Uriah Heep

[Rocker4Real]

I see this band in a lot of 70s compilations. They seemed to have disappeared in the 80s. Don't remember any of their songs or videos. What happened? Any fans here?

[LAglamrocker]

Overhype- band sucks
Saw version for free at Key Club
Godawful- fans were worse-place was packed with dumbass burnouts

[Love_Industry]

They went through a lot of band members, declined commercially and eventually lost their record deal. They used to headline arenas but by 1987 they were reduced to opening for a half forgotten Meat Loaf.

Saw them at a festival in 1994 and they felt old already back then. Deep Purple headlined and felt much more vital. Already back then they had only one original member, Lee Kerslake was with them what seemed like forever but they had three albums out before he joined, and he was also out for 1,5 year playing with Ozzy on the Blizzard of Ozz album and part of the tour.

Far from a favorite band but they have some good songs. I like their early 80s album, Abominog which is almost AOR with a lot of (less known) covers.

[LeeRatbag]

Saw them in March opening for Judas Priest. Good show, but their sound hasn't changed a bit since the early 70s. Only one original member left, but after 50+ years that's not unusual.

[HoldenSSV]

I like the songs "That's The Way That It Is" and "Stay On Top", which have more of an 80s sound.

[Turner Coates]

I see this band in a lot of 70s compilations. They seemed to have disappeared in the 80s. Don't remember any of their songs or videos. What happened? Any fans here?

I stage managed a Heep gig for a promoter. We rented a brand new ebony grand piano for it. Keyboardist Ken Hensley placed his lit cigarettes on it, and ruined several keys. The music store it was rented from was furious. For a few years after that, local vendors wouldn't rent grand pianos for rock shows. Many acts who had a grand piano in their riders had to settle for uprights and spinets.

In the 80s, Ken moved to the Dallas area.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ken_Hensley
In 1982, Hensley joined Blackfoot, a hard rock Florida-based band.[2] With them, he recorded two albums (1983's Siogo and 1984's Vertical Smiles).[2] Although the group achieved some success, Hensley left after Bron informed him of Heep vocalist David Byron's death in 1985.

[jens]

If you like Deep Purple you'll like Heep.

Look At Yourself is a great album, the title track my favourite of theirs.

[Demon Kogure]

One thing that made Heep different was a focus on harmony vocals; most of the band sang backup, at a time when Zeppelin/Purple/Sabbath didn't even bother. They never had a great lead singer (though Goalby was pretty good), and the material was hit-or-miss, especially when Hensley's ego took over. But I like 'em; lots of great stuff in 25 studio albums if you listen

[Love_Industry]

If you like Deep Purple you'll like Heep.

In a way that makes sense but also Heep are to Purple what Quiet Riot is to Van Halen.

[Turner Coates]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsXTqjGkzLk

[MotleyKaos]

"The Wizard"
"Easy Livin'"
"Stealin'"

I feel like there's one I really like that I'm forgetting so maybe I'll remember later. WASP's cover of "Easy Livin'" is solid.

[mullet_head]

I like them just fine, but they're my least favourite of the dad metal big 4 (Purple, Zep, Sabbath, Heep).

[whammybar]

Big slabs of power chords with Lee Kerslake magic on the drums. David Byron was one of the more underrated singers in hard rock. They certainly had their own style but it didn't lend itself to holding up over time.

Here's one of my favorites from the live album where Hensley steps down from the keys to play slide guitar...

https://youtu.be/-LONp0gJDzM?si=ivRZ2szyHUNrr0Qs

[inextrem]

Great band.
Listen to the "Demons & Wizards" and "The Magician's Birthday" albums.

[RaceFan3]

Live January '73 is a great record. Pretty much the only 'Heep you need.

[AlexVonHaig]

A hammond B3 organ does at least 2 things.

Makes every band sound better

Makes every song sound like the 70s

[jens]

If you like Deep Purple you'll like Heep.

In a way that makes sense but also Heep are to Purple what Quiet Riot is to Van Halen.

I see your point, but the gap it muuuuuuuuuuuuuuch bigger with QR and VH.

[Tommy2Tone84]

If you like Deep Purple you'll like Heep.

In a way that makes sense but also Heep are to Purple what Quiet Riot is to Van Halen.

I see your point, but the gap it muuuuuuuuuuuuuuch bigger with QR and VH.

I think so. I always thought the Heep were bigger than QR. Doesn’t matter. They had July Morning and Stealin. QR didn’t. So many would use July Morning as a blue print in the 70s and 80s. Like someone else said, they had two and three part harmonies where most of the rock and metal bands at the time did not. Vanilla Fudge is the only one I can think of. They also had Lee Kerslake and later, Bob Daisley. Lee is so underrated.