You’ve never released a solo album, and rarely guest on other people’s albums. Have you ever considered making a solo album? Do you have many songs not used by Heep? Have you guested uncredited on albums (if so, which)?

That is because my time is always taken up with Heep. The only chance I had was at the time David did his solo album and he wanted me to play on his and write it so I did. I have done the occasional thing. Bernie and I were guests on a CD and Video (Lady in Black) with a band called IRIS from Romania. Also I did a couple of solos on a band from Sweden called SPEARFISH for teenage cancer. Other than that managing the band is exhausting as I do 9 hour day’s minimum in the office when we are off the road. We have just employed a manager Simon Porter (Status Quo) and hopefully eventually the load will lift but then I have to get down to a lot more writing. You can never do enough writingJ

The current Uriah Heep line up appears to be the "happiest" ever. What does being in the band mean to you now? Are you all "friends" outwith the band?

The slide/steel guitar parts on track such as "The spell" and also on the "Acoustically driven" album were performed by other people. Why was this?

The "Acoustically driven" gig appeared to be very emotional for you. Was it one of the highlights of your career with the band? Could you envisage doing it again, perhaps as a tour?

You were pretty much forced to take on the business side of running the band. Is this something you enjoy doing? Do you have a "business mind"?

Do the band have any control over your back catalogue now? Do you personally or as a band get any benefit from the various re-releases and re-masters?

Did you have any influence over the contents of the recently released box set ("Chapter and Verse")? Do you feel it is a good representation of the band’s career?

Would Uriah Heep still exist now if not for the internet?

What makes of guitar do you favour? Do you have a "special" guitar?

Would you envisage the band creating another "Salisbury" like epic piece again, or even another concept album?

How long to did it take you come up with your solos on "Salisbury"? Were they improvised, or entirely pre-composed? Does that track represent the "essence" of Mick Box’s guitar playing?

There appears to be some confusion about whether or not the band played with the orchestra when the "Salisbury" track was recorded. Could you clear up whether or not the orchestra parts were recorded separately and added later?

What is the current status of the next album? Do you have songs ready to record? Do you have a record label lined up?

Would you consider releasing an album using the Marillion model where the fans fund the project, and in return get an expanded or special version of the release?

You did not appear to be unduly affected by the ego issues or falling outs which blighted other band members in the 70’s, did you have any "Spinal tap" moments yourself? Are you as "Easy livin’ " as you appear to be?

How does touring affect your family life? What country do you now call home?

Do you have any contact these days with Paul Newton? Have you ever considered inviting him to a "Magician’s Birthday Party"? Do you keep in touch with John Lawton?

Uriah Heep have made comparatively few longer tracks (Salisbury, July Morning, Paradise/the spell, Golden Palace etc.) These are generally felt to be among the band’s best tracks? Why have the band not recorded more such tracks?

You were largely absent from the High and Mighty album, why was this?

What part did you play in the sacking of David and Gary? Were you consulted? Did they have to go?

What was your relationship with Ken Hensley at the time of his leaving the band? How much contact do you have now?

What did you make of Dave Ling’s biography of the band? Is it a fair reflection? Are there more stories yet to be told, perhaps in a Mick Box autobiography?

Did you read Jeff Perkins book on David Byron? If so, did you feel it reflected the David you knew?

How did you and David Byron come together to form Spice?

Bernie Shaw (Lead vocals)

You had to have a major operation to your vocal chords. Were you worried at the time that you may have to give up singing all together? Is everything now fully sorted?
Yes I was very worried at the time as no one could find out for sure why I couldn't sing using my full range. I was told by one Dr. that sometimes the body just "gives up" due to over use. such is the case with many "west end" singers that have such a work load everyday, night after night. It wasn't until Mr. Harris did a laryingoscopy while i was singing did the problem reveal itself. A pollup actually on the surrounding muscle tissue that was resting on one of my vocal chords disrupting the mucosal wave at the higher register. a very rare case, but all fixed during a small operation . all is well now.

Do you ever feel you're in danger of impersonating previous Uriah Heep singers? Are you conscious of avoiding doing so?
From the first day with Heep, i approached the songs with my own vocal style
and interpretaion. I don't think Mick would have approached my to be in the band if i was only going to copy what had been there before me. That's not a move forward. of coarse i listen closely to the original vocal line for guidence, but that's where it ends. I'm not in the band to be a carbon copy of those singers before me.

Which are the best Uriah Heep era songs to sing? Which suit your voice and style best (other than the current line up of course!)?
That's a hard one to answer, but probably the Byron era, though John Lawton's voice gave the band such a "Bluesy" feel in some songs.

Uriah Heep have always enjoyed strong vocal harmonies. Who are the best current band members to sing with? Do all five band members have good signing voices?
All five of us have pretty strong voices and could probably front their own bands vocally, though Mick's ultra strong "falsetto" might be a bit much as a lead vocal.......hummmmmmmm maybe not as the the Darkness are using that same approach??

You appear to be in control of the mix when performing live, regularly sending signals to the desk. Are you as influential in the studio? Does the production side of making an album attract you?
I know what I want and I know how to get it very fast on stage. using a Shure Bros in-ear monitor system it takes a bit of time to alter the mix as the band plays a little louder or harder as the night goes on, but my involvement in the studio is more on the arrangement side and harmony construction.

Have you ever played or considered playing an instrument?

I do play a little acoustic guitar at home now as i used to play in a band in Canada. i had a Gibson SG (1967) and a Marshell `100wt and 4x 12 cab. on a recent trip to Brno in the Czech Rep. Mick and i went on a tour of the FURCH guitar factory. we both ended up buying a couple of beautiful acoustic guitars there. I just cant put mine down. it's a cedar top, D-23 Dreadnaught and sounds just amazing... but it's just for me at home
.
What other styles of music do you enjoy?

You are asking a Gemini to tell you what he likes??? we like EVERYTHING , but on different days of the week. I listen to the Helicasters, Steve Lukathur's fusion group (or Steve and Larry Carlton), eminem, Pink Floyd, Nickleback, Dixi Chicks to Jango Rheinheart.....
pretty eclectic tastes I guess.

You were very much thrown in at deep end in Moscow. What are your recollections of the experience?
Total Awe, the city is just amazing. Everything is HUGE! and the people who had nothing would give you there last piece of bread if you were their guests. the audience was amazing every night. to much to say in this small space. but it will be with me for the rest of my life for sure.

What would you list among your hobbies and interests?
Riding and working on my Harley, the love of cooking, good wine, tennis, skiing, my family (that's a hobby in itself)

Uriah Heep appear to now being re-evaluated by the media, and finally finding their rightful place in rock music history. Do you feel you are finally winning the battle?
that battle never ends, but the fans make it worth while

Is song writing harder now? Who are the main composers in the band?
Mick and Phil work very well together, and Trev is a songwriter in his own right

What will be the style of next album?
Classic HEEP of course!!

Phil Lanzon (Keyboards and vocals)

On the Live in Moscow version of "Gypsy" you added a very adventurous solo section. Were you deliberately making a statement both personally and on behalf of the new line up? Was it something you composed after joining the band, or did you have it up your sleeve already?
I'd been with the band 18 months and this solo developed over that time. It was neither a statement nor something I had up my sleeve (which was just as well because I was wearing short sleeves at the time). No. A solo was needed for Gypsy, so a solo was written. As for the Russian folkie bit in the middle, that was because somebody on the night backstage suggested I play something Ruskie, and the only tune I knew was the one you hear on the Moscow c.d. Sadly (after the show) I was informed that this perhaps wasn’t in the best taste as it was the old slave song. But hey! That's all I knew at the time...

Who is Matthew Lanzon who wrote the "Heartless land" verse lyrics? How did he come about writing it and having it adopted by the band?
Matthew is my eldest son, he's 35, has two kids, Zachary 7, and Freya,3. About ten years ago he wrote a load of lyrics and sent them to me. One of which was the lyrics for Heartless Land. I liked them a lot but couldn't find an appropriate song to slot them into. Time went by and me and Mick were in the middle of a writing session for Sonic. We had the bare bones of an acoustic song and I flitted through our own lyric sheets while Mick was playing and in amongst them was heartless land. I'd forgotten about them but when I recognised Matt's handwriting I started to fit the words in with a ruff melody I had. We used his lyrics for the verse and finished it off with our own lyrics for the chorus. It was very instant and the meaning in the words was very well matched to the melody and everyone liked it -- so there it is.

You seldom include extended keyboard solos on Uriah Heep tracks. Why is this? Would you like to see some of he band’s tracks developed into more complex, progressive pieces?
I quite like the idea of a keyboard solo but Not the long rambling things of old. No. I would like to do a track with everyone playing that is perhaps ninety per cent instrumental--you know the sort of thing that grooves along with strong melodies in the solo sections, not too self indulgent. THEN a severe smattering of shockingly tight vocal harmonies for a few seconds that blasts the eyes and ears of the listener into a blaze of euphoria, then back into the groove =---then OUT!

I get the impression you are a lover of classical music. What classical education and training have you had? Who are your favourite composers/classical pieces?
I am a lover of classical music but not only classical. I like just about everything with the exception of all forms of rap. I've given it a chance boys, but I'm afraid If it's not about murder or rape, then it's about love and understanding spat out with the same tone of hate and aggression---this is in no way connected to music, I'm sorry rap lovers.

Who’s keyboard playing do you admire most – Wakeman, Emerson, Banks, or someone else?Emerson was (and probably still is) the best all rounder. Then there's Brian Auger, ace Hammond player. Dave Greenslade, and, a chap called Barry Shaw from Derbyshire who occasionally plays in a pub up there. I don't think I've ever heard such playing and songwriting -- ever. Perhaps I never will....

Many thanks to Mick Bernie, and Phil for taking time out from the band's current world tour to do the interview.

Official website : http://www.uriah-heep.com - http://www.uriah-heep.com

Mick, Bernie and Trevor (Boulder) on stage, Glasgow, November 2005.

Great interview Bob! Really pleased to read this one as Heep are a fave band of mine, and it must have been a thrill for you to interview them! Particularly interesting was that this interview focuses on less covered aspects of the band's career; also interesting to read that there still seems to be an element of tension between Heep (Mick Box, at least) and Ken Hensley.

John Lawton I have not seen since his last appearance at the Magicians Birthday bash but we have emailed a few times. I recently gave him some advice on going to Russia where I believe he has had a bit of interest with gigs.

Thanks, Mick. We'll be waiting for John's gigs in Russia.

Fine interviews Bob, good to hear from Mick that every proghead needs an understanding wife  !

 Well done Bob,another coup for Prog Archives!

I just added your interview in a printed version to my own 'Alucard Archives'. 'Salisbury' was one of my first and favourite records. I didn't listen to Uriah heep for ages until I bought recently a 'Curved Air' DVD (classic rock) with an extra bonus of 'Acoustically driven' the DVD, with concert footage and interviews,looks great, I have to get back in touch with UH's music.

Jim Garten wrote: Nice updates, from Phil Lanzon "I quite like the idea of a keyboard solo but Not the long rambling things of old" Who could he be referring to.... Look out! Ken's at the Moog again... Run, children, Run! "Emerson was (and probably still is) the best all rounder. Then there's Brian Auger, ace Hammond player. Dave Greenslade...." A man after my own heart - nice to hear a namecheck for Brian Auger, too.

I always rather enjoyed Ken Hensley's Moog solos myself! I noticed you didn't like his solo on 'Gypsy' on your review of 'Live 73' Jim, but I think it has a certain charm and is very enjoyable and technically sound enough to these ears; indeed, it far exceeds any solo his counterpart Jon Lord ever played on the Moog. Ever hear 'Space Truckin' at California Jam? One of the worst Moog solos ever, imo...

Nice to see Phil give Greenslade a namecheck. Phil Lanzon is an excellent player in his own right, and I see no real reason why Heep would ever need to have Ken Hensley in the line-up again; I doubt very much either party would want Ken to return- both Heep and Ken have their own, separate careers now. I'm more than happy with Phil Lanzon's excellent keyboard work- he's also a fine songwriter particularly when working with Mick Box.

I don't think Mick's saying there's any wall as such. All he's saying is that although they were in the band together, they were never friends as such.

Bear in mind that Ken joined the band on stage for the first Magician's Birthday Party.

Jim Garten wrote: salmacis wrote: I always rather enjoyed Ken Hensley's Moog solos myself! I noticed you didn't like his solo on 'Gypsy' on your review of 'Live 73' Jim, but I think it has a certain charm and is very enjoyable I remember a quote years ago in a music magazine saying a club was "more crowded than a canteen serving hatch full of music journalists trying to escape a Ken Hensley moog solo" (not the kind of quote you forget in a hurry) Seriously though, I've always loved his Hammond playing & slide guitar work, I just feel his Moog playing (at the time) showed more enthusiasm than aptitude... still, at least it wasn't him who ruined 'Lucky Man'

- that's a pretty amusing quote! Another one I've read claimed Ken was using keyboards 'as a musical whoopie cushion...'.

Great interviews Bob so many stirring memories of one of Rock's finest bands; strange that Mick and Ken weren't that close.What was your first Heep gig and did you ever feel hypnotised by the old vertigo label as you strutted your stuff to Gypsy

Cheers John!

My first Heep gig would have been January 1973, the first time they played the Apollo/Greens Playhouse. That was the tour which produced the great "Live 1973". Did you see them before that?

I don't have any of the Vertigo releases. The early albums were quickly re-released on Bronze, so if you have a Vertigo one look after it, it's probably of value. There are many collectors who specialise in Vertigo albums, regardless of the music. It seems to be one of the most sought after labels.

I have 'Very ' Eavy' on vertigo Bob and I did have Sabbath's 1st also but no longer.My first Heep concert was The Electric Gardens in '71 They had just released Salisbury I think and they were supported by a Scottish band called the JSD band some of whom went to my former school Holy Cross in Hamilton or am I mixing them up with the folk rock band Contraband The Heep returned ably supported by Atomic Rooster, Vincent Crane and John Caan and all it was a remarkable concert.They started off with ' Bird of Prey' and the rest was sheer ecstasy

Only the first two Heep albums were issued on Vertigo, and I think both are worth about £40 each now. The Bronze reissues are more common really.

However, the Heep albums pale in terms of value compared to stuff like Dr Z (sold less than 75 copies...Black Widow knock off on the evidence I've heard and Gordon(of Peter and Gordon,um,fame- his album sold reportedly 23 copies!). Yet, unlike those the Heep albums are genuinely great records- Heep alongside Colosseum, Gentle Giant, Black Sabbath and Status Quo were the most popular and best the label had to offer.