This Bio is as is presented at the Uriah Heep history section of Yahoo.com
The critics have scoffed and generally poured derision on Uriah Heep over the years, but the band have sold millions of records and have had five US Top 40 albums. A technically brilliant heavy rock band, they deserve most credit for continuing despite almost 30 personnel changes and two deaths along the way. David Byron (b. 29 January 1947, Epping, Essex, England, d. 28 February 1985; vocals) formed the group with Mick Box (b. 8 June 1947, Walthamstow, London, England; lead guitar, vocals). The pair had teamed up in the Stalkers during the mid-60s, and after the group split they assembled another called Spice. This then evolved into Uriah Heep when the duo were joined by Ken Hensley (b. 24 August 1945, London, England; guitar, keyboards, vocals) and Paul Newton (b. 1946, Andover, England; bass). Hensley, a talented musician, had previously played guitar with Kit And The Saracens and the soul group Jimmy Brown Sound. Before Uriah Heep were bonded under the experienced management of Gerry Bron, Hensley had played alongside Mick Taylor (later to become a member of the Rolling Stones ) in the Gods. He had also played on an album by Toe Fat which included Cliff Bennett. The rota of drummers started with former Spice man Alex Napier, followed by Nigel Olsson (later with Elton John ). Finding a permanent drummer was to remain one of the band's problems throughout their early years. Their debut, Very 'eavy, Very 'umble, in 1970, was a simplistic, bass-driven passage from electric folk to a direct, harder sound. They auditioned numerous drummers before offering the job to Keith Baker (ex- Bakerloo ), who recorded Salisbury before deciding that the tour schedule was too rigorous for his liking. Salisbury was a drastic development from the debut, with many lengthy, meandering solos and a 16-minute title track embellished by a 26-piece orchestra. The group were near the forefront of a richly embossed, fastidious style of music later to become dubbed 'progressive rock'. During 1971 the line-up was altered again when Lee Kerslake, another former member of the Gods and Toe Fat, replaced Ian Clarke. An ex-member of the Downbeats and Colosseum, Mark Clarke, superseded Paul Newton on bass guitar but lasted just three months before Gary Thain (b. 15 May 1948, Wellington, New Zealand, d. 19 March 1976; ex- Keef Hartley Band ) took over. Gerry Bron had formed Bronze Records by 1971 and Look At Yourself became the group's first entry in the UK charts when it reached number 39 in November. The stability of the new line-up enabled the band to enter their most successful period during the early 70s when the fantastical, eccentric nature of their lyrics was supported by a grandiose musical approach. The quintet recorded five albums, beginning with Demons And Wizards, their first to enter the US charts. The musical and lyrical themes continued on The Magician's Birthday, the double set Uriah Heep Live, Sweet Freedom, Wonderworld (their last Top 40 entry in the US chart) and Return To Fantasy as the band revealed a rare thirst for tough recording and performance schedules. Gary Thain was asked to leave in February 1975 after becoming too unreliable. He died of a drug overdose the following year. John Wetton, formerly of King Crimson, Family and Roxy Music was expected to provide the impetus needed when he took over the bass guitar in March 1975. However, many observers considered that he had taken a retrogressive step in joining a group that was quickly becoming an anachronism. The union, celebrated on Return To Fantasy, failed on a creative level although it marked their first and last appearance in the UK Top 10. Wetton left after just over a year to back Bryan Ferry. Early in 1976, Uriah Heep were set to fold when internal arguments broke out and they found the previously winning formula had become archaic and undeniably staid. In Ken Hensley's own words, they were 'a bunch of machines plummeting to a death'. There had been an earlier, brooding row when Thain suffered a near-fatal electric shock in Dallas and said he had not been shown enough regard for his injuries. Hensley walked out during a tour of the USA in the summer of 1976 and in a subsequent power-struggle, Byron was forced to leave. Byron soon afterwards joined Rough Diamond and after their brief lifespan released a series of solo albums before his death in 1985. Hensley had already embarked upon a short, parallel solo career, releasing two albums in 1973 and 1975. John Lawton, previously the singer with Lucifer's Friend, debuted on Firefly. The new bassist was David Bowie 's former backing musician, Trevor Bolder. The singer's position underwent further changes during the late 70s and early 80s as the group found themselves playing to a cult following that was ever decreasing. Ex- Lone Star singer John Sloman performed on Conquest, after which Hensley left the group, leaving original member Mick Box to pick up the pieces. A brief hiatus resulted and a new Uriah Heep that included Box, Kerslake, John Sinclair (keyboards), Bob Daisley (bass, ex- Widowmaker ) and Peter Galby (vocals, ex- Trapeze ) was formed. Daisley would later quit in 1983 and be replaced by the returning Bolder. Bronze Records collapsed in 1984 and the band signed with Portrait Records in the USA. Their earlier extensive touring allowed them to continue appearing at reasonably sized venues, especially across the USA, and in 1987 they had the distinction of becoming the first western heavy metal group to perform in Moscow. Inevitably, there were more personnel changes with the new additions of Bernie Shaw (vocals) and Phil Lanzon (keyboards), both formerly of Grand Prix. Despite seeming out of time with all other developments in hard rock, 1995's Sea Of Light offered another evocative slice of the band's trademark melodic rock, maintaining their high standards in fashioning superior AOR. Their European tour of the same year saw them reunite with former vocalist John Lawton as a temporary measure, with Bernie Shaw suffering from a throat problem. Sonic Origami contained some of the band's best work since the classic Byron days.
Bio written by: anon |
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