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Conference mr1pst::music

Title:MUSIC V4
Notice:New Noters please read Note 1.*, Mod = someone else
Moderator:KDX200::COOPER
Created:Wed Oct 09 1991
Last Modified:Tue Mar 12 1996
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:762
Total number of notes:18706

500.0. "Uriah Heep" by UHUH::SOKOL () Thu Sep 23 1993 16:28

    
    	Well, after we thorougly disected 10CC "Life span" and their music,
    how about another not well known british group which made a splash in
    Europe in mid 70's. I'm talking about Uriah Heep. Had their last album,
    (well, cd) and it didn't sound good at all, sold it to a used record
    store. But still love their first 5-6 albums. any opinions? anyone saw
    them live?
    
    \alex
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name
DateLines
500.1"Dreammare" is a gem.SUBSYS::GODINMy other preamp is a TriAxis.Thu Sep 23 1993 18:499
    I have their album with "Dreammare" & "Spider Woman" on CD. I think
    it's either "Demons & Wizards" or "Look At Yourself". I've liked
    "Dreammare" ever since I saw it covered (quite well) by a 3 piece
    garage (basement) band. Overall, their stuff is a little uneven, but
    they were vastly underrated probably due to their (allegedly)
    substandard live shows. I never saw them but would've liked to. 
    I don't think any of them ever went on to bigger & better things.
    
    Paul
500.2done the rancher's daughterWBC::DEADYBig Time SensualityThu Sep 23 1993 20:218
    
    Uriah Heep, man, what a blast from the past.. I'll have to dig out some
    LP's this weekend (hope I still have them). I remember "Stealin'", but
    I can't recall any others right now. I think it was Bill Murray (in a
    movie, Caddyshack) that said, "I blew those brain cells out long ago."
    
        fred deady
    	
500.3discographyUHUH::SOKOLThu Sep 23 1993 20:4826
    Well, this is what i have for their discography:
    
    	1969	-	(first, forgot the name, contains Gypsi)
    	1970	-	Salisbury
    	1971	-	Look At Yourself (July Morning, ah!)
    	1972	-	Demons and Wizards
        1972	-	The Best of
    	1973	-	The Magicians Birthday
    	1973	-	Live (2LP concert)
    	1974	-	Sweet Freedom (Dreamer, Stealin')
    	1975	-	Wonderworld
    	1976	-	Return To Fantasy
    		this is where my devotions ended due to music changes
    	1977	-	Firefly
    	1978	-	Power of Rockers (or something like that, cover
    			with a gun upside down like a jet)
    
    		and then a string of unsuccessful albums up to the last
    years's which contained Look At Yourself title song as a bonus on CD?!
    
    But Ken Hensley had pretty good solo carier, made 3 albums (could be
    more but 3 that i know (have only first 2), couldn't find the 3rd one
    here in the states but saw it in europe. David Byron (singer) made one
    too but it's not even close, bought it because wanted to hear.
    
    \alex
500.4SunriseCADSYS::FENNELLIn memory of #28Fri Sep 24 1993 01:263
I wore out the live album in high school.  

Gary Thain is dead, is everyone else from the original lineup still alive?
500.5i don't know for sure.UHUH::SOKOLFri Sep 24 1993 16:559
    well, i never knew that Thain is dead, but on the last year's album
    there were only 2 from the original (well, it changed at least 3 times)
    lineup: Lee Kerslake (drums) and i think David Byron (singer) but it
    could be a guitar player (no Ken Hensley any more). They always had
    bass player changes. Thain played from Salisbury till Wonderworld,
    then John Weaton (who later joined UK super group) and then I don't
    remember. Hensley left i think after Firefly and that was the end of
    the band...
    
500.6OBSESS::BREENwires is my lifeFri Sep 24 1993 17:317
    Ken Hensley's first album, "Proud Words on a Dusty Shelf" was almost
    a Heap album. Ken did the vocals, guitars and keys. The rest was Heap
    without the vocalist...I think. I liked it lots better than most of the
    band's stuff(except Demons and Wizards)
    
    kpb
    
500.7no, only Rain was.UHUH::SOKOLFri Sep 24 1993 19:2910
    That's not correct. The only song he did which was previously released
    as a Uriah Heep song was Rain (he wrote most of ther songs anyway), the
    rest of it was purely his staff. Participating musicians were Kerslake
    on drums and Thain but i'm not positive and can check that tonight,
    it's still one of my favorite records to date (i have a nicely sound
    british pressing). Though second, "Eager to Please" is also an
    excellent one. But still can't find the third, heard once long time ago
    and it did sound great at that time (1980-81).
    
    \alex
500.8Were they one of Lucifer's friends? ;^)16598::WAGNERTuned to music no one can hear...Sat Sep 25 1993 10:3328
                        <<< Note 500.3 by UHUH::SOKOL >>>
                                -< discography >-
    
    }}    	1970	-	Salisbury
    
    	Wasn't this the album with "Lady in Black" on it?
    
    
    	Also, just to add to the pot, I believe "Wonderworld" was the last
    album that David Byron did vocals on.  Then he got kicked out of the
    group due to differences of opinions about the music, I believe.
    	Then enters John Lawton (sp?), formerly of the band
     "Lucifer's Friend", to carry on in the vocals department.  Thus starts
    the real downhill slide of the band.  But in my opinion it wasn't
    Lawton's vocals that did it, it was the music writing plain and simple.
    John Lawton definitely had the vocal talent to keep the band on top.
    The 5,6,7,??? albums that Lucifer's Friend had made proved that. In
    fact, I rank their first album, simply entitled "Lucifer's Friend" as
    one of my top 5 albums EVER made. (But that's just my opinion and of
    course everybody is welcome to it....8*)  )
    	My favorite Heap album is, of course, the Live double record set. I
    personally think they started going down hill with the "Wonderworld"
    LP.
    
    -=Dave=-
    
    
    
500.9Some additional info....UTRTSC::WDEBAKKERMon Sep 27 1993 08:3923
Re. 0 anyone saw them live?

I did, 2 times even if I remember correctly. Not in their best (first) period,
though. I think it was the time round Wonderworld. But Mick Box and Ken
Hensley performed very good then.

Re. 2 Their first album is called: Very 'eavy very 'umble

Re. 4 Gary Thain is dead indeed. I thought I heard a rumour years ago that
David Byron 's dead also, but I don't have any confirmation about that.

Re. 5 The 2 persons who performed longest in Uriah Heep were drummer Lee
Kerslake and guitarist Mick Box, but after Ken Hensley left the band Uriah
Heep lost their charm IMHO. They became a bit of just-another-heavy-metal-band
with corresponding agressive albumcovers.

Re. 8: Yes "Lady in Black" is on Salisbury. One of my favourites.

The solo-album from David Byron is called Take no prisoners, by the way.

Willem.
 
500.10david got at least 2 albumsUHUH::SOKOLMon Sep 27 1993 16:1412
    Mick Box and Lee Kerslake are the only 2 from the original lineup
    that listed on their last album (1992) "Raging Silence".
    
    Well, i have "Baby Faced Killer" by David Byron at home, so it means
    that he has at least 2 solo albums.
    
    And I checked Hensley's 1st album for musicians:
    	Gary Thain - bass
    	Lee Kerslake - drums
    	Ken Hensley - the rest of the instruments
    
    \alex
500.11Yes, you could even say three ....UTRTSC::WDEBAKKERTue Sep 28 1993 06:1211
You're right Alex, Baby Faced Killer was his second solo album.
There should be at last one more album around from a group called Rough
Diamond, which was founded by David Byron just before or after his soloalbums.
Actually, I think after, because he released Take no prisoners while still
active in Uriah Heep. He got fired after High and Mighty
At least the first solo from Ken Hensley (Proud words on a dusty shelf) was
also released during the time he was still active in UH, but had some songs
lying around which were less suited for UH.

Willem.
500.12where is Ken?UHUH::SOKOLTue Sep 28 1993 16:326
    Prouds Words on a Dusty Shelf came out in late 1972, beggining of 1973,
    right while UH were at pick. I still can't understand why we don't hear
    about him, he was one of the best song-writers (in my opinion) and
    keyboard players in the business at that time.
    
    \alex
500.13More records...UTRTSC::WDEBAKKERTue Sep 28 1993 18:0435
    
    I did some digging and came up with the following list (still not
    complete) from records, leaving out the compilations which are often
    added later
    1  Very 'eavy ... very 'umble '70
    2  Salisbury '71
    3  Look at yourself '71
    4  Demons and wizzards '72
    5  Magician's birthday '72
    6  Live '73
    7  Sweet freedom '73
    8  Wonderworld '74
    9  Return to fantasy '75
    10 High and mighty '76
    11 Firefly '77
    12 Innocent victim '77
    13 Fallen angel '78
    14 Conquest '80
    15 Abominog '82
    16 Head first '83
    17 Equator '85
    
    For Ken Hensley:
    1  Proud words on a dusty shelf '73
    2  Eager to please '75
    
    David Byron:
    1  Take no prisoners '76
    2  Baby faced killer '78
    
    Rough Diamond:
    1  Rough Diamond '76
    
    For the 70's that's pretty close I think, for the 80's there could be
    more.
500.14Searching for KenUTRTSC::WDEBAKKERTue Sep 28 1993 18:107
    Re. 500.12 -< where is Ken? >-
    
    I shure would like to know. I think he really was the one who made it
    sound different. Haven't heard a thing from him. Do you known how the
    3rd album was titled? 
    
    Willem
500.15don't remember, was too long ago.UHUH::SOKOLTue Sep 28 1993 19:5612
    I don't remember the title, he is pictured coming toward you in 
    ( i think) leather jacket, came out some time between 1978 and 1981.
    I think there is actually a cd titled "The Best Of Hensley" in Europe,
    there is a guy who posts notes in cdswap notes file who has it, he told
    me. I never tried to check at HMV, they can look up into computer db
    for it.
    
    you did a good job on a discography, i actually forgot a couple of
    titles, had all of UH at some point, but was greatly dissapointed
    after all albums past Return to Fantasy.
    
    \alex
500.16NEST::PAPIAWed Sep 29 1993 12:306
    
    	Which CD is John Wetton on? is it any good?
    
    	Thanks,
    
           Vinny
500.17Return To FantasyUHUH::SOKOLWed Sep 29 1993 14:585
    John Wetton played only on "Return To Fantasy" album.
    
    After that he joined UK.
    
    \alex
500.18One more...UTRTSC::WDEBAKKERThu Sep 30 1993 17:367
    Well....., he's also on "High and mighty", the album with the upside-down
    flying gun-cover. He co-wrote a song. 
    On the next album "Firefly" he was replaced by Trevor Bolder.
    
    I don't know if that one's on CD, or just on LP, though.
    
    Willem
500.19Will Uriah Heep Do a Mick Boxed set?AIMHI::KERRCaught In The CrossfireThu Sep 30 1993 20:178
    
    Nice topic, thanks.  Early Heep is one of my favorites.  I have the
    live album and listen to it alot (since I only have it on vinyl, it's
    probably the only reason I still have a turntable).  BTW, Sweet Loraine
    is my favorite track (good party song).
    
    Al_who_thinks_Mick_Box_looks_like_a_box
    
500.20DNEAST::GOULD_RYANFri Oct 01 1993 15:0419
    
    
    Ahhh memories......
    
    I was a big Heep fan in the early-to-mid seventies until Wonderworld.
    Saw them in concert twice, once in '73 and again in '75. really liked
    the '73 show. I had a "better than front row" view because I was
    leaning on the stage. Gary Thain handed me a glass of Champagne (he
    told me he could see how hot I was (summer nights can get that way).
    They played mostly from the Demons & Wizards and Magicians Birthday
    albums. They had a great rapport with the crowd (which was huge).
    This concert was also quite memorable because it was a triple header
    featuring ZZ Top, Earth, Wind & Fire and Heep.
    The show in '75 didn't have the energy level that the previous show did
    even though Styx was the opening act. I could tell that they (Heep) were
    losing something.
    They were a great metal band in their heyday though.
    
    RG 
500.21wish i was thereUHUH::SOKOLFri Oct 01 1993 19:4713
    Thanks, Ryan, for your good concert review, I wish I could see them
    back in 1973. But I was still on my motherland, Russia, and could only
    listen their records I was able to buy on the blackmarket. Ironically,
    a year ago I saw a cd at HMV by UH titled something like "UH in Moscow"
    from which I learned that they toured in Russia in 1989 or 1990 (of 
    course not in the original lineup, but still...).
    
    "you_can't_always_have_what_you_want"
    
    \alex
    
    ps. BTW, "Live" is on 1 72 minute-cd (a couple of tracks from side 4
    are missing), I have it.
500.22another pointerSWAM2::ANDERSON_ROWed Nov 24 1993 21:515
    Last I saw of Ken Hensley was around '84? when he joined Blackfoot
    (yes, the Southern rock band) for their Vertical Smiles album.
    
    
    Ron  
500.23DREGS::BLICKSTEINDown on that shreddin' flo'Sat Nov 27 1993 21:203
     > when he joined Blackfoot
    
    One of my all-time favorite bands.
500.24what a name! yuckVAXWRK::STHILAIREsmog might turn to stars somedayMon Nov 29 1993 13:476
    Isn't this the worst name ever for a band??
    
    I've always thought it sounds like a venereal disease.
    
    Lorna
    
500.25Is this original?RNDHSE::WALLShow me, don't tell meMon Nov 29 1993 15:576
    
    Blame Charles Dickens.  Didn't he use the name first?
    
    Only liked one song they ever did, though I really liked that one.
    
    DFW
500.26TAMRC::LAURENTHal Laurent @ COPMon Nov 29 1993 16:3011
re: .24

>    Isn't this the worst name ever for a band??
    
I started to say that Uriah Heep was the guy that invented the
seed drill, but then I remembered that it was really Jethro Tull.

What's *really* embarassing is that I actually *liked* Uriah Heep
was I was a youngster. :-)

-Hal
500.27YeccchhhTECRUS::ROSTFretting less, enjoying it moreMon Nov 29 1993 18:599
    Re: .24
    
    Worst name ever?  Far from it!  How about...
    
    "Scraping Foetus From The Wheel".  Yes, this was a real band. 
    
    No, I don't have any of their recordings.  
    
    							Brian
500.28VAXWRK::STHILAIREsmog might turn to stars somedayMon Nov 29 1993 19:016
    re .27, yeah, that's pretty bad.  :-)
    
    The Revolting Cocks is rather unappealing, too.
    
    Lorna
    
500.29Art, I'll take "Literature" for $10DREGS::BLICKSTEINDown on that shreddin' flo'Mon Nov 29 1993 20:055
     > Blame Charles Dickens.  Didn't he use the name first?
    
    Yep, he was the "heavy" in David Copperfield.
    
    	db
500.30ps - the music sucks, too . . .NEMAIL::CARROLLJaka Dr. Emilio LazardoTue Nov 30 1993 11:198
    
    Yeah, Scraping Foetus from the Wheel is pretty bad, but that's just the
    name of the album - the group is 'Nail' - The have another album, which
    is worse, called "Excuse Me, But You Have Foetus On Your Breath". 
    Gross.
    
    						- Jimbo
    
500.31Well, not quite..UTRTSC::WDEBAKKERTue Nov 30 1993 14:2311
    
    Re. -1, well, not exactly. First, the name is Scraping Foetus Off the
    Wheel, and it's the pseudonym of Jim Thirlwell. The titles of his
    records: Deaf; Ache; Hole and Nail. He used an other disguise for every
    record: Phillip and His Foetus Vibrations, You've Got Foetus on Your
    Breath and Foetus in Your Bed. In 1984 it became Scraping Foetus Off
    the Wheel. He later used to work with Lydia Lunch, who has a special
    place in my record-collection :-). 
    
    Willem
    
500.32now, what did he mean by that?NEMAIL::CARROLLJaka Dr. Emilio LazardoTue Nov 30 1993 16:0014
    
    Whoops! My mistake!  Geez - I actually own the CD, and I still couldn't
    get it right :-)
    
    *disclaimer* - I only bought the CD to see *what* kind of music
    something titled that would be like - very . . . interesting . . .
    lyrics, to say the least :
    
    	"It takes two to tango, it takes one to come"
    
    	Or something like that . . . .
    
    				Scared,  Jim :-)
    
500.33From an old fanLUX01::VLASIUSorin Vlasiu - Brussels, BelgiumMon Apr 18 1994 14:0426
    I am also a long date Uriah Heep fan. I have introduced a topic about
    them (note #679) in KDX200::HEAVY_METAL and you may find there more
    information about Uriah Heep. Gary Thain died in '75 I think and David
    Byron died in '85 (heart attack). Ken Hensley continued alone and
    released "Free Spirit" at the beginning of the eighties. I think he has
    a recording studio and participated for the musical arrangement and
    keyboards on WASP's album "Headless Children" ('89 ?).
    There is a fine video about Heep called ... Easy Livin'
    The current band is composed by Mick Box (guitars - original member),
    Lee Kerslake (drums - original member), Trevor Boulder (bass -member
    since Firefly), Bernie Shaw (vocals) and Phil Lanzon (keyboards).
    The band had a nice come back in mid-eighties with Pete Goalby as
    vocalist (and song writer). Check out for Abominog and Head First
    especially.
    I found last year a CD "Rarities of Uriah Heep from the Bronze Age". It
    contains B-sides unreleased on LP's and few A-sides which were
    different from the album version. An over 70 min. CD containing good
    and excellent songs (most of them with David Byron singing). For the
    fans this CD is a collector *must*.
    
    I also bought, sold and .. re-bought their latest CD to date (Different
    World). After repeated listening I enjoyed quite much of it but the
    album has little to do with the old Uriah Heep. A bit too 'commercial'
    on some songs. The previous, 'Raging Silence', is better.
    
    Sorin
500.34RICKS::CALCAGNII Got You Babe (Slight Return)Tue Apr 19 1994 16:533
    Wow, lotsa Heep trivia there.  Speaking of which, didn't Trevor Boulder
    play bass on Bowie's "Ziggie Stardust"?
    
500.35Spiders from MarsLUX01::VLASIUSorin Vlasiu - Brussels, BelgiumWed Apr 20 1994 08:586
    Re. .34
    
    Yes, Trevor Boulder was a member of Spiders from Mars which played for
    David Bowie.
    
    Sorin
500.36linksLUX01::VLASIUSorin Vlasiu - Brussels, BelgiumWed Apr 20 1994 09:1415
    Lee Kerslake and Bob Daisley (bassist on Abominog or Head First) joined
    Ozzy Osbourne for Diary of a Madman album. Bob Daisley, I think, still
    plays for Ozzy. Pete Goalby (singer on Abominog, Head First and
    Equator) came from (and returned to) Trapeze.
    Ken Hensley played originally with Lee Kerslake in a band named
    Gods, band which comprised also Greg Lake (King Crimson, ELP), Mick
    Taylor (Rolling Stones) and one of the Jethro Tull members. I haven't
    heard anything from Gods but I have read that it reflected a bit of the
    future trends of Uriah Heep.
    Ollie Olson, the very first drummer, has had some success as a singer
    in the eighties.
    John Wetton played on Return to Fantasy and High and Mighty before
    quiting (about the same time as David Byron) and founding Asia.
    
    Sorin
500.37New CD: Sea of LightTPLAB::VLASIUSorin Vlasiu - Brussels, BelgiumFri Jun 09 1995 08:4216
This is to signal the new Uriah Heep album "Sea of Light". It's their best
album in the current formula and one of their best albums overall.
The original Heep sound, melodic lines and background vocals are fully 
exploited on this album. The CD includes 12 new tracks (61 minutes).
The album contains many rockers but also mid-tempo or slower songs.
Very well balanced, some of the best tracks being "Against the odds",
"Time of revelation", "Fear of falling", "Fires of hell", "Dream on" etc.
As an old Heep fan and being a bit disapointed by their previous release,
this new album came as an excellent surprise. It's Heep back to life in '95!
SoL should please any Heep amateur but also amateurs of Iron Maiden, Savatage,
Def Leppard, Journey, Queensryche ..
A nice present to the fans for the anniversary of 25 years since releasing 
their first album.
Well recommended for sure !

Sorin
500.38Re-mastered CDsTPLAB::VLASIUSorin Vlasiu - Brussels, BelgiumWed Jan 03 1996 06:3218
    The first 6 studio albums of Uriah Heep have been re-mastered from the
    original tapes and released on CDs including some bonus tracks. All the
    artwork has been carefully reproduced and the leaflets contain the song
    words plus a short album history and comments from Ken Hensley and Mick
    Box. I got these new CDs and they are worth every penny. The recording
    quality has been allways fine for Heep albums but now it's even better.
    Useless to say they are all essential Heep albums. Here is the list:
    
    Very 'eavy very 'umble
    Salisbury
    Look at yourself
    Demons and wizards
    Magician's birthday
    Sweet freedom
    
    Highly recommended CDs.
    
    Sorin