CLASSIC HEEP - LIVE FROM THE BYRON ERA

For some people this description at the back of the case may sound pompous and even contradictory, specially when we're talking about a DVD with poor image and not so good sound, but I really believe it's the jewel of my collection.

I have a lot of Uriah Heep DVD's with much better sound and impressive video quality, but two names make the difference David Byron and Gary Thain, Bernie Shaw is a very good vocalist and Trevor Bolden a solid bass player respectively, but I don't consider them part of the real history of the band,

David Byron was Mister Uriah Heep, his incredible voice that could reach the highest possible ranges and change lowest tones in fraction of seconds with absolutely no effort represent the peak of this pioneers of Prog metal.

And what can I say about Gary Thain except that IMO was the best bass player ever born, without this two guys, Uriah Heep was no more the great band that recorded Demons and Wizards, and if you add some appearances of a very young John Wetton, well this DVD is an historical document that rarely can be seen.

But that's not all, as we know in almost no video or DVD we can watch Ken Hensley making his old Hammond and Mini Moog cry as nobody ever did before of after, surely not the most technical keyboardist but without doubts one of the most emotional performers, who left everything each time he climbed that stage and of course all of them playing together with the strong Lee Kerslake (Another musician without a great technique, more like a force of nature than a fancy percussionist) and the eternal Mick Box, for God's sake, what a team.

Disk 1 is mostly a compilation from 1973 to 1975 specially important the 1973 Budokan tour from which the iconic Live 1973 (Black album) was recorded, and seems to me that the audio of this album has been digitally mixed with the footing, because the sound is much better than the image.

Songs as Tears in My Eyes (One of the greatest extravaganzas of the band where the Wah Wah guitar of Mick Box blends with the great chorus), the frantic Easy Livin' and of course the epic July Morning pass before our eyes as a dream come true for those of us who never had the chance to see this fabulous line up on stage due to our age.

Disk two includes a career compilation starting in 1972 including interviews and extra material until the Rough Diamond 1977. This second DVD is not as great as the previous, but still a good historical document..

I won't even waste the readers time describing each song, there are very well known and if you haven't heard any of them, some great reviews can be sound in the studio releases that are much more technical, because this live shows are more energy than refined sound, you don't buy this DVD to see virtuoso musicians playing in a controlled environment, but a real live album full of strength and energy with 5 musicians giving 110%of them to a 15,000 heads monster that constantly feed them with their cheers, even the usually calmed Japanese public who never loose their millenarian coldness, went crazy each time David came close to the audience..

If you want perfect quality in image and sound, forget about this DVD, but if you want pure adrenalin and the chance to see the classic Uriah Heep together with Gary Thain and David Byron alive again, get it immediately

Despite all the technical problems, 5 solid stars, because before this DVD the performances of URIAH HEEP at the peak of their career were almost a legend for most of us, like music and pictures without movement. But after this DVD, David and Gary can really rest in peace, because the new generations can see some of their unique live acts.

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