'Uriah Heep / The Absolute Best Of 'Uriah Heep' (2009)' Review!

Beyond Charles Dickens' 'David Copperfield' lies the heart and soul of Classic Rock, the band, 'Uriah Heep'. Originally with founder, leader & lead guitarist, Mick Box together with the likes of Rock's ultimate showman, David Byron+, and the man with the proud words on the dusty shelf himself, Ken Hensley on keyboards. Later joined by the recently retired, Lee Kerslake on drums, and New Zealand bassist, Gary Thain+ to form what would later be known as their classic line-up albeit only for a few short years. Still, it is the bulk of CD1 that is dedicated to that great band of the '70s known for their Hits like 'Easy Livin'' & 'Lady In Black'. CD2 covers the years beyond, showcasing the likes of John Lawton and Pete Goalby and a couple of tunes with Bernie Shaw, the men who have tried valiantly, if not all but in vain, to fill the shoes left by the departure of David Byron, who died later in 1985. Still, their contributions in songs like 'Free Me', 'Too Scared To Run' & 'That's The Way That It Is' resonate as well. So, its all here, every phase and facet of the many lives of the band who's name seems to be forgotten among people like those at the Rock 'n' Roll Hall Of Shame. I often consider sending them the tour shirt that I once donned from 1993 that proudly stated, 'Uriah who? Uriah 'f***ing Heep, that's who!' Yes, across the pond, England's best kept secret is still rocking away, having just released their 21st studio album in 2008, but, back in my so-called, 'homeland', I am greeted with words like, 'Oh yeah, I remember them! Their last album came out in 1974 or 5, right?' NO! For more than 40 years, Mick Box and his boys, now joined by the aforementioned Mr. Shaw, Phil Lanzon on keyboards, Trevor Bolder, the ex-Spider from Mars with David Bowie on bass, and their latest addition, Russell Gilbrook on the skins have been rocking through the cities and towns of the world non-stop. They were even one of the first to play behind the 'Iron Curtain' in 1987. So, perhaps it is time that YOU got a hold of some of these tunes, and found out why too many bands and musicians to mention site 'Uriah Heep' as an influence! Check them out! - Rick Wilson, former Rock Radio Journalist / Personality with Radio Canale Grand. CD1 01. Gypsy: single edit (Very 'eavy, Very 'umble aka Uriah Heep)

1970 **** I suppose they had to make room on this disc somewhere, somehow for the 2 lengthy epics, 'July Morning' & 'The Magician's Birthday, so hence, the minus notes here, but even this short single edit can't stop us from hearing the bonecrunching riffs of 'Gypsy', and David just brings it all home with the perfect vocal! Superb! 02. Bird Of Prey (Uriah Heep, Salisbury) 1970 / 1971 ***** Check out those harmony-vocals! 03. Lady In Black (Salisbury) 1971 ***** The 1st big 'Heep' Hit, and a Classic, indeed! 04. Look At Yourself: single edit (Look At Yourself) 1971 **** Again, a bit shortened, but Lee Kerslake shines! 05. July Morning (Look At Yourself) 1971 ***** Fantastic melody, excellent guitar, and oft mimiced, but never quite copied to its perfection! This has RNRHOF written all over it! 06. Love Machine: single edit (Look At Yourself) 1971 ***** Great quick Rocker! 07. The Wizard (Demons & Wizards) 1972 ***** Who was 'The Wizard' of 'Heep'? Byron? Hensley? Or, is it still good, ole Mick? 08. Easy Livin' (Demons & Wizards) 1972 ***** If YOU don't know the lyric then YOU must have been hiding all of these years! Classic Rock's finest hour! 09. Circle Of Hands (Demons & Wizards) 1972 ***** A great live tune with a catchy lyric! 10. Sunrise (The Magician's Birthday) 1972 ***** I love waking up mornings to this! What a way to start a day! 11. Rain (The Magician's Birthday) 1972 ***** And, when I am feeling down, rain or shine, this one hits the spot just right! 12. Sweet Lorraine (The Magician's Birthday) 1972 ***** Nice little organ effect that is like a two-edged sword! 13. The Magician's Birthday (The Magician's Birthday) 1972 ***** The absolute best of 'Uriah Heep'! I dedicate this torrent upload to the almighty, Lee Kerslake! Thanks for all of those great years, and may YOU gain all YOU ever wanted in retirement! 14. Stealin': single edit (Sweet Freedom) 1973 **** The great single follow-up to 'Easy Livin'! Ohrwurm! 15. Wonderworld (Wonderworld) 1974 ***** It took me a few years to get what Ken wanted to say here, but this is still one of their best! 16. The Easy Road (Wonderworld) 1974 ***** There are no easy roads there are simply paths of least resistance, but it is often the case that the path of least resistance is not the

shortest route to the destination! 17. Something Or Nothing (Wonderworld) 1974 ***** Yin or Yang? lol 18. Return To Fantasy: single edit (Return To Fantasy) 1975 **** Another great one shortened, but it still makes its point! CD2 01. One Way Or Another (High & Mighty) 1976 ***** David Byron's last hurrah with the 'Heep'! 02. Who Needs Me? (Firefly) 1976 ***** Lee wrote this Lawton-sung Rocker! 03. Rollin' On (Firefly) 1976 ***** Nice groove, as Trevor Bolder makes his introduction with the band on bass! 04. Free Me (Innocent Victim) 1977 ***** Number 1 in Germany and many European countries, and most Americans just flinch at the title. It's a crazy world, yes, but different! lol 05. Falling In Love (Fallen Angel) 1978 ***** Nice Rocker! 06. Come Back To Me (Fallen Angel) 1978 ***** The follow-up Hit to 'Free Me'! 07. Too Scared To Run (Abominog) 1982 ***** After being canned by Ozzy Osbourne, Lee Kerslake, who had taken a couple of years off from the 'Heepsters' returned with fellow Ozz-Rockers, Bob Daisley & John Sinclair, and the results were 'Abominog', the 'Heep's hardest effort, and well worth a long, hard look! 08. On The Rebound (Abominog) 1982 ***** This reminds me of Alice Cooper's 'He's Back (The Man Behind The Mask)'! 09. Sell Your Soul (Abominog) 1982 ***** This opened up many of their concerts that I was fortunate enough to see in the '80s! 10. That's The Way That It Is (Abominog) 1982 ***** Graham Bonnett sang a version of this a year earlier, but MTV made this version a Hit! 11. Prisoner (Abominog) 1982 ***** R.I.P. Patrick McGoohan+! But, this actually has nothing to do with the show! See 'Iron Maiden' for that! 12. Think It Over (Abominog) 1982 ***** John Sloman's claim to 'Uriah Heep' fame, but I prefer this Pete Goalby version just swell! 13. Running All Night (With The Lion) (Abominog) 1982 ***** Along the lines of 'Steal Away (The Night)' from the Ozzman's Blizzard! 14. The Other Side Of Midnight (Head First) 1983 ***** Riff

away, Mick! 15. Stay On Top (Head First) 1983 ***** A great bass-driven number, and the name of the Fan Club in Germany! 16. Lonely Nights (Head First) 1983 ***** I once saw the 'Heepsters' play after 'Inner Circle' at 09:00 in the morning in Switzerland's version of 'Out On The Green', a 3-day festival with more than 40 bands, and the show's headliner that day was Bryan Adams, who penned this great number! So, what goes around comes around...full circle...in the circle of life! lol 17. Rockarama (Equator) 1985 ***** Another plea to MTV that went mostly unheard or seen. 18. Hold Your Head Up: single version (Raging Silence) 1989 A nice 'Argent' cover with Bernie Shaw! 19. Blood On Stone (Different World) 1991 And, Trevor's quick 'Different World' Opener!