Formed in 1969 Uriah Heep rode the wave of
Hard/Progressive Rock that swept over the music world in the beginning
of the Seventies, changing the face of popular music forever. Uriah Heep
never managed to make the final leap to the premier league of rock music
during this era, unlike their peers Deep Purple; Black Sabbath; Led
Zeppelin; the Rolling Stones; Genesis; Pink Floyd; etc., but every year
they would make the playoffs in Division One. No matter how much the
lineup changed, they always kept a large, ever loyal, following.
With their harmony vocals, swirling Hammond organ,
and wah-wah guitar, they soon became known as the Beach Boys of hard
rock. When this English quintet’s debut album was released, one
journalist with a name American Magazine started the review with the
condemning words: “If this band makes it, I’ll have to commit
suicide”. Well, I do not know what happened to the journalist,
probably condemned to writing bylines for the Jersey Knitting monthly on
dog shows, but over thirty years later Mick Box is still leading Uriah
Heep to sold-out concert halls around the world; although it must be
admitted to diminishing record sales.
Over the years Uriah Heep’s lineup has changed
dramatically. Five lead singers for a kick off, and the loss of founding
member, keyboard, and slide guitar player Ken Hensley in 1980, who also
co-wrote six of the eight songs on display here, was nearly a mortal
blow. However, there was always the most cheerful man in rock, and lead
guitarist extraordinaire, Mick Box to pick up the pieces and start again
with a new assemble.
Uriah Heep’s first real taste of stardom was
between 1972 and 1975, when the new rhythm section of Gary (The Thin
Man) Thain and Hard Hittin’ Drummer Lee Kerslake (ex-Tonto’s
Expanding Head Band, ex-Ozzy Osbourne’s Blizzard of Oz, before
re-joining Uriah Heep, who he still plays with to this day) joined the
existing nucleus of vocalist David Byron (probably has the largest range
of vocal chords in rock), and one of its leading frontmen Ken Hensley,
and the man still looking like he stepped right off the set of an
American professional wrestling set, Mick Box, the man who put the whomp
in wah-wah solos. For the three years before this lineup imploded into a
back biting paradox of egos, they released four classy studio albums.
‘Demons and Wizards’ (1972)
‘The Magicians Birthday’ (only six months later,
also in 1972)
‘Sweet Freedom’ (this album, 1973) and
‘Wonderworld’ (1974 – with the worst cover ever
released in the history of rock)
This line-up also recorded and released their seminal
double live album ‘Uriah Heep Live’ (1973). So, if nothing else they
were extremely productive.
Although ‘Sweet Freedom’ is not really a classic
Uriah Heep album, it certainly contains some classic songs such as Ken
Hensley’s rocker “Stealin’”, which is a must play in the Uriah
Heep live set to this day, some thirty years later. With its opening
driving bass rhythms and subdued organ entrance you are immediately
seduced by its hypnotic beat. Then the gas is turned on and the whole
band comes rockin’ in. David Byron’s vocals are amongst the best he
ever laid down, and although all the singers who have taken up the
Heep’s microphone since have had a go at bending their tonsils around
“Stealin’”, none of them has ever managed to capture the devil may
care delivery of Heep’s original singer. Although this is credited as
a Ken Hensley song, you feel that David Byron should have been given a
credit for his ad-libbed vocals at the end. Add to that the rock solid
drumming of Lee Kerslake, and a devastating guitar solo from Mr. Box,
you have an all time rock ‘n’ roll classic.
Sadly, the rest of the album does not necessarily
live up to the standards set by the second song. The title track and
closing epic ‘Pilgrim’ (clocking in at over seven minutes) are still
included in the present day’s Uriah Heep lineup repertoire, and would
make any Greatest Hits Collection. ‘Seven Stars’ is a fine Heep
rocker that takes a great twist at the end as David Byron chants the
alphabet backwards and forwards at his audience. So all in all perhaps
not an essential Uriah Heep album, but certainly not one that
disappoints.
Although Uriah Heep are still going today, enjoying a
new burst of commercial success, sadly David Byron and Gary Thain are no
longer with us. However, they left behind a fine legacy in their music.
A
definite coffee table book this week, and it better be a sturdy coffee
table at that. Steve Van Beek has compiled a large and very heavy book,
published this year by a Hong Kong publishing house (shame on you
Thailand!). Thailand Reflected in a River (ISBN 974-91246-9-3) is the body
of work that has come from his personal paddling of all the major
waterways, and his copious notes on each.
Mott’s CD review: Uriah Heep - Sweet Freedom
4 Stars ****