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tuxon 
Forum Senior Member 
Joined: September 21 2004 Location: plugged-in Status: Offline Points: 5502 |
 Topic: Uriah HeepPosted: October 13 2006 at 15:18 |
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I'm not really a big Uriah heep fan, but I enjoy most of their work, so let's discuss Heep.
personally I think (and I'm sure all will agree) their early years are almost brilliant, with such classic as Look At Yourself, Magicians Birthday, Demons And WIzards, Salisbury.
But everything after that is not up to par with those albums.
Still I enjoy every album I have from them.
albums like Sea of Light, Abominog, Raging Silence, Return To Fantasy, etc. are all very good and certainly worth a spin once in a while.
what's your opinion on Uriah Heep, regarding Heep after their classic years (which ended in 1974 for me)
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The Rock
Forum Senior Member
Joined: June 30 2005 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 746 |
Posted: October 13 2006 at 15:37 |
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Sweet Freedom is classic Heep IMHO.
Listen to Pilgrims!
 Sea of Light ain't bad either.
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What's gonna come out of my mouth is gonna come out of my soul."Skip Prokop"
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akin
Forum Senior Member
Joined: February 06 2004 Location: Brazil Status: Offline Points: 976 |
Posted: October 13 2006 at 16:11 |
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Uriah Heep is one of my favourite bands, but I agree with their best
work concentrated in early seventies. I would say everything with David
Byron on vocals and Firefly are superb, Firefly being the best of the
three after 74 (Return to Fantasy and High and Mighty). Then
Innocent Victim, Fallen Angel and Conquest are very good albuns and
although people criticize Conquest, I found it a great album (fools, it
ain't easy). Goalby albuns are interesting, but much weaker than the
previous. The later ones with Shaw in vocals are good also, being Sea
Of Light their best work since Hensley departed. Sonic Origami is
almost near, but IMO little worse. Then lots of live albuns and the
long waited new album is promised to the beginning of 2007. I expect a
triple album at least
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salmacis
Forum Senior Member
Content Addition Joined: April 10 2005 Status: Offline Points: 3928 |
Posted: October 13 2006 at 18:06 |
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Heep have long been a favourite band of mine. I must say certain eras lost their lustre for me after I played them a lot, but most of their catalogue is excellent, imo.
The debut album is a little hit and miss at times but anyway, their first 5 albums at least are umimpeachable classics. From 'Salisbury' through 'Magician's Birthday' barely a note is put wrong. I love pretty much every note of the first few Byron albums.
'Sweet Freedom' for me started a slight decline in material, though most of that album still sounds damned good, but it led to the thin sounding 'Wonderworld', half of which is disposable imo. You have some fine ballads in the title track, 'Shadows And The Wind', 'The Easy Road' and an underrated epic in 'Dreams'. The other songs aren't so hot.
'Return To Fantasy' goes to the other extreme with an over egged production of some fairly unremarkable AOR numbers- the title track is classic Heep, and 'Beautiful Dream', 'Devil's Daughter' and 'A Year Or A Day' could have been on any Heep album.
'High And Mighty' has some of their best material but also some of their worst- the first side is stunningly good, whilst 'Footprints In The Snow' and 'Confession' are truly gorgeous, moving ballads. The other songs are all pretty dreadful, really.
'Firefly' is one of their very best efforts. The sound is more AOR in tone, but 'The Hanging Tree', 'Wise Man', 'Sympathy' and the truly beautiful title track are some of the best Heep songs of all time. Lawton must be the most underrated vocalist in rock. His other albums, 'Innocent Victim' and 'Fallen Angel' are patchier, with too much Hensley pop/AOR. Still, some stunners emerge in 'Come Back To Me', 'Illusion', 'Choices', 'The Dance', 'Fallen Angel'. I quite like these albums and would take them over most of their 80s output.
After that, a slippery slope began. 'Conquest' has some great material- 'No Return', 'Fools', 'Out On The Street' and 'It Ain't Easy' stand up well, but the others are weak power ballads imo. 'Abominog' soon wore thin for me with its samey AOR production, though it's the best of their 80s output as all the other albums- 'Head First', 'Equator', 'Raging Silence' and 'Different World'- are the lowest ebb of all Heep, imo. Weak AOR material that could have been any anodyne REO Speedwagon type band. There were a few exceptions- 'Cross That Line', 'Different World' and 'When The War Is Over' are wonderful songs, the first two sounding far more progressive on 'Acoustically Driven', a stunning album.
Happily, 'Sea Of Light' returned them to form they hadn't seen for nearly 20 years. 'Mistress Of All Time' is maybe the best Heep ballad of all time, 'Love In Silence' is one of their all time best prog tracks and all the other songs are superbly crafted. 'Sonic Origami' has a few songs too many, but dig deep and many fantastic songs emerge- 'Between Two Worlds' is a very progressive gem and 'Heartless Land' betters almost every other ballad they've recorded, imo.
There's a potted history of Heep through my eyes.
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Arrrghus
Forum Senior Member
Joined: July 21 2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 5296 |
Posted: October 13 2006 at 18:08 |
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Well, I absolutely love Demons and Wizards, The Magician's Birthday is good, and I'm not sure if I should get Salisbury.
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NotAProghead
Special Collaborator 
Errors & Omissions Team Joined: October 22 2005 Location: Russia Status: Offline Points: 7920 |
Posted: October 13 2006 at 18:54 |
You should!
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Who are you and who am I to say we know the reason why... (D. Gilmour)
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-Minstrel-
Forum Newbie 
Joined: August 12 2006 Location: Germany Status: Offline Points: 3 |
Posted: October 13 2006 at 19:35 |
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i only have the salisbury album - but i love 'stargazer'. great!
i had the pleasure of seeing them last summer as a support of deep purple. though i didn't know most of the songs, they really kicked ass! mick is a cool guy. he gave me a pick after the show xD i'm going to get more of their stuff i think. which album should i buy next? -m- |
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NotAProghead
Special Collaborator
Errors & Omissions Team Joined: October 22 2005 Location: Russia Status: Offline Points: 7920 |
Posted: October 13 2006 at 20:02 |
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For me albums from Lawton era and even "Conquest" are Heep's classics too.
The 80's were hard times for Heep.
After Ken's departure Mick Box and Trevor Bolder offered David Byron to join the band, but he refused to talk about it (we'll never know why). Then Bolder was invited by Wishbone Ash. Mick Box left alone, it looked like the end of Uriah Heep. Mick recalled:
"I ... bought three bottles of Scotch. When I got to the flat, I ... sat in front of the television and drank myself into oblivion. At the end of it I had this horrific hangover. I couldn't lift my head up... But at the same time, I felt I'd kind of purged my system. I thought, "Okay, I've had my blast. Now it's time to build it all back up again."[Taken from "Wizards and Demons. The Uriah Heep Story" by Dave Ling.]
We should thank restless Mick Box for keeping Heep's flame for so many years.
There's no surprise albums from Goalby era sound unlike band's 70's classics. But they all have their moments and proved that the band is still alive.
When Bernie Shaw and Phil Lanzon came in 1986 the line-up became stable. Heep were, as usual, great live band, but the albums "Raging Silence" and "Different World" are pretty weak and don't sound like Heep IMHO. But again these albums were important, at least they reminded that the band still exists.
I almost lost the hope to hear good new songs from my favourite band, but, fortunately, "Sea of Light" in 1995 proved me that I wrong. "Sonic Origami" confirmed band's ability to create extremely good material.
Heep released lots of live CDs and DVD in 2000s. "Legend Continues" DVD (or its CD version "Future Echoes of the Past") and "Acoustically Driven" are my favourite live Heep albums.
I believe in the band and wait for their new studio album.
I think Uriah Heep is one of the few bands who created, musically and lyrically, their own world - world full of love and light.
Thanks to all Heeps, past and present, for giving us the chance to sail the sea of light. Edited by NotAProghead - October 13 2006 at 20:35 |
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Who are you and who am I to say we know the reason why... (D. Gilmour)
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tuxon
Forum Senior Member
Joined: September 21 2004 Location: plugged-in Status: Offline Points: 5502 |
Posted: October 14 2006 at 01:03 |
Salmacis reply should give you some indication where to go next.
IMO:
the first 5 studio albums are a must have, if you like 1 of those, you will probably like the other four also.
With Sweet Freedom the decline begins, though untill Innocent Victim on each album some typical UH classics can still be found.
The eighties are only enjoyable if you are either a real fan of heep, or really like classic rock in the eighties style (Abominog is quite good, Raging Silence has some good moments) Sea Of Light is an almost return to form, though I find it very much comprable with the early 90's Queensrÿche sound, if you like Queensrÿche you will like it.
the live material released the last couple of years is generally quite good also, especially The Magician's Birthday Party really is stunning.
BTW, isn't stagazer from Rainbow, for i can't recall a UH song with that name.
in short start at the beginning and continue from that.
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I'm always almost unlucky _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Id5ZcnjXSZaSMFMC Id5LM2q2jfqz3YxT
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Easy Livin
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator / Retired Admin Joined: February 21 2004 Location: Scotland Status: Offline Points: 15585 |
Posted: October 14 2006 at 04:56 |
There is actually a Heep related song of that name (which is not the Rainbow song). It appears on Ken Hensley's solo album "Eager to please". It was originally on Tempest's second album "Living in fear". http://www.progarchives.com/Progressive_rock_discography_CD.asp?cd_id=6335
Hensley's version is superb.
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erik neuteboom
Prog Reviewer 
Joined: July 27 2005 Location: Netherlands Status: Offline Points: 7659 |
Posted: October 14 2006 at 05:24 |
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Uriah Heep has always been a very special for me since I bought their 2-live LP, so dynamic, great vocals, guitar and Hammond B3 work. Compositions like Gypsy, Look At Yourself and especially July Monring are timeless
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I have to admit that after their album Look At Yourself (my favorite) Uriah Heep didn't succeed to generate much excitement on their studio albums to me, a bit too predictable or polished. But I still listen frequently to their early albums and Live (1973) is one of the best heavy progrock albums of all times
 A few years ago a dream came true when I could witness a Uriah Heep gig for the first time (I just missed their Pinkpop 1976 performance in Holland ..  ), I was blown away by their powerful, dynamic and professional presentation and their new singer is very charasmatic with a good voice. Another dream came true when (before the concert) I was allowed to make an interview with Mick Box, one of my guitar heroes. I asked him how it was to play Easy Livin' so many times, he answered: "If I look at the happy faces in the crowd, it makes my day!", what a great answer!Edited by erik neuteboom - October 14 2006 at 05:25 |
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Mandrakeroot
Forum Senior Member
Italian Prog Specialist Joined: March 01 2006 Location: San Foca, Friûl Status: Offline Points: 5851 |
Posted: October 14 2006 at 05:39 |
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For me "SALISBURY" is the best Heavy Symphonic album of all time!!!
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The Rock
Forum Senior Member
Joined: June 30 2005 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 746 |
Posted: October 14 2006 at 12:40 |
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They were so influential.
Iron Maiden and Queen to name a few have been obviously influenced by them.
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What's gonna come out of my mouth is gonna come out of my soul."Skip Prokop"
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Andrea Cortese
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator Joined: September 05 2005 Status: Offline Points: 4411 |
Posted: October 14 2006 at 12:44 |
 Today I've bought my first Heep's record!!
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WaywardSon
Prog Reviewer
Joined: April 23 2006 Location: Brazil Status: Offline Points: 2537 |
Posted: October 14 2006 at 17:52 |
I think I agree with you
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Fragile
Forum Senior Member
Joined: June 27 2004 Location: Scotland Status: Offline Points: 1125 |
Posted: October 14 2006 at 19:48 |
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Another Uriah Heep thread and it is absoloutely great.Demons is the best but 'Look at Yourself ' is very special.Byron was the best rock vocalist alive.There's a tear in my eye' The Heep were awesome. |
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gr8dane
Forum Senior Member
Joined: May 11 2005 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 1127 |
Posted: October 14 2006 at 20:40 |
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I love the Heepsters,but I lost track after Firefly.Everything up til then is great stuff.
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T.Rox
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator Joined: July 06 2004 Location: Australia Status: Offline Points: 9455 |
Posted: October 15 2006 at 07:28 |
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I was into Heep before Zeppelin, Purple & Sabbath back in the mid 70's ... and my mates used to think I was a bit of a nutter for liking them ... but Heep just did it for me at the time.
I don't listen to Heep all that often these days but when I get 'round to spinning a disc I am always glad that I did.
I have been toying with the idea of getting Acoustically Driven. Anyone got any opinions on this album?
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"Without prog, life would be a mistake."
...with apologies to Friedrich Nietzsche |
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salmacis
Forum Senior Member
Content Addition Joined: April 10 2005 Status: Offline Points: 3928 |
Posted: October 15 2006 at 09:52 |
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'Acoustically Driven' is excellent. It's a quite progressive album with some definite folky leanings. What's especially good about it is that it digs out songs from weaker albums like 'Wonderworld', 'Different World' and 'Fallen Angel' and shows how underrated some of the songs from those albums are. More often than not, these versions improve on the originals wholeheartedly, imho.
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erik neuteboom
Prog Reviewer
Joined: July 27 2005 Location: Netherlands Status: Offline Points: 7659 |
Posted: October 15 2006 at 09:58 |
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The DVD Acoustically Driven prooves what a great tune-smiths Uriah Heep were and what a good musicians they are, all have contributed to a stunning upgrade of most songs and I love the very pleasant atmosphere during the concert
Edited by erik neuteboom - October 15 2006 at 09:59 |
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Uriah Heep
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Arrrghus wrote: