Formed in 1969 Uriah Heep rode the wave of Hard/Progressive
Rock that swept over the music world in the beginning of the Seventies,
changing the face of popular music forever. Uriah Heep never managed to make
the final leap to the premier league of rock music during this era, unlike
their peers Deep Purple; Black Sabbath; Led Zeppelin; the Rolling Stones;
Genesis; Pink Floyd; etc., but every year they would make the playoffs in
Division One. No matter how much the lineup changed, they always kept a large,
ever loyal, following.
With
their harmony vocals, swirling Hammond organ, and wah-wah guitar, they soon
became known as the Beach Boys of hard rock. When this English quintet’s
debut album was released, one journalist with a name American Magazine started
the review with the condemning words: “If this band makes it, I’ll have to
commit suicide”. Well, I do not know what happened to the journalist,
probably condemned to writing bylines for the Jersey Knitting monthly on dog
shows, but over thirty years later Mick Box is still leading Uriah Heep to
sold-out concert halls around the world; although it must be admitted to
diminishing record sales.
Over the years Uriah Heep’s lineup has changed
dramatically. Five lead singers for a kick off, and the loss of founding
member, keyboard, and slide guitar player Ken Hensley in 1980, who also
co-wrote six of the eight songs on display here, was nearly a mortal blow.
However, there was always the most cheerful man in rock, and lead guitarist
extraordinaire, Mick Box to pick up the pieces and start again with a new
assemble.
Uriah Heep’s first real taste of stardom was between 1972
and 1975, when the new rhythm section of Gary (The Thin Man) Thain and Hard
Hittin’ Drummer Lee Kerslake (ex-Tonto’s Expanding Head Band, ex-Ozzy
Osbourne’s Blizzard of Oz, before re-joining Uriah Heep, who he still plays
with to this day) joined the existing nucleus of vocalist David Byron (probably
has the largest range of vocal chords in rock), and one of its leading frontmen
Ken Hensley, and the man still looking like he stepped right off the set of an
American professional wrestling set, Mick Box, the man who put the whomp in
wah-wah solos. For the three years before this lineup imploded into a back
biting paradox of egos, they released four classy studio albums.
‘Demons and Wizards’ (1972)
‘The Magicians Birthday’ (only six months later, also in
1972)
‘Sweet Freedom’ (this album, 1973) and
‘Wonderworld’ (1974 – with the worst cover ever
released in the history of rock)
This line-up also recorded and released their seminal double
live album ‘Uriah Heep Live’ (1973). So, if nothing else they were
extremely productive.
Although ‘Sweet Freedom’ is not really a classic Uriah
Heep album, it certainly contains some classic songs such as Ken Hensley’s
rocker “Stealin’”, which is a must play in the Uriah Heep live set to
this day, some thirty years later. With its opening driving bass rhythms and
subdued organ entrance you are immediately seduced by its hypnotic beat. Then
the gas is turned on and the whole band comes rockin’ in. David Byron’s
vocals are amongst the best he ever laid down, and although all the singers who
have taken up the Heep’s microphone since have had a go at bending their
tonsils around “Stealin’”, none of them has ever managed to capture the
devil may care delivery of Heep’s original singer. Although this is credited
as a Ken Hensley song, you feel that David Byron should have been given a
credit for his ad-libbed vocals at the end. Add to that the rock solid drumming
of Lee Kerslake, and a devastating guitar solo from Mr. Box, you have an all
time rock ‘n’ roll classic.
Sadly, the rest of the album does not necessarily live up to
the standards set by the second song. The title track and closing epic
‘Pilgrim’ (clocking in at over seven minutes) are still included in the
present day’s Uriah Heep lineup repertoire, and would make any Greatest Hits
Collection. ‘Seven Stars’ is a fine Heep rocker that takes a great twist at
the end as David Byron chants the alphabet backwards and forwards at his
audience. So all in all perhaps not an essential Uriah Heep album, but
certainly not one that disappoints.
Although Uriah Heep are still going today, enjoying a new
burst of commercial success, sadly David Byron and Gary Thain are no longer
with us. However, they left behind a fine legacy in their music.
A
definite coffee table book this week, and it better be a sturdy coffee table at
that. Steve Van Beek has compiled a large and very heavy book, published this
year by a Hong Kong publishing house (shame on you Thailand!). Thailand
Reflected in a River (ISBN 974-91246-9-3) is the body of work that has come
from his personal paddling of all the major waterways, and his copious notes on
each.