature vocalist and founding member David Byron, who was subsequently fired due to his troubles with alcohol.The album was not terribly well-received,...
|
| 1977 |
Wise Man |
Firefly |
| Free Me |
Innocent Victim Released in 1977, Innocent Victim is the eleventh album released by British rock band Uriah Heep.Although it did not chart in the US or UK, Innocent Victim was highly successful in Germany and New Zealand....
|
| 1978 |
Come Back to Me |
Fallen Angel |
| 1980 |
Carry On |
Conquest |
| Love Stealer |
| 1981 |
Think It Over |
| 1982 |
That's the Way That It Is |
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...
|
| 1983 |
Lonely Nights |
Head First 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...
|
| Stay on Top |
| 1985 |
Rockarama |
Equator |
| Poor Little Rich Girl |
| 1988 |
Easy Livin' |
Live in Moscow |
| Lady in Black "Lady in Black" is a song by the 1970s rock band Uriah Heep. It is the fourth track of their 1971 album Salisbury.The song is credited to Ken Hensley. It tells the story of a man wandering through war-torn darkness and encountering a goddess-like entity who consoles him...
|
Anthology |
| 1989 |
Hold Your Head Up |
Raging Silence Raging Silence is the 17th album by British progressive rock group Uriah Heep. It marked the studio debut of Canadian vocalist Bernie Shaw.It was the first Uriah Heep studio album to have a contemporary release on CD....
|
| Blood Red Roses |
| 1995 |
Dream On |
Sea of Light Sea Of Light was the 19th album for British progressive rock group Uriah Heep. It is well regarded by fans and the songs have remained part of the band's live set to this day....
|
| 1997 |
Gypsy |
Very 'eavy... Very 'umble Very 'eavy... Very 'umble is the debut album of British hard rock band Uriah Heep.It was released in the United States as Uriah Heep with alternate sleeve artwork, and with "Bird of Prey" in place of "Lucy Blues." The album is notable for being rooted more in raunchy blues rock than the band's...
(remastered) |
| 2001 |
Come Away Melinda |
Future Echoes of the Past |
| Lady in Black |
Acoustically Driven Acoustically Driven is the 8th live album released by British rock band Uriah Heep in 2001. The album was recorded live with an orchestra and choir...
|
| 2011 |
Nail on the Head |
Into the Wild Into the Wild is the 23rd studio album by the progressive rock band Uriah Heep. It was first released in Japan on April 12, 2011 by Universal Music Japan with 12 tracks and in SHM-CD and in Europe by Frontiers Records on April 15, 2011 with only 11 tracks and in standard material. A video for its...
|
External links
- Uriah Heep @ MusicMight
MusicMight, formerly Rockdetector is a rock music website which provides artist and product information through a global website and an ongoing book series...