Is it time for a Uriah Heep renaissance?

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by TinMachine, Sep 20, 2019.

  1. TinMachine

    TinMachine Looking for the heart of Saturday night Thread Starter

    Location:
    Trondheim, Norway
    Anyone here for Uriah Heep?
    As far as I know, they are one of the few bands from the 70s who has yet to get a renaissance or even a streak of remasters of their classic albums.

    Way back in '71 with «Lady in Black» I took an instant liking to the band. Never a bona fide favourite band like Deep Purple or Kiss (I was a wee lad at the time, so don't hold that against me), but a favourite nevertheless.

    I've always expected albums such as «Demons and Wizards», «Look at yourself» and «Salisbury» to be re-released with a bunch of bonus tracks. And as far as I can understand, Uriah Heep would be right up Steven Wilson's alley when it comes to remastering. But alas! All we have so far (and as far as I know of) is a couple of «DeLuxe» editions (even though there is very little «luxe» to be found on them).

    A personal favourite besides «Demons and Wizards» is «Return to Fantasy» with its amazingly good title track.

    Uriah Heep is, in 2019, sort of the band that time forgot. And the name is a riot, of course. Lifted from a character from Dicken's David Copperfield.

    So what's your take on Heep, ladies and gentlemen?
     
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  2. carlwm

    carlwm Forum Resident

    Location:
    wales
    A fine band.

    Great albums across most line-ups and still going strong! :righton:
     
  3. John Fell

    John Fell Forum Survivor

    Location:
    Undisclosed
    @TinMachine The Uriah Heep albums have been released at least twice with bonus tracks and some of them 3 times. They have also been remastered a number of times. Some have even been released as 2 cd sets.

    Uriah Heep - Demons And Wizards - 2 cd track listing

    Uriah Heep - The Magician's Birthday - 2 cd track listing

    Uriah Heep - Look At Yourself - 2 cd track listing

    The first 2 albums were resissued as 2 cd sets as well.

    They were going to release more of the 2 cd sets but my understanding is that the reissue program for more of the 2 cd sets was cancelled. I was hoping they would at least finish all of the albums with David Byron.
     
    Last edited: Sep 20, 2019
  4. TinMachine

    TinMachine Looking for the heart of Saturday night Thread Starter

    Location:
    Trondheim, Norway
    My bad. I wasn't aware that they had been remastered. Suits me right for using Spotify as my source :cry:
     
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  5. Greg Gee

    Greg Gee "I tried to change but I changed my mind..."

    Location:
    Oklahoma
    Uriah Heep - Demons And Wizards

    Expanded De-luxe Edition
    Bonus Tracks:
    10) Why (extended version)
    11) Rainbow Demon (single edit)
    12) Proud Words On A Dusty Shelf (out-take)
    13) Home Again To You (demo)
    14) Green Eye (demo)
    2003 Sanctuary Records
    UICY-75655

    2 CD Set
    CD 1 - Original Album remastered
    CD 2 - 14 previously unreleased versions of Heep classics
    1) Easy Livin'
    2) Rainbow Demon
    3) Traveller In Time
    4) Paradise
    5) The Spell
    6) All My Life
    7) Home Again To You
    8) Why
    9) The Wizard
    10) Poet's Justice
    11) Circle Of Hands
    12) Proud Words
    13) Green Eye
    14) Why
    2017 BMG/ Sanctuary
    BMGCAT2CD58
     
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  6. mcwlod

    mcwlod Outside Looking In

    Location:
    Sopot, Poland
    Yeah, the latest remasters are done by Andy Pearce and are great sounding and packaging is very nice as well.
     
  7. TinMachine

    TinMachine Looking for the heart of Saturday night Thread Starter

    Location:
    Trondheim, Norway
    The bonus tracks any good?
     
  8. noname74

    noname74 Allegedly Canadian

    Location:
    .
    Nothing revelatory but worth a listen if you’re a fan.
     
  9. TinMachine

    TinMachine Looking for the heart of Saturday night Thread Starter

    Location:
    Trondheim, Norway
    So when did the albums start to dip in quality, in your opinion? I remember enjoying "Fallen Angel" but "Conquest" was probably the last Heep album I bought.
     
  10. carlwm

    carlwm Forum Resident

    Location:
    wales
    I love the Pete Goalby years but they they are not universally appreciated by many fans, however, you might enjoy some of their newer albums which have more of a "classic" Heep sound.

    Last year's Living The Dream is a real cracker.
     
  11. John Fell

    John Fell Forum Survivor

    Location:
    Undisclosed
    I didn't care for Fallen Angel and never had Conquest. Abominog was pretty good but had more of a commercial influence. The albums with John Lawton have their moments but are more spotty in my opinion.

    It sort of felt like they lost their identity after Thain, Byron and Hensley all left.
     
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  12. Greg Gee

    Greg Gee "I tried to change but I changed my mind..."

    Location:
    Oklahoma
    Uriah Heep - The Magician's Birthday

    2 CD Set
    CD 1 - Original Album remastered
    CD 2 - 15 previously unreleased tracks
    1) Echos In The Dark
    2) Sweet Lorraine
    3) Blind Eye
    4) Tales
    5) Silver White Man
    6) Sunrise
    7) Crystal Ball
    8) Spider Woman
    9) The Magician's Birthday
    10) Rain
    11) Silver White Man (no vox)
    12) Happy Birthday
    13) Sunrise (single version)
    14) Sweet Lorraine (single version)
    15) Gary's Song - Crystal Ball
    2017 BMG/Sanctuary
    BMGCAT2CD59
     
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  13. Derek Acorah

    Derek Acorah Active Member

    Location:
    Padstow
    Thanks to god for punk rock..
     
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  14. All signs point to "no".
     
  15. John Fell

    John Fell Forum Survivor

    Location:
    Undisclosed
    IMWAN • [2019-11-22] Ken Hensley "The Bronze Years 1973-1981" 3CD/1DVD box set (HNE UK)

    [​IMG]

    Description
    Few artists can claim to have had a musical career and pedigree as long, varied and impressive as song writer, keyboard player, guitarist, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Ken Hensley.

    Having originally formed The Gods in mid-1960s London with future Stones and Mayall guitarist Mick Taylor, The Gods recorded two LPs for Columbia. Ken Hensley made brief appearances with Toe Fat and Head Machine in 1969 before joining London’s Spice in time for the band’s first album, “Very ‘Eavy… Very ‘Umble”, and a swift name change to Uriah Heep. Although no Hensley originals appeared on Heep’s debut, all 6 tracks on their second album “Salisbury” were written or co-written by Ken. In fact, even after five albums with Uriah Heep, where Ken was becoming the principal songwriter, he still had enough material to write and record his first solo album in 1973.

    Released by Bronze Records, “Proud Words On A Dusty Shelf” featured Heep’s Gary Thain on bass and drummer Lee Kerslake. The resulting album was equal to anything recorded by Uriah Heep at their peak, and features wonderful material such as ‘Cold Autumn Sunday’, ‘Black Hearted Lady’ and ‘Go Down’, along with an alternative version of ‘Rain’ (also recorded by Uriah Heep). Bonus tracks are ‘From Time To Time (Edited Single)’, ‘From Time To Time (Mono)’ and ‘When Evening Comes (Edited Single)’

    Continuing to write and record with Uriah Heep, Ken Hensley’s second solo album, “Eager to Please”, was also released by Bronze Records, and saw Ken joined by Mark Clarke on bass, Bugs Pemberton on drums and B.J. Cole on pedal steel guitar. The cover features a portrait by Alfred Heyworth, one of his final works of art. “Eager To Please” features the ‘Who Will Sing For You’ single as a bonus track.

    Dissatisfied with the direction Uriah Heep were taking Ken went solo in 1980 to record the self-explanatory ‘Free Spirit”, his third and final solo album for Bronze. Featuring classic tracks like ‘Inside The Mystery’, ‘Brown Eyed Boy’ and many more, this version also features the non-album B-Side ‘Inspiration’. Guest musicians include Deep Purple’s Ian Paice, Heep and Bowie bassist Trevor Bolder and The Who and Faces’ Kenny Jones.

    As a further bonus, shortly after inking a new deal in 2019 with Cherry Red Records to reissue his back catalogue, Ken spent some time on camera to discuss all three of his solo albums recorded for Bronze with renown rock journalist, Malcolm Dome. These three, insightful, revealing and often humourous interviews are a treat for Uriah Heep and Ken Hensley fans, presenting a unique and candid experience on DVD, filmed exclusively for this collection.

    Tracklist
    [CD1: Proud Words On A Dusty Shelf]
    1. When Evening Comes
    2. From Time To Time
    3. King Without A Throne
    4. Rain
    5. Proud Words
    6. Fortune
    7. Black-Hearted Lady
    8. Go Down
    9. Cold Autumn Sunday
    10. The Last Time
    Bonus Tracks:
    11. From Time To Time (Edited Single)
    12. From Time To Time (Mono)
    13. When Evening Comes (Edited Single)

    [CD2: Eager To Please]
    1. Eager To Please
    2. Stargazer
    3. Secret
    4. Through The Eyes Of A Child
    5. Part Three
    6. The House On The Hill
    7. Winter Or Summer
    8. Take And Take
    9. Longer Shadows
    10. In The Morning
    11. How Shall I Know
    Bonus Track:
    12. Who Will Sing For You (Single)

    [CD3: Free Spirit]
    1. Inside The Mystery
    2. New York
    3. The System
    4. When
    5. No More
    6. Brown Eyed Boy
    7. Do You Feel Alright
    8. Telephone
    9. Woman
    10. New Routine
    Bonus Track:
    11. Inspiration (B-Side)

    [DVD: Ken Hensley In Conversation With Malcolm Dome]
    1. Ken Hensley Discusses Proud Words On A Dusty Shelf (22:20)
    2. Ken Hensley Discusses Eager To Please (18:31)
    3. Ken Hensley Discusses Free Spirit (21:30)

    DVD5
    NTSC
    Region: 0
    Aspect Ratio: 16:9
    Audio: 48/16 LPCM
    Total Running Time: 1:02:21

    Amazon USA
    Available for pre-order soon:
    https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Y4LNBVT/?tag=imwan-20

    Amazon UK
    https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07Y4LNBVT/?tag=imwan-21

    This will be released in November if you don't already have these albums.
     
  16. siveld

    siveld Forum Resident

    I share the enthusiasm of the OP for Return To Fantasy, and would welcome another (expanded) version of it.
     
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  17. John Fell

    John Fell Forum Survivor

    Location:
    Undisclosed
  18. ronm

    ronm audiofreak

    Location:
    southern colo.
    No "July Morning"?
     
  19. Michel_LeGrisbi

    Michel_LeGrisbi Far-Gone Accumulator ™

    "So what's your take on Heep, ladies and gentlemen?"

    Tried to get into them, but aside from the 1st album & a bit of "Salisbury" I still haven't. In fact I tend to dig bands influenced by them more. I'll look for a thread* of "top ten heep tracks" here (unless any y'all got got favorites to share?)

    *Alright found a thread from last month & will have a evening of Heep listening before my work week!
     
    Last edited: Sep 23, 2019
  20. Rose River Bear

    Rose River Bear Senior Member

    Heep rule my man. I might start a Demons and Wizards SBS thread.
     
  21. scoutbb

    scoutbb Senior Member

    Location:
    LA
    These are the ones to have. Released in 2016 and 2017. Too bad they stopped at Magician’s Birthday.
     
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  22. elgreco

    elgreco Groove Meister

    Loved me some Heep back in the day - well, the well-known albums and songs that you are all familiar with. I reckon the title track of the otherwise mediocre Return to fantasy album may be the best thing they ever recorded.

    And it's true, their output took a nosedive during the late seventies and the eighties. But I take it the OP is not familiar with their recent output. UH is still going strong, with Mick Box being the only original member, but with current singer Bernie Shaw being on board for more that 30 years. I think their last six or so studio albums are very good, from 1995's Sea of light onwards. You should all take a listen to their latest album Living the dream (2018) and you might be in for a surprise. It's really one of their best albums IMO.
     
  23. Anthrax

    Anthrax Forum Resident

    Location:
    Europe
    They're alive and well. Truly kicking ass in concert, too. Ignore them and miss out at your peril.

     
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  24. Anthrax

    Anthrax Forum Resident

    Location:
    Europe
    The dinosaurs prevail.
     
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  25. Siegmund

    Siegmund Vinyl Sceptic

    Location:
    Britain, Europe
    I enjoy their music, at least during the Byron years, but I don’t think it’s aged all that well.

    From Very ‘Eavi.....up to Sweet Freedom is a very solid run, though: and the first live album is excellent.
     

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