’eavy Heep

Press, 26 April 1984, Page 18

’eavy Heep

Uriah Heep are on the comeback trail. From 1969, when the band was known as Spice, before changing its name to Uriah Heep in 1970, the band has been noted for its heavy metal music. But after some sackings in 1981, the band went through a difficult period. A critic once wrote about Uriah Heep: “If this group makes it, I’ll have to commit suicide.”

But the group, who are meant to be performing in the Christchurch Town Hall auditorium this evening, are still playing and have released a new album, “Head First,” to coincide with the world tour.

Although the name remains the same, taken from a detestable sneak in Charles Dickens’ “David Copperfield,” who maintained he was ’umble, the

line-up over the years has changed. In fact, of the original six members (counting the two drummers on the 1970 album, “Very ’eavy, very ’umble,” only the founder and lead guitarist, Mick Box, is left. Besides Box, the latest members of Uriah Heep are Pete Goalby (vocals), Lee Kerslake (drums), Trevor Bolder (bass), and John Sinclair (keyboards). Kerslake helped Ozzy Osbourne, another heavy metal guitarist, to form the Blizzard of Oz, and Trevor Bolder worked with David Bowie on “The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust” and “Aladdin Sane.”

Trevor Bolder left Heep in 1981 to join Wishbone Ash, but rejoined in 1983, and the band released “Abominog,” which received good reviews.