Running Blind mixes
Friday 26 October, The Prodigal Son............ by Martin Darvill
Over 25 years after mixing the classic Uriah Heep "Live 1973" album and the 2nd solo album, Ken returned to Lansdowne Road Studios, where 6 UH studio albums had also been lovingly nurtured.
Nostalgia reigned for the duration of the mixing of 2 bonus tracks for "Running Blind". These songs had been recorded at Liscombe on Wednesday and Thursday with Dave Kilminster on fingers, Dave Wagstaffe on sticks and Andy Pyle on bass fingers. KH of course on lead vox, sundry guitars and the alphanumeric B3. DK added some backing vocals, the only non-Ken BVs on the album.
Anyway, back to the nostalgia... Having lovingly embraced the tree of life that apparently looked the same after all these years, we went down to the control room and all the memories came flooding back.
Until, that is, that Ken let it slip that he wished he could remember exactly what had gone on in those days.
(I was still at school. If there's anybody out there who can tell us what did go on, there's a signed "RB" for the best recollection)
Seriously, though, it was clearly an emotional return. "Very 'Eavy, Very 'Umble" was recorded on an 8 track in what is now a broom cupboard, the following albums were recorded in the current control room, looking down upon the live room. Ken explained how he and David B would construct layer upon layer of the orchestral vocal arrangements that Heep pioneered within their genre. "I've lost count of the times I've been up and down those stairs". The Uriah Heep fade shifter was invented in this very room, but that's one for an interview.
More nostalgia, the front door came off its hinges, and a parking ticket had been applied to the car!!!!!
So, it's Abbey Road on Monday to master the 4 bonus songs and more nostalgia no doubt.
And then we're right back to the 21st century and the frantic activity leading to the release, scheduled for December.
October 26th 2001
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Ken Hensley in Lansdowne Road Studios