nedjelja, 04.01.2009.
Uriah Heep - Revelations: The Uriah Heep Anthology (2004)
Metro Doubles present the story of one of the most successful and long-running bands in hard rock history, Uriah Heep. Name-checked by Queen, Iron Maiden and even Marillion as a huge influence, with their mix of epic rock operas, plaintive ballads , mystical story-telling and pure rock energy the band developed a massive global following in the '70s, charting with several massive-selling albums. They also survived numerous line-up changes to successfully re-invent themselves with a slicker, cleaner sound during the '80s.
Still fronted by original guitarist Mick Box, Uriah Heep continue performing and recording to this day.
CD 1
1. Gypsy
2. Come Away Melinda
3. Wake Up (Set Your Sights)
Produced by Heep manager Gerry Bron and sporting a sinister Gothic cover featuring a grisly face (that of singer David Byron) covered in cobwebs, the band's debut LP confused the music press (it was released simply as 'Uriah Heep' in the U.S.). The direction of the band indicated progressive tendencies, as on the King Crimson-like ‘'Wake Up (Set Your Sights)’ and, musically, it was an experimental time for them as they began to create their own, unique sound through the Box / Byron / Hensley writing team. Initially, guitarist Mick Box and singer David Byron generated the majority of the songs and 'Gypsy' was among the first. Featuring earthy, pounding guitar riffs, dominant keyboards and multi-tracked vocal harmonies, it established the group's trademark sound. Hensley's songwriting contribution to 'Very 'Eavy ...Very 'Umble' was limited to re-recording some of Colin Wood's keyboards (as on 'Come Away Melinda') and completing the final tracks. Hensley would later establish himself as the band's main songwriter.
4. Here Am I (Alternative mix)
Taken from the 1993 release of 'The Lansdowne Tapes', 'Here Am I' was originally recorded during the sessions for the group's second LP, 'Salisbury', at Lansdowne Studios between October and November 1970. A collectors item for any discerning Heep fan, 'The Lansdowne Tapes' features previously unreleased material of the band from the early 1970s during the period when Gerry Bron first took Spice into the recording studio, right through to the release of Uriah Heep's third album, 'Look At Yourself'.
5. Time To Live
6. Lady In Black
Uriah Heep's new found songwriting chemistry was brought to the fore on 'Salisbury', the band's second album, with keyboardist Ken Hensley penning half of the album and co-writing the rest. Determined to stand out from their hard rock contemporaries, the Heep recalled Gerry Bron back to Lansdowne Studios for production duties and set to tape a varied potpourri of musical ideas; highlights included the colourfully climatic 'Time To Live' (featuring Byron hitting the high notes) and 'Lady In Black', an appropriately ‘Euro rock’ styled track that subsequently became a gigantic hit in Germany upon its re-release in 1977, earning the band a Golden Lion award (the European equivalent of a Grammy) for its thirteen week stay at No. 1. By contrast, the British music press remained relatively unmoved by Heep's progressive direction.
7. July Morning
8. Look At Yourself
The recording of the group's third album, 'Look At Yourself', took place during the summer of 1971, marking a hat trick of visits to Lansdowne Studios. With Gerry Bron's initial deal with Phillips / Vertigo now finished, he wasted no time in setting up his own record label, Bronze, releasing the Heep's first two albums and 'Look At Yourself' featuring its stand-out “mirror effect” cover. More importantly, the varying musical ideas that had dominated on 'Salisbury' began to gel together with a more consistent sound and direction for the band, notably on the title track, 'Look At Yourself' (featuring Teddy Osei, Mac Tontoh and Loughty Amao from Osibisa on percussion) and 'July Morning' (featuring Manfred Mann on Moog synthesiser). The album stands as an epic, true hard rock classic, up there with big albums by any comparable British rock giant from Sabbath to Zeppelin. Success in Germany had already opened up the European market and they had made major in-roads into the US. Now the UK belatedly came on board, giving the band their debut Top 40 album.
9. Paradise / The Spell
See note for CD 2, tracks 1 and 2.
10. Rock 'N Roll Medley (Live)
By 1973, Uriah Heep had become a major global band. Whilst, in the studio, the group were honing their music in ever more complex directions, their live performances were becoming almost legendary. A double live album, recorded at the Birmingham Odeon in January 1973, was released as living testimony. Lavishly packaged in a classic traditional gatefold LP sleeve with a hefty eight-page booklet, the record featured prime Heep cuts such as 'July Morning', 'Gypsy', 'Look At Yourself' and 'Rock 'N' Roll Medley', a staple part of the band’s live shows since their days as Spice. The inner sleeves were plastered with press cuttings, both good and bad. Selling over a million units, the album stuck up the proverbial finger to all of the band’s critics.
CD 2
1. The Wizard
2. Easy Livin
When drummer Lee Kerslake and bassist Gary Thain joined Uriah Heep, the band’s creative direction fell into place. The group's fourth opus, 'Demons And Wizards' (regarded by many fans as their best ever record), was proof enough of that “special relationship”. Whilst the majority of the material was thematically linked by tales of fantasy and imagination, the Heep seemed to have consciously entered the mystical world of prog rock, complete with a surrealist sleeve design featuring Roger Dean's inimitable graphics. That aside, 'Demons And Wizards' was a mighty fine collection of solid rock songs, throwing up several Heep classics, most notably the two singles, 'The Wizard' and 'Easy Livin'. The former showed the lighter side of the band without sacrificing their solid sound, while the latter was a rock 'n' roll dream, all pace and vigour, tailor-made for Byron's extrovert showmanship. The anthemic runaway punch of 'Easy Livin' dented charts worldwide and helped to give Uriah Heep their first truly international album success. In the UK 'Demons And Wizards' stayed in the charts for some eleven weeks, peaking at No.20.
3. The Magicians Birthday
With the lengthy title track as a highlight, Uriah Heep's fifth long-player, 'The Magician's Birthday', represented a natural follow-up to the awe-inspiring 'Demons And Wizards' (released just six months previously). Continuing the same fantastical, lyrical and instantly recognisable musical themes as its predecessor, it helped the band to establish themselves firmly in the US, UK and Europe.
4. Stealin
5. Sweet Freedom
With the world at their beck and call, Uriah Heep were now true rock 'n' roll stars. Striving to move forward (but primarily for tax purposes), manager Gerry Bron and the band broke from the established routine of recording at home, laying down the tracks for their 'Sweet Freedom' LP at Chateau d'Heronville in France. Continuing to consolidate their musical identity, 'Sweet Freedom' proved to be a solid rock album and another commercial success, hitting the UK Top 20. 'Stealin' (for many the highpoint of the record), although not an instant success at home, earned recognition internationally and became a massive global hit - a Uriah Heep classic that still features in the band's live shows today.
6. Wonderworld
Having enjoyed recording outside of England for the 'Sweet Freedom' album, Uriah Heep once again packed their bags and headed for Germany, entrenching themselves in Munich's Musicland studios in January 1974 for the recording of 'Wonderworld'. The resultant album, although well anticipated, wasn't as popular with the fans as some of their previous work, although the critics did give it credit for attempting something slightly different. The title track, 'Wonderworld', rates as one of Ken Hensley's best songs and features a brilliant performance by singer David Byron.
7. Return To Fantasy
Bassist Gary Thain's departure from Uriah Heep made major headline news in the British music press, but so too did the news of his esteemed successor, none other than ex-Family, King Crimson bass player John Wetton. When Wetton was rushed into the fold, his profile and presence had an immediate impact on the band's music. Their 1975 album, 'Return To Fantasy', represented a much improved Uriah Heep. The public voted with their hard-earned cash, making it the band's biggest selling album so far and a UK Top 10 entry.
8. Weep In Silence
By 1976, with manager and record company boss Gerry Bron committed to projects away from the band (including his Executive Express air-taxi service) Uriah Heep made the momentous decision to produce themselves with engineers Ashley Howe and Peter Gallen. The resultant album, 'High And Mighty', also brought together the Ken Hensley and John Wetton songwriting partnership, at its best on the poignant, 'Weep In Silence'. The launch for 'High And Mighty' was typical of the group's mid-‘70s approach to press and P.R. as the band flew a whole plane-load of journalists and industry people to the top of a Swiss mountain for a reception that no one would forget. It was typically excessive at a time when Uriah Heep personified extreme rock 'n' roll excess.
9. The Hanging Tree
Having fired long-time singer David Byron, a new record entitled 'Firefly', featuring new Heep vocalist John Lawton, emerged in the early part of 1977. It openly displayed a renewed creative effervescence and brazen energy in what was clearly a new beginning for the band. Keyboardist Ken Hensley had by now become the main creative musical force within the band, writing more and more of the songs, exemplified by 'The Hanging Tree', a co-write with American songsmith Jack Williams.
10. Free 'N' Easy
'Innocent Victim', Uriah Heep's second release to feature the remarkable talents of vocalist John Lawton, was a much heavier effort than its predecessors. It sold extremely well, especially in Germany, shifting well over a million copies and becoming Heep's biggest ever album there. Creatively, it flexed the band's muscles once more and even included a number of non-Hensley compositions, most notably the Lawton / Box-penned 'Free 'N' Easy'.
11. Think It Over
'Think lt Over' was originally conceived in 1980 during sessions following the band's 'Conquest' album when John Sloman briefly trod the boards as Heep's singer. Ear-marked as a possible single, it was destined not to find a home until 1982 when a re-recorded version found its way onto the group's comeback opus, 'Abominog', an album which confidently pulled Heep out of the prog rock excess of the Seventies and into the tight-stripped, image-conscious Eighties, both visually and musically. While the cover art guaranteed instant attention, the songs featured on 'Abominog' immediately won favour with the critics with some even declaring it the band's best ever record. It was a success in Europe and America with the accompanying videos gaining heavy rotation on MTV. Uriah Heep's return was crowned with a featured billing at the Castle Donington Monsters Of Rock Festival.
12. Rockarama
With a major label deal behind them and a stable “pin-up” 1980s-style hard rock line-up in tow, it seemed as if Uriah Heep could do no wrong. Produced by Tony Platt, the 'Equator' album proved to be a solid slice of commercial rock with the potential to sell extremely well. Focusing on epic, anthemic rock, especially on the album's lead cut, 'Rockarama', the album was wholeheartedly pitched to the American market.
Codec: mp3
Bitrate: 320 kB/s
Size: ca. 293 MB
Genre : Hard Rock
2000mustangs
Tracklist:
CD 1
01. Gypsy 6.39
02. Come Away Melinda 3.48
03. Wake Up (Set Your Sights) 6.23
04. Here Am I (Alternative Mix) 8.12
05. Time To Live 4.01
06. Lady In Black 4.43
07. July Morning 10.30
08. Look At Yourself 5.09
09. Paradise / The Spell 12.41
10. Rock 'N' Roll Medley 8.25
CD 2
01. The Wizard 3.00
02. Easy Livin' 2.36
03. The Magician's Birthday 10.20
04. Stealin' 4.50
05. Sweet Freedom 6.29
06. Wonderworld 4.30
07. Return To Fantasy 5.50
08. Weep In Silence 5.06
09. The Hanging Tree 3.41
10. Free 'N' Easy 3.05
11. Think It Over 3.32
12. Rockarama 4.30
