Uriah Heep

Biography

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Uriah Heep (1969-present): a Hard Rock band from London, UK.

he band's origins date back to 1967 when 19-year-old guitarist Mick Box formed a band called Hogwash, which began playing in local clubs and pubs. After the band's singer left, drummer Roger Penlington suggested his cousin David Garrick (who knew the band) as a replacement. The pair instantly formed a songwriting partnership and decided to give up their day jobs and go professional. They opened shop under the name Spice. Garrick then changed his surname to Byron. Drummer Alex Napier then joined after answering a music paper ad. Paul Newton (bass) completed the line-up. Byron's would also bring along his experience playing on a cover version hits compilation with Reg Dwight (a.k.a. Elton John). Under the Spice name, a rare one-off 45 under this name was issued titled What About The Music? (1968) that failed to sell significantly.

Bouncing back from their failure, the act reformed under the name Uriah Heep (a name taken from Dickens' David Copperfield novel), and made some staffing changes in the form of Ken Hensley (Full Name: Kenneth William David Hensley; 24 August 1945 - 4 November 2020; ex-Gods/ex-Toe Fat; keyboards/guitar/vocals) and Nigel Olsson (ex-David Spencer Group/ex-Plastic Penny; drums).

Now signed to 'Virtigo' and in a hard rock style critics accused of ripping off Led Zeppelin, Uriah Heep launched their debut album Very 'eavy Very 'umble in 1970. The record featured two classics, Gypsie, and a cover of Tim Rose's Come Away Melinda. After the album, Keith Baker filled in for the Elton John destined Olsson. Bird Of Prey was the hit on their follow-up set Salisbury (1971), like its predecessor, sold better in Germany than anywhere else. The song, however, was left off of the US version of the album. Later that same year Look At Yourself was released, featuring new drummer Ian Clarke, to fair reviews. With guest star Manfred Mann playing keyboards on the famed 10 minute opus July Morning the album pushed its way up the charts to make it to US 93 and a 39 in the UK But by the release of Demons And Wizards (1972), Gary Thain (ex-Keef Hartley had taken over from Mark Clarke, the replacement for Newton) and Lee Kerslake (ex-Gods/ex-Toe Fat) taking over the drum spot. Demons And Wizards was point blank excellent making gold on both sides of the Atlantic with a 23 in the US and 20 in the UK With tracks like The Wizard and Easy Livin' (a US top 40 hit on its own) the album could do not wrong and farther extended Uriah Heep's standards.

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The Magician's Birthday (1972) followed its predecessor up the charts for the ride with Sweet Lorraine and Blind Eye becoming minor US favorites. It made only slightly less on the two respective charts but it led the way for two more gold records the year, the live set Uriah Heep Live (1973) and Sweet Freedom (1973), while Hensley released a solo set Proud Words On A Dusty Shelf. Their live album featured a medley of Classic Rock N' Roll songs: Roll Over Beethoven, Blue Suede Shoes, Mean Woman Blues, Hound Dog, At The Hop and Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On.

Wonderworld (1974) matched its predecessors chart wise making 38 US (23 UK), but it would be the last party for sometime for the band entered into a rough period involving some tough decisions and discussions. Thain was asked to leave in 1975, less than a year later he would die of a drug overdose. John Wetton (ex-King Crimson/ex-Family/ex-Roxy Music) was drafted to replace him in time for the follow-up album Return To Fantasy (1975), an album that made top 10 in the UK but barely made top 100 in the US Hensely, on the other hand, tried his luck as a soloist that same year by releasing his second set Eager To Please, an album that failed to get a rise, as did Uriah Heep's next album High And Mighty (1976) making only 55 in the UK.

Now disillusioned, Wetton and Byron were sacked and replaced with John Lawton (ex-Lucifer's Friend; vocals) and Trevor Bolder (ex-David Bowie's Spiders From Mars/ex-Wishbone Asah) to reform Uriah Heep. Byron would go solo and release his one-off Take No Prisoners (1976). But their problems weren't that easily solved for the punk rock explosion was now afoot leaving the forthcoming albums of Firefly (1977), Innocent Victim (1977) and Fallen Angel (1978) to fail commercially and critically. John Sloan (ex-Lone Star) took over vocals while Chris Slade (ex-Manfred Mann's Earth Band) replaced Lee on drums when Lee left to join Ozzy Osbourne, but the resulting album Conquest (1980) still failed.

In early 1982 Uriah Heep came back with a reformed line up in a comeback attempt, this time featuring Boxwith Leeand fellow mates Pete Goalby (ex-Trapeze; vocals), John Sinclair (ex-Heavy Metal Kids; keyboards), Bob Daisley (ex-Ozzy Osbourne/ex-Rainbow/ex-Widowmaker (UK); bass) (Hensley, now firmly out of the act had completed one more solo album Free Spirit (1980)). Their efforts were rewarded for Abominog (1982) returned them to the charts on both sides of the Atlantic. Head First, the 1983 follow-up, continued the trend. Kevin Bolder returned on bass in time for 1985's Equator, their last to chart. The down-slide couldn't be stopped even after the line-up change featuring Bernie Shaw (ex-Grand Prix/ex-Praying Mantis; vocals) and Phil Lanzon (ex-Grand Prix; keyboards). The resulting album Rising Silence (1989) was met with just that: silence. Uriah Heep, however, managed to maintain an underground loyal following and even became the first heavy rock act to play in the USSR, not to mention their courageous heavy rock version of Argent's Hold Your Head Up, which became a track on the aforementioned Rising Silence album.

Still 'eavy Still Proud, a live set, followed in 1990. Their career continued with less notoriety during the 1990s with Different World (1991), Sea Of Light (1995), Spellbinder (live; 1996), and ending with Sonic Origami (1998) as their final work until 2008; the years between spent touring or taking hiatus.

Uriah Heep would re-emerge in 2008 with Wake The Sleeper featuring Russell Gilbrook on drums instead of Lee Kerslake who left due to ill health. Into the Wild (2011) followed, along with Outsider (2014) and Living the Dream (2018).

Trevor Bolder died on 21 May 2013 after suffering from pancreatic cancer. He was 62 years old. British bassist John Jowitt assumed the role temporarily until the arrival of Davey Rimmer. Former bass player John Wetton died on 31 January 2017 from colorectal cancer.

By 2020 more deaths followed with two former Uriah Heep members passing in 2020, those being Lee Kerslake after a long cancer battle on 19 September, and Ken Hensley after a short illness on 4 November. They both had recorded a solo album earlier that year posthumously released in early 2021. Another former member, vocalist John Lawton, died on 29 June 2021, at the age of 74.

Under the membership of Mick Box (guitars/backing vocals), Phil Lanzon (keyboards/backing vocals), Bernie Shaw (lead vocals), Russell Gilbrook (drums) and Dave Rimmer (bass/backing vocals), Uriah Heep would release their 25th studio album, Chaos & Colour (2023).

Uriah Heep are well respected as a classic '70s act and sound, a style imitated by too many bands to mention but it was clear as far back as the early 1980s that their contribution to heavy rock music was complete.

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