Joined: February 15 2014
Location: Hardinsburg,Ky
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Posted: April 29 2014 at 03:48
The more some people on here bash the post Magician's Birthday era of Byron Uriah Heep the more i've been listening to it again.I can easily listen to Sweet Freedom,Wonderworld,Return To Fantasy and The High & Mighty for the most part,there are i agree a few lack luster tracks here and there,but gems are there as well.Hey if perhaps your having trouble recalling how the ABC's go you can always listen to 7 Stars from Sweet Freedom.Though i can easily recite the ABC's without hearing David Byron doing it,just saying though if you need a refresher course...well there is 7 Stars to be heard.
"Nobody's Gonna Change My World That's Something To Unreal" Lyrics that i live my life by-from Black Sabbath's Technical Ecstasy's track You Won't Change Me
Joined: August 22 2010
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Posted: April 28 2014 at 22:47
Dellinger wrote:
The Dark Elf wrote:
dr wu23 wrote:
Dellinger wrote:
I find it a bit strange to read about this kind of hostility towards UH. I only just got the "Magician's Birthday" album, and so far it's the only one I've heard, but I found some really beautiful songs on it, and I really liked Byron's singing, I can't imagine anyone having being bothered by his voice, I find it just beautiful, one of the better aspects of the band.
I agree with you for the most part , and I bought the first album when it came out in 1970.....Byron is not a 'bad' singer and their music is not that bad at all ......though I did stop buying them after Magicians Birthday.
I prolly should listen to those that came out in the rest of the 70's.
Same here, stopped after Magician's Birthday [EDIT: Check that, the last UH album I bought was Sweet Freedom with the single "Stealin'"]. And you probably shouldn't waste your time listening to what came after -- having listened meself, it's not at all like what preceded it.. Just a friendly suggestion.
.
Yeah. Actually, since I did enjoy Magician's Birthday, I inted to get some of their earlier albums, and wasn't really planning on getting the later ones. I guess I would get at least D&D, and the other two albums that are rated higher on this site... plus perhaps the live album too, I would expect to have a rather comprehesive collection of their best work that way. I don't expect to want to go into a collection frenzy and get all I can from them. Though I might be tempted to get the Wetton albums too, just because he is part of the band there, but I guess the best thing would be to resist the temptation and get something else instead.
All the early ones are good....... if you like Heep to begin with.
Edited by dr wu23 - April 28 2014 at 22:48
One does nothing yet nothing is left undone. Haquin
Joined: June 18 2009
Location: Mexico
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Points: 12821
Posted: April 28 2014 at 21:01
The Dark Elf wrote:
dr wu23 wrote:
Dellinger wrote:
I find it a bit strange to read about this kind of hostility towards UH. I only just got the "Magician's Birthday" album, and so far it's the only one I've heard, but I found some really beautiful songs on it, and I really liked Byron's singing, I can't imagine anyone having being bothered by his voice, I find it just beautiful, one of the better aspects of the band.
I agree with you for the most part , and I bought the first album when it came out in 1970.....Byron is not a 'bad' singer and their music is not that bad at all ......though I did stop buying them after Magicians Birthday.
I prolly should listen to those that came out in the rest of the 70's.
Same here, stopped after Magician's Birthday [EDIT: Check that, the last UH album I bought was Sweet Freedom with the single "Stealin'"]. And you probably shouldn't waste your time listening to what came after -- having listened meself, it's not at all like what preceded it.. Just a friendly suggestion.
Yeah. Actually, since I did enjoy Magician's Birthday, I inted to get some of their earlier albums, and wasn't really planning on getting the later ones. I guess I would get at least D&D, and the other two albums that are rated higher on this site... plus perhaps the live album too, I would expect to have a rather comprehesive collection of their best work that way. I don't expect to want to go into a collection frenzy and get all I can from them. Though I might be tempted to get the Wetton albums too, just because he is part of the band there, but I guess the best thing would be to resist the temptation and get something else instead.
I have two or three Uriah Heep originals (Vinyl)...but whooooo My copy of "Look at Yourself" on CD has mysteriously disappeared from my CD collection.....On reading this thread I can rule out "Theft by Music Critic" as a reason for it's disappearance!!
Joined: September 05 2005
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Posted: April 28 2014 at 00:50
NotAProghead wrote:
^ Are you sure?
John Wetton:
"In King Crimson, I'd been playing the the most ridiculously complicated rock music in strange time signatures. Uriah Heep offered me a refreshing break from that. I could just be myself, have some fun and play some really strong rock music. The reason [I joined] was definitely not for money. At that time, Roxy Music were offering me the same money as <span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.2;">Uriah Heep</span><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.2;"> , if not more, I just didn't want to stay in Roxy Music.</span><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.2;">" (From Dave Ling's "Wizards and Demons")</span>
yeah, I knew that statement of Wetton. Too hard for Logan-Woffinden to imagine something like that. It's better to rely upon backbiting. Isn'it?
Joined: September 20 2010
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Posted: April 28 2014 at 00:31
Andrea Cortese wrote:
From the italian version of the Logan-Woffinden Rock Encyclopedia:
Uriah Heep: "one of the many bands that plagiarized without shame the heavy metal trail of Led Zeppelin. Though with the hostilityohf the whole rock critic the band made its debut in 1970..."
well... wow
Yes, Uriah Heep entry is a disaster but Logan & Voffinden's NME illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock has also its great moments. E..g. there's a nice entry of Miles Davis, where they wrote that Miles Davis get "attention of the rock audience which was truly attracted with hisBitches Brew the albumin 1970",and that "Miles Davismade his way todiscover theAfricanrootsofboth directions(rockandjazz); he usedabasic of rhythmicandharmonic frameof rock in order to ensure that his musicians, who were growed with jazz, that performing at maximumfreedomwithout havingto wander intoanarchy on anti-traditional"free"music."
I like it; a nice definition of jazzrock and (or) jazz related prog.
Joined: August 22 2010
Location: Indiana
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Posted: April 27 2014 at 22:33
NotAProghead wrote:
^ Are you sure?
John Wetton:
"In King Crimson, I'd been playing the the most ridiculously complicated rock music in strange time signatures. Uriah Heep offered me a refreshing break from that. I could just be myself, have some fun and play some really strong rock music. The reason [I joined] was definitely not for money. At that time, Roxy Music were offering me the same money as Uriah Heep , if not more, I just didn't want to stay in Roxy Music." (From Dave Ling's "Wizards and Demons")
Sounds like the man doth protest too much.
Maybe he thought this track was going to be his ticket to pop rock stardom
Edited by dr wu23 - April 27 2014 at 22:44
One does nothing yet nothing is left undone. Haquin
Joined: October 12 2007
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Posted: April 27 2014 at 22:25
Heep is pretty bad. Sometimes the critics are right. I can see why they didn't want rock to go in a Dungeons & Dragons direction. I don't particularly care for that stuff either. I just like music that has compositional content, which is what prog is about. It's funny that prog has that D&D image, when it was far more the realm of Zep and heavy metal. Sure it had those moments and there is a lot of general "fantasy", but it's pretty all over the place.
Edited by King Crimson776 - April 27 2014 at 22:26
Joined: June 09 2004
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Posted: April 27 2014 at 20:41
ole-the-first wrote:
I think that Wonderworld is a very underrated album, I always place it over 'The Magician's Birthday'. It doesn't contain any epics, but it surely has a bunch of great songs with excellent melodies and cool riffs, as well as distinctive dark atmosphere. Perhaps, this is the most atmospheric album from Uriah Heep.
Yeah they made this album mostly in Germany under pressure from the record company. Apparently Byron really struggled to make the studio sessions. Dark time.
<font color=Brown>Music - The Sound Librarian
...As I venture through the slipstream, between the viaducts in your dreams...[/COLOR]
Joined: June 09 2004
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Posted: April 27 2014 at 20:40
Great band in the early 70's. IMHO High & Mighty was their last good album and the double live set from 1973(?) was incredible. I don't know what it is but for me I could never really separate the rock n roll element from their rock
But albums like Salisbury, Demons & Wizards and July Morning ( especially from the live album) are exceptional. Actually side four of the live album doesn't do it for me either. Rock n roll prog rock morphing into glam rock late 70's.
<font color=Brown>Music - The Sound Librarian
...As I venture through the slipstream, between the viaducts in your dreams...[/COLOR]
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Posted: April 27 2014 at 20:30
I think that Wonderworld is a very underrated album, I always place it over 'The Magician's Birthday'. It doesn't contain any epics, but it surely has a bunch of great songs with excellent melodies and cool riffs, as well as distinctive dark atmosphere. Perhaps, this is the most atmospheric album from Uriah Heep.
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Posted: April 27 2014 at 20:03
dr wu23 wrote:
Dellinger wrote:
I find it a bit strange to read about this kind of hostility towards UH. I only just got the "Magician's Birthday" album, and so far it's the only one I've heard, but I found some really beautiful songs on it, and I really liked Byron's singing, I can't imagine anyone having being bothered by his voice, I find it just beautiful, one of the better aspects of the band.
I agree with you for the most part , and I bought the first album when it came out in 1970.....Byron is not a 'bad' singer and their music is not that bad at all ......though I did stop buying them after Magicians Birthday.
I prolly should listen to those that came out in the rest of the 70's.
Same here, stopped after Magician's Birthday [EDIT: Check that, the last UH album I bought was Sweet Freedom with the single "Stealin'"]. And you probably shouldn't waste your time listening to what came after -- having listened meself, it's not at all like what preceded it.. Just a friendly suggestion.
Edited by The Dark Elf - April 27 2014 at 20:11
...a vigorous circular motion hitherto unknown to the people of this area, but destined to take the place of the mud shark in your mythology...
Joined: October 22 2005
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Posted: April 27 2014 at 17:52
^ Are you sure?
John Wetton:
"In King Crimson, I'd been playing the the most ridiculously complicated rock music in strange time signatures. Uriah Heep offered me a refreshing break from that. I could just be myself, have some fun and play some really strong rock music. The reason [I joined] was definitely not for money. At that time, Roxy Music were offering me the same money as Uriah Heep , if not more, I just didn't want to stay in Roxy Music." (From Dave Ling's "Wizards and Demons")
Who are you and who am I to say we know the reason why... (D. Gilmour)
Joined: August 22 2010
Location: Indiana
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Points: 20671
Posted: April 27 2014 at 15:44
Andrea Cortese wrote:
Again from the Logan-Woffinden book: majority of critics said John Wetton joined the band in 1975 only for the money.
...well couldn't it be for the Heep music, could it?
Anything's possible............but I would think after Family ,Crimson, and a short stint with Roxy Music, Heep would have been a bit of a let down for him. But one has to pay their bills. After 2 LP's he formed UK.
One does nothing yet nothing is left undone. Haquin
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Uriah Heep and the critics
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Dellinger wrote:
