|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Uriah Heep (UK)
|
|
|
February 13, 20:00
YotaSpace 
Uriah Heep's by-the-books progressive heavy metal made the British band one of the most popular hard rock groups of the early '70s. Formed by vocalist David Byron and guitarist Mick Box in the late '60s, the group went through an astonishing number of members over the next two decades - nearly 30 different musicians passed through the band over the years.
Byron and Box were members of the mid-'60s rock band called the Stalkers; once that band broke up, the duo formed another group called Spice. Spice would eventually turn into Uriah Heep in the late '60s, once Ken Hensley (guitar, keyboards, vocals) and bassist Paul Newton joined the pair. Former Spice drummer Alex Napier was the band's drummer for a brief time; he was quickly replaced by Nigel Olsson.
Uriah Heep released their debut album "Very 'eavy...Very 'umble" (called Uriah Heep in the U.S.) in 1970. After its release, Keith Baker became the group's drummer; he recorded "Salisbury", the group's second album, before deciding he couldn't keep up with the band's extensive touring and was replaced by Ian Clarke.
"Salisbury", featuring a 16-minute title track recorded with a 26-piece orchestra, showcased the band's more progressive tendencies. Later that year, Ian Clarke was replaced by Lee Kerslake and Mark Clarke replaced Newton; Mark Clarke quickly left the band and Gary Thain became the group's bassist. This lineup of Uriah Heep was its most stable and popular; beginning with 1972's "Demons and Wizards", they released five albums between 1972 and 1975.
After 1975, the band's popularity began to slip. Byron left the band in 1977 and was replaced by John Lawton, yet the group's fortunes kept declining right into the early '80s. However, Uriah Heep soldiered on, continuing to release albums into the '90s and 2000s. The album roster included "Different World" (1994), "Sea of Light" (1995), "Sonic Origami" (1998), and "Spellbinder" (1999).
Uriah Heep still tour and release both (occasional) studio and (frequent) live albums. The lineup has been the same since 1986 with veteran Mick Box at the helm, Trevor Bolder on bass and Lee "The Bear" Kerslake on drums. The vocalist is Bernie Shaw and Phil Lanzon on keyboards have been present since 1986.
Their principal tour circuit is in Germany, the Netherlands, the Scandinavian Peninsula, Japan, and Russia, although they return to Britain for a tour each year that culminates in The Magician's Birthday Party (named for one of their most popular albums) in November in London. This event consists of fan gatherings at local venues featuring current and former band members, and a concert, often with guest appearances by former members. To date, the last Party was in 2004.
In the early 2007 drummer Lee Kerslake had to leave the group due to ill health. In March 2007, the band recruited Russell Gilbrook as their new drummer, and immediately started recording "Wake the Sleeper", which was released in 2008. In October 2009 they released "Celebration" and announced the first World Tour since 2002.
More info
|
|
|
|
|
The virtual community for English speaking expats and Russians
