Huriah Heep

Uriah Heep's by-the-books progressive heavy metal made the British band one of the most popular hard rock groups of the early '70s. Formed by vocalist David Byron and guitarist Mick Box in the late '60s, the group went through an astonishing number of members over the next two decades – nearly 30 different musicians passed through the band over the years…

Ah, perhaps there's truth in advertising after all, since The Best of Uriah Heep really is a "best of." Nothing less than a musical Juggernaut, this compilation delivers wave after wave of heavy molten rock that will either forge your fealty or send you fleeing. At their most menacing ("Gypsy," "Bird of Prey"), Heep rides relentlessly alongside the horsemen of the apocalypse, Black Sabbath and Van Der Graaf Generator. What the band lacks in artful studio execution they make up for in sheer force, from Ken Hensley's towering organ to Mick Box's distortion-drenched guitar. Perhaps because of frequent personnel changes (chronicled in a multicolored chart on the disc sleeve that would give Ross Perot a headache), Uriah Heep never developed the consistent sound of other heavy metal acts.

… Very 'Eavy … Very 'Umble is the debut album of British rock band Uriah Heep. It was released in the United States as Uriah Heep with different sleeve artwork, and with "Bird of Prey" in place of "Lucy Blues." The album is notable for being rooted more in raunchy blues rock than the band's subsequent albums, a sound that would evolve into straighter hard rock on later releases.

This is a stunning film of Uriah Heep live in concert before a capacity audience at the Astoria Theatre in London on November 8, 2003. Special guest appearance by former Heep vocalist John Lawton and Heather Findlay of Mostly Autumn. Includes 18 songs. Captured live in concert, MAGIC NIGHT sees Uriah Heep working their way through a selection of popular material. Recorded on November 8, 2003, this show was filmed in London at the Astoria Theatre. As a bonus, a guest appearance is made by former vocalist John Lawton, adding a real sense of history to the occasion.

Uriah Heep were the first western rock band to perform live in Russia. There had been previous visits by pop artists such as Billy Joel, and Cliff Richard (the great Sir Clifford, for it is he), but not by a rock band. The band undertook a series of gigs in December 1987 in the Olympiskij Stadium in Moscow playing to 180,000 people over 10 consecutive nights…