Firefly

Firefly was Uriah Heep's tenth studio album excluding compilations. Released in early 1977 it was the first of three studio albums to include both vocalist John Lawton and bassist Trevor Bolder. Lawton was formerly with the heavy German band Lucifer's Friend, and sometimes singer with the Les Humphries Singers (a fact that seemed to delight and amuse the music press of the day somewhat). Lawton had (and still has) an outstanding voice, and it is this period of the band that many fans, particularly in Germany, rate the best years of the band's career. Trevor Bolder joined as bassist in Autumn 1976 after the departure of John Wetton. Formerly of (David Bowie's) Spiders From Mars, Bolder was to bring stability to the bass playing position. In fact, apart from a short period in the early eighties (and one album where he ran off to join Wishbone Ash), Bolder has been in the band ever since. Over 20 years in fact!

Uriah Heep in early 1976 were a band in disarray. To the public they were a highly successful band. To their record company, Bronze, they were the most important money-earning component of the Bronze Records empire. The band themselves had lots of internal conflict that ended in the departure of John Wetton from the bass playing position and the sacking of founder member and lead vocalist David Byron. This was a very difficult decision to make as Byron had been a key player in the identity and success of the band. Byron, however, was not coping with the excesses of the rock and roll lifestyle very well, and this was becoming detrimental to the professionalism and functionality of the band.

With the band down to four after losing someone who many people considered to be an irreplaceable frontman, the future of the band was in a precarious state to say the least. Wetton left promptly. Now down to a nucleus of Mick Box, Ken Hensley and Lee Kerslake, the band had some serious decisions to make. Common sense (for the fans anyway) prevailed, and moves were made to recruit a new lead singer and a new bass player.

Recording of a new album commenced rapidly after the addition of Bolder and Lawton into the fold. Demos of new songs were tried and tested in rehearsals and then formal recording commenced at Gerry Bron's Roundhouse Studios in the latter part of 1976. The album was ready for release in February 1977, and to some was far more of a Heep album than its predecessor High and Mighty. The press gave relatively good reviews of the album and these were appearing as the band embarked on a tour of the US supporting Kiss. The band then returned to Europe to play a headlining tour. The band was a different animal, but the energy of the old days was back.

Despite all the positive signs on the release of Firefly, it was the first Uriah Heep album for five years that failed to chart in the UK. Firefly has retrospectively proved to be a milestone album for the band. It returned to the melodic but hard rock of the big-time Heep albums, and was graced with a cover that wasn't dissimilar to the Roger Dean fantasy covers of Demons and Wizards and The Magician's Birthday. It remains today as probably the most underrated of the band's albums. Of the Lawton-era albums, Firefly remains my favorite.

Remastered in April 1997 over 20 years after its release, the album now includes Crime Of Passion - the original B-side for the Wise Man single; a demo version of Do You Know; an alternate mix of A Far Better Way (a session out-take); and a TV backing track version of Wise Man. Enjoy!

Crime Of Passion - Originally the B-side to the single of Wise Man, Crime Of Passion didn't get a release on CD until Sequel Records' Rarities From The Bronze Age. The track was recorded during the Firefly album sessions and kept back for a B-side. An excellent almost funky tune that features some superb off beat drumming by Lee Kerslake.

Do You Know - Previously unreleased version. This version is the original demo recorded in the latter part of 1976. It is an interesting alternate take as it shows the development a song that finally made the album.

A Far Better Way - Previously unreleased version. The track was also recorded during the Firefly sessions but never made the album. A rough mix of this was done during the recording of the album. The song was first released on the Time Of Revelation box set in 1996. This version is slightly different, however.

Wise Man - TV backing track. Previously unreleased mix. This version was originally used during an advertising campaign.

© 1997 Robert M. Corich

Content Copyright © 1997 Jay Pearson

LinkExchange Member

Free Home Pages at GeoCities