Uriah Heep I (Autumn
1969-January 1970)
David
Bryon- vocals
Mick
Box- guitar
Paul
Newton- bass
Alex
Napier- drums
Ken
Hensley- keyboards
Albums
Very
‘Eavy…Very ‘Umble (1970) *titled Uriah Heep in the US
Notes: Uriah Heep
formed in 1969. Byron and Box, along with Newton and Napier, were in a band
called Spice. When former Toe Fat keyboardist Ken Hensley joined, the band’s
manager suggested they change their name to Uriah Heep. The name came from the
character of the same name in Charles Dickens’ classic novel David
Copperfield. Prior to the release of their debut, Napier left the band.
Uriah Heep II (January-February
1970)
David
Bryon- vocals
Mick
Box- guitar
Paul
Newton- bass
Nigel
Olsson- drums
Ken
Hensley- keyboards
Notes: Byron’s friend,
Elton John, suggested they hire his drummer Nigel Olsson. Olsson was able to
complete the work Napier left unfinished. With that, the Very
‘Eavy…Very ‘Umble was released. However, Olsson wouldn’t last for
long. He left a month later to rejoin Elton John.
Uriah Heep III (February-October
1970)
David
Bryon- vocals
Mick
Box- guitar
Paul
Newton- bass
Keith
Baker- drums
Ken
Hensley- keyboards
Albums
Salisbury
(1971)
Notes: Keith
Baker replaced Olsson and joined in time for the recording of Salisbury.
The album would feature songs such as “Lady in Black” (which later became a
huge hit in Germany in 1977) and the sixteen minute epic self-titled track,
complete with strings and horns. Baker left the band soon after.
Uriah Heep IV (October
1970-November 1971)
David
Bryon- vocals
Mick
Box- guitar
Paul
Newton- bass
Iain
Clarke- drums
Ken
Hensley- keyboards
Albums
Look
At Yourself (1971)
Notes: Iain
Clarke joined the band to replace Baker. With their fourth drummer, the band
recorded Look at Yourself. Compared to the first two albums, it
seemed as if Heep had found their sound with this album. Songs like the
self-titled track, “July Morning”, “Tears in My Eyes”, and “Love Machine” are
highly regarded as some of the band’s best material. Like the drummers before
him, Clarke left the band. Not only did Clarke leave but original member Newton
left as well.
Uriah Heep V (November
1971-February 1972)
David
Byron- vocals
Mick
Box- guitar
Mark
Clark- bass
Lee
Kerslake- drums
Ken
Hensley- keyboards
Notes: Mark Clark
replaced Newton on bass and Hensley’s Toe Fat/The Gods former band mate Lee
Kerslake joined as the new drummer. The line up ends after Clark left the band.
Uriah Heep VI (February
1972- February 1975)
David
Byron- vocals
Mick
Box- guitar
Gary
Thain- bass
Lee
Kerslake- drums
Ken
Hensley- keyboards
Albums
Demons
and Wizards (1972)
The
Magician’s Birthday (1972)
Sweet
Freedom (1973)
Wonderworld
(1974)
Notes: When New
Zealand born bassist Gary Thain joined in 1972, the band was set. Many
Heepsters alike would agree that this was the band’s classic line-up, as they were
at their peak during this period. Demons and Wizards is
sometimes called the band’s best album. It had hits such as “The Wizard” and
“Easy Livin’.” The latter managed to crack the US charts. The band would appear
again on the US charts with 1973’s “Stealin’.” The line-up ended when the band
fired Thain due to his drug addiction.
Gary
Thain would later die in December 1977 from a heroin overdose.
Uriah Heep VII (March
1975-August 1976)
David
Byron- vocals
Mick
Box- guitar
John
Wetton- bass
Lee
Kerslake- drums
Ken
Hensley- keyboards
Albums
Return
To Fantasy (1975)
High
And Mighty (1976)
Notes: Bassist John
Wetton, fresh out of King Crimson, took Gary Thain’s place. Return to
Fantasy was a “return to form” type of album for the band. However, High
and Mighty wasn’t so lucky: it flopped badly. At the same time,
Byron’s behavior was becoming difficult to put up with. In 1976, David Byron
was fired. John Wetton announced this departure from the band soon after.
David
Byron later died in February 1985 from a heart attack due to his drinking
problem.
John
Wetton would go on to form two super groups: UK and Asia. It was with Asia that
Wetton was able to achieve commercial success. Wetton would continue to perform
until his death in January 2017 to cancer.
Uriah Heep VIII
(September 1976-October 1979)
John
Lawton- vocals
Mick
Box- guitar
Trevor
Bolder- bass
Lee
Kerslake- drums
Ken
Hensley- keyboards
Albums
Firefly
(1977)
Innocent
Victim (1977)
Fallen
Angel (1978)
Notes: Lucifer’s
Friend singer John Lawton became the band’s new lead singer while former David
Bowie bassist Trevor Bolder became the new bassist. This line-up released three
studio albums, all of which were mildly successful. A fourth album was also
recorded but remains unreleased since the band were unhappy with it. The
recordings, however, are widely bootlegged (Ten
Miles High). The band found hits with “Wise Man” and “Free Me.” Lawton was
fired either due to tensions between him and Hensley. Kerslake also left the
band after disagreements with the band’s management.
Uriah Heep IX (November
1979-May 1980)
John
Sloman- vocals
Mick
Box- guitar
Trevor
Bolder- bass
Chris
Slade- drums
Ken
Hensley- keyboards
Albums
Conquest
(1980)
Notes: John
Sloman replaced Lawton and Chris Slade replaced Kerslake. The line-up
released Conquest in 1980 to poor reviews. With Conquest, some of the songs were written
before Sloman joined the band. With the songs originally written for John
Lawton to sing, Sloman’s vocal performance on the album is weak. During the
tour, Hensley wasn’t too happy with Sloman. He had nothing against Sloman but
Hensley had opposed to hire him in the first place- most likely due to Sloman’s
vocals style. With bad management at the same time, Ken Hensley left Uriah
Heep. This left Mick Box as the only original member.
Uriah Heep X (July
1980-April 1981)
John
Sloman- vocals
Mick
Box- guitar
Trevor
Bolder- bass
Chris
Slade- drums
Gregg
Dechert- keyboards
Notes: Gregg
Dechert had the very difficult task in replacing Hensley. This line-up only
released a single called “Think It Over” (which was later re-recorded by a
different line-up in 1982). The line-up came to an end after Sloman announced
his departure from the band. Slade and Dechert soon followed. Box and Bolder
tried to see if David Byron was interested in rejoining the band but Byron
declined. Bolder left and joined Wishbone Ash. With Mick Box the last man
standing, the band were left in limbo.
Hiatus (April
1981-January 1982)
Uriah Heep XI (January
1982-April 1983)
Peter
Goalby- vocals
Mick
Box- guitar
Bob
Daisley- bass
Lee
Kerslake- drums
John
Sinclair- keyboards
Albums
Abominog
(1982)
Head
First (1983)
Notes: Box was
able to recruit Kerslake, who had just been fired from Ozzy Osbourne’s solo
band with bassist Daisley. With Sinclair and former Trapeze singer Goalby, Heep
was reborn. Abominog was released in 1982 and renewed interest
in the band thanks to the MTV friendly video for “That’s The Way That it Is.”
After Head First in 1983, Daisley left.
Uriah Heep XII (May
1983-November 1985)
Peter
Goalby- vocals
Mick
Box- guitar
Trevor
Bolder- bass
Lee
Kerslake- drums
John
Sinclair- keyboards
Albums
Equator
(1984)
Notes: Bolder
rejoined the band in 1983. The line-up ends after both Goalby and Sinclair
leave the band.
Uriah Heep XIII
(July-September 1986)
Steff
Fontain- vocals
Mick
Box- guitar
Trevor
Bolder- bass
Lee
Kerslake- drums
Phil
Lanzon- keyboards
Notes: Phil Lanzon
joined as the new keyboardist while Steff Fontain became Heep’s new lead
singer. Things didn’t work out with Fontain and after only months in the band,
he was dismissed.
Uriah Heep XIV (July
1986- January 2007)
Bernie
Shaw- vocals
Mick
Box- guitar
Trevor
Bolder- bass
Lee
Kerslake- drums
Phil
Lanzon- keyboards
Albums
Raging
Silence (1989)
Different
World (1991)
Sea
Of Light (1995)
Sonic
Origami (1998)
Notes: Bernie
Shaw joined as the band’s sixth lead singer. To date, this is the longest lasting
line-up in Uriah Heep’s career. The band released a number of studio albums and
toured frequently. In 2007, Kerslake left due to his health.
Uriah Heep XV (January
2007-June 2013)
Bernie
Shaw- vocals
Mick
Box- guitar
Trevor
Bolder- bass
Russell
Gilbrook- drums
Phil
Lanzon- keyboards
Albums
Wake
The Sleeper (2008)
Celebration
(2009, an album of re-recordings)
Into
the Wild (2011)
Notes: Drummer
Russell Gilbrook replaced Kerslake in 2007. The following year, the band
released Wake the Sleeper- their first album in ten years. In late
2012, Trevor Bolder stepped out of the band. It was later revealed Bolder had
been diagnosed with cancer, which forced him to take leave from the band. The
band continued with temporary players filling in for Bolder.
Sadly
on May 21, 2013, Trevor Bolder passed away.
Uriah Heep XVI (June
2013-present)
Bernie
Shaw- vocals
Mick
Box- guitar
Davey
Rimmer- bass
Russell
Gilbrook- drums
Phil
Lanzon- keyboards
Albums
Outsider
(2014)
Living
the Dream (2018)
