- Keith Baker -- drums (replaced Nigel Olsson) (1970)

- Trevor Boulder -- bass (replaced John Wetton) (1976-82,

  and  83)

- Mick Box -- lead guitar, vocals (1969-)

- David Byron (RIP 1985) -- lead vocals (1969-76)

- Iain Clark -- drums, percussion (replaced Keith Baker)

  (1970-71)

- Mark Clarke -- bass (replaced Paul Newton) (1971-72)

- Bob Daisley -- bass (replaced ) (1982-83)

- Greg Dechert -- keyboards (replaced Ken Hensley)

  (1980-81)

- Steff Fontaine -- vocals (replaced Peter Goalby (1985-86)

- Russell Gilbrook -- drums (replaced Lee Kerslake) (2007-)

- Peter Goalby -- vocals (replaced John Sloman) (1982-85)

- Ken Hensley -- vocals, keyboards, guitar (1969-80)

- Phil Lanzon -- keyboards (replaced John Sinclair) (1985-)

- John Lawton -- vocals (replaced David Byron) (1976-79)

- Lee Kerslake -- drums, vocals (replaced Iain Clark)

  (1971-79, and 82-07)

- Alex Nanpier -- drums, percussion (1969-70)

- Paul Newton -- vocals, bass (1969-)

- Nigel Olsson -- drums, percussion (replaced Alex Napier)

  (1970)

- Bernie Shaw -- vocals (replaced Steff Fontaine) (1986)

- John Sinclair -- keyboards (replaced Greg Dechart)

  (1982-85)

- Chris Slade -- drums (replaced Lee Keslake) (1979)

- John Sloman -- vocals (replaced John Lawton) (1979-82)

- Gary Thain -- bass (replaced Mark Clarke) (1972-75)

- John Wetton -- bass (replaced Gary Thain) (1975-76)

- Blackfoot (Ken Hensley)

- David Byron (solo efforts)

- Cressida (Iain Clark)

- Ken Hensley (solo efforts)

- John Lawton (solo efforts)

- Lucifer's Friend (John Lawton)

- Nigel Olsson (solo efforts)

- Spice

Genre: rock

Rating: *** (3 stars)

Title:  Very 'eavy, Very 'umble

Company: Bronze

Catalog: BRNA-142

Year: 1970

Country/State: UK

Grade (cover/record): VG/VG

Comments: UK pressing; gatefold sleeve; JEM sticker on front cover

Available: 1

GEMM catalog ID: 4454

Price: $20.00

Cost: $66.00

The Heep's always interested me, in part due to the near universal abuse heaped (ha) on them by critics.  To be perfectly honest these guys may not have been the most original hard rockers around, but by the same token I can think of half a dozen critics favorites who had less talent.

First let me make sure you know this is a copy of the band's British debut which differs from the American debut (which was released as the cleverly titled "Uriah Heep" (the name copped from a character in Charles Dickens' "Oliver Twist"). The UK and US issues have different covers and feature a minor change in the track listing - 'Bird of Prey' substituted on the US pressing for 'Lucy Blues' found on the UK issue.  Produced by David Bron, 1970's "Very 'eavy, Very 'umble" is surprisingly diverse; the band clearly still trying to find a unique sound with a mix of hard rock, blues, and progressive moves.  Among the most impressive examples of their stylistic hybrids are bassist Newton's "Dreammare" and the epic 'I'll Keep On Trying'.  Sure, the longstanding comparisons with Black Sabbath are apt (to a point) in the form of rockers such as the lead off cruncher 'Gypsy' and 'Walking In Your Shadow'.  That said, it's hard to image Ozzy and company daring to record a pretty ballad such as 'Come Away Melinda'.  One of my favorite Heep albums, though 'Bird of Prey' is a better song than the plodding bluesy 'Lucy Blues'.

"Very 'eavy, Very 'umble" track listing:

(side 1)

1.) Gypsy   (Mick Box - David Byron) - 6:38

2.) Walking In Your Shadow   (David Byron - Paul Newton) - 4:30

3.) Come Away Melinda   (Hellerman - Minkoff) - 3:48

4.) Lucy Blues   (Mick Box - David Byron) - 5:08

(side 2)

1.) Dreammare   (Paul Newton) - 4:37

2.) Real Turned On   (Mick Box - David Byron - Paul Newton) - 3:39

3.) I'll Keep On Trying   (Mick Box - David Byron) - 5:27

4.) Wake Up (Set Your Sights)   (Mick Box - David Byron) - 6:20

Here's a YouTube clip of the band doing 'Gypsy': Maybe it's just me, but every time I see it I have Spinal Tap flashbacks ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wgOz8iweLc

Genre: rock

Rating: *** (3 stars)

Title:  Innocent Victim

Company: Warner Brothers

Catalog: BSK-3142

Year: 1977

Country/State: UK

Grade (cover/record): VG/VG

Comments: small cut out notch along top seam

Available: 1

GEMM catalog ID: 4793

Price: $9.00

Cost: $0.50

Heep fans will dump all over me for saying this, but to my ears most of 1977's "Innocent Victim" comes off as competent, if largely anonymous AOR.  (Not exactly a great way to sell you this album ...)  The second album to feature vocalist John Lawton, the set also finds the band shifting towards a heavier reliance of Mick Box's guitar.  Co-produced by Hensley and Gary Bron, the set's certainly commercial with tracks like 'Flyin' High', 'Free 'n' Easy' and 'Roller' offering up a mix of metal moves and commercial touches that should have guaranteed massive airplay (though that didn't happen).  Part of the problem may be that the band simply sounds like they're trying a tad too hard to please everyone.  Never the most original rock entity out there, those isolated shards of originality are all but gone.  That may be the reason that the handful of more experimental efforts such as the dreamy 'Illusion' (which sounds like it was cut halfway through the track) and the reggae-influenced 'The Dance' actually make the biggest impression.  Heep fans like this one quite a bit, but for the rest of you ...   Elsewhere Warner Brothers tapped the lame country-rock-ish ballad 'Free Me' b/w 'Masquerade' as a single (Warner Brothers catalog number WBS-8581).  (The UK pressing sports different cover art, but the same track listing.)

"Innocent Victim" track listing:

(side 1)

1.) Keep On Ridin'   (Ken Hensley - Williams) - 

2.) Flyin' High  (Ken Hensley) - 

3.) Roller  (Trevor Bolder - McDonald) - 

4.) Free 'n' Easy   (John Lawton - Mick Box) - 

5.) Illusion  (Ken Hensley) - 

(side 2)

1.) Free Me  (Ken Hensley) - 

2.) Cheat 'n' Lie  (Ken Hensley) - 

3.) The Dance   (Williams) - 

4.) Choices   (Williams) - 

Here's a hysterical clip of the band performing 'Free Me' for German television.  Lawton must cringe when he sees the eye shadow and the vinyl outfit:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Spd9CbidW0M

Genre: rock

Rating: *** (3 stars)

Title:  Fallen Angel

Company: Chrysalis

Catalog: CHR-1204

Year: 1978

Country/State: UK

Grade (cover/record): VG / VG

Comments: cut lower right corner; original inner sleeve

Available: 1

GEMM catalog ID: 5185

Price: $10.00

Having ended their long standing partnership with Warner Brothers, 1978's "Fallen Angel" found the band signed to Chrysalis Records.  Co-produced by Gerry Bron and Ken Hensley, the album found the group having all but run out of creativity and enthusiasm.  Sure, these guys were professional enough to ensure the performances  were technically proficient, but material such as 'Falling In Love', 'I'm Alive and ''Come Back To me sounded like it had been written by a committee as they dissected the day's top-40 and AOR charts.  Yeah it may have been more radio friendly than their earlier work, but that tradeoff merely robbed them of whatever shred of originality they'd managed to hold on to over the earlier eleven albums.  Echoes of every then-charting AOR band ran through the set, giving it a kind of fun 'guess the source' feel ...  ah touch of Bad Company; Def Leppard riff; Queen harmony, etc.  With the possible exception of Hensley's retro-esque 'One More Night (Last Farewell)' and 'Woman of the Night', none of these ten tracks reflected the slightest degree of energy, enthusiasm, or originality.  Perhaps a reflection of Chris Achilleos' fantasy cover (boobs always sell well to young male audiences), the album actually managed to hit the US charts, peaking at # 186.  Chrysalis also tapped the album for a single in the form of the ballad 'Come Back To Me' b/w 'Cheater' (Chrysalis catalog number CHS-2224).

back cover of US issue LP

"Fallen Angel" track listing:

(side 1)

1.) One More Night (Last Farewell)   (Ken Hensley) - 

2.) Falling In Love   (Ken Hensley) - 

3.) Woman of the Night   (Mick Box - John Lawton - Lee Kerslake) - 

4.) I'm Alive   (John Lawton) - 

5.) Come Back To Me   (Lee Kerslake - Ken Hensley) - 

(side 2)

1.) Whad'ya Say  (Ken Hensley) - 

2.) Save It   (Trevor Bolder - McDonald) - 

3.) Love or Nothing  (Ken Hensley) - 

4.) Put Your Lovin' On Me   (John Lawton) - 

5.) Fallen Angel  (Ken Hensley) - 

There's tons of Uriah Heep material on YouTube.  Here's a clip of the band doing 'Come Back To Me':

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apOBGxSC8ZU