Firefly

John Lawton told me, "Firefly was the first of my Heep recordings and possibly the best."

Jari Perko (Turku, Finland) writes "I don't know how to put it kindly...but I think Firefly is a highly overrated Heep record in every sense. I remember back in the seventies: no matter how hard I tried to like it, the whole concept was soon doomed to be in vain. First of all - the thing that annoys the most is Hensley's horrible must to write a poppy hit single. Secondly - with John Lawton in the band, even though he undoubtedly has a great voice, I couldn't accept his image and his interpretation of the songs. The Hanging Tree is the best song, and the next tune, Been Away Too Long is interesting quite a bit, but anyways the album is boring and merely a sheer try to assure Heepsters that even Byron left they have everything under control. So don't you try to convince me that Firefly is Heep at its best. Ha! Get a grip!"

Mauricio Cury (Campinas, SP - Brazil) writes "I´ve been starting to like Uriah Heep since Demons and Wizard but it´s gone with Firefly that I saw the quality and skill of Uriah Heep. Never had admitted the real value of Uriah Heep. His music is liked in Brazil and called of the "Musica arroz com feijão (Music rice with bean)" or "Simple Song" but beautiful."

Colin Jarrett (Canterbury, Kent, England) writes "FIREFLY. My first taste of Heep at the tender age of 12. Years after its original release. I had just started to play in a band and HEEP blew my mind. This particular album (I now own them all) has formed the soundtrack to a large part of my life. Sympathy, for me, is the best track. Firefly is such a well-balanced, experimental, yet still traditional record and though I have since started listening to more extereme bands such as Pantera, Machine Head and Metallica I am constantly returning to Heeps music for inspiration."

Roger Gößmann (Schweinfurt, Germany) writes "My favourite Heep Album is FIREFLY. I remember very well, the first time I've listened the CD. I was very impressed by the phenomenal voice of John Lawton. I couldn't believe what I heard, because I thought no one could replace David Byron (to me one of the greatest vocalists in rock). There was also a change in the direction of the musical approch. The songs are so well recorded and I like the mix. Strong songwriting, very good performances by every musician. After having heard this one I bought every album with JOHN LAWTON on it! There is no weak album with him. OK they are very comercial because of the excellent vocal melodies and the arrangements in the songs. Ken Hensley is a genius to me. One of the greatest songwriters in the world! The other thing that has impressed me very much is the big output of songs in the HENSLEY-Years. Not only fillers, just good songs. I wished LAWTON hadn't left HEEP after FALLEN ANGEL and had done the vocals on CONQUEST."

Brad Duren (Oklahoma, US) writes "A masterpiece. Not a weak song on it. Lawton shines, and The Hanging Tree is another one of my all-time faves. Only complaint... the mix sounds too compressed. I am still waiting to receive my remaster, so I don't know if it has been remedied. Still... one of the classic Heep albums. Far Better Way should have been on it though."

Keehoe (Singapore) writes, "Firefly is my favourite UH Mark II recording. Unfortunately, the recording is one of the worst. I was disappointed even with the Vinyl version. I hope the remastered one would do more justification to this great rock record!!"

Lannis Ethridge (Rockingham, NC) writes, "I also think Firefly is a great album, maybe my favorite. When I first got it, I liked the song Firefly so much that I recorded it on a 30 minute tape over and over until it filled the tape. Then I listened to it over and over. I've heard it a lot of times. I still like it."

Todd Pence (Fairfield, VA) writes, "As they would do frequently throughout their career, Heep update their sound. This time it is adapting a bluesier, more guitar-oriented sound to better accomodate new vocalist John Lawton. Although the playing is somewhat more uncertain than it has been in a while, this is probably the best of the three Lawton albums because of the strength of the songwriting. More of a ballad album, the only two real rockers here are Who Needs Me and Do You Know, neither of which are of any great merit. Title track and Wise Man are up there with the best, however."

Content Copyright © 1997 Jay Pearson

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