Uriah Heep - The Wizard

Uriah Heep is many things. They are a largely forgotten progressive rock band from the greatest era of music ever (the sixties and seventies). They are an endearing band that has existed for over forty years, thank you Mic Box for keeping the dream alive. They are a fun band that frequently visited themes of fantasy and science fiction. Also Uriah Heep is a prime example of what the seventies were. While largely forgotten in time, Uriah Heep did enjoy a splash of success in the early days of their career and part of it probably had something to do with just how well they fit in with the peace and love movement.

There are few things more relaxing and easy going then mellow hippie music, and some of Uriah Heep’s early tracks fit that moniker well, perhaps most notably “The Wizard.” Like many early Uriah Heep songs “The Wizard” is very simple, all you need to play it is the C, D, and G on a string guitar. In fact “The Wizard” is one of the few songs I learned to play adequately well, and I am but a dabbler.

This ties in directly to what I would consider the two culture primary points of a song like “The Wizard.” There is the obvious fantasy theme, which I love and there is also the overlap of the seventies hippie moment present throughout.

The music video is soooooo nineteen seventies:

Everyone seems so happy in that video.

The first instinct most people is to assume anything about a kindly old wizard is based off of Gandalf or possibly Merlin, I do not feel Uriah Heep is singing about any such specific individual in “The Wizard.” As described in the second verse;

“He had a cloak of gold and eyes of fire,
And as he spoke I felt a deep desire,
To free the world of its fear and pain,
And help the people to feel free again.”

Gandalf never wore a cloak of gold. The wizard in question comes off like some kindly old hippie which directly ties into the second primary cultural inspiration.

“He was the wizard of a thousand kings,
And I chanced to meet him one night wandering.
He told me tales, and he drank my wine,
Me and my magic man, kinda feeling fine.”

Basically the song is about getting drunk and stoned with a hippie, who happens to be a sorcerer, which is amazing. If I was foolish enough to indulge impossible things on the bucket list of my life, it would include getting drunk and stoned with a wizard.

It is easy to see just how strongly this all ties into the peace and love moment, after all the message of the Wizard is about cooperation and understanding:

“Why don’t we listen to the voices in our hearts?
Because then I know we’d find were not so far apart.
Everybodys got to be happy, everyone should sing,
For we know the joy of life, the peace that love can bring.”

So spoke the wizard in his mountain home.
The vision of his wisdom means well never be alone.
And I will dream of my magic night,
And the million silver stars,
That guide me with their light.”

It is simple notion that likely is invoked constantly but is nearly thought of in such terms, why don’t we listen to the voices in our hearts? The truth is, no matter for culturally different we are, with open hearts we will always find we are not so far apart. It is a really message in a really mellow song, and I find it so completely calming.

“The Wizard” is the first track off of Uriah Heep’s 1972 album “Demons and Wizards” evidently “The Wizard” along with “Paradise/The Spell” satisfy the “wizard” half of the album title. Meanwhile “Rainbow Demon” one of my favorite songs of all time which obviously is the “demon” side of the equation. The theme of wizards and magic would carrying on to Uriah Heep’s next album, released the same year “The Magician’s Birthday” and I suspect the magician and the wizard are the same lovable hippie, but perhaps I will discuss more on that another day.

- King of Braves

P.S. Also fun, the Blind Guardian cover:

Uriah Heep - Only Human

Uriah Heep may have a relatively small following but a very dedicated one, and it must be nice having that to fall back on. Whenever they feel like releasing a new album they know it well sell well enough to make a profit, and, more importantly, get the attention they desire to share whatever message they want with an audience who are sure to appreciate it. That sounds like a good life.

Uriah Heep has existed for forty years now. Considering the band has gone through seven drummers, six vocalists, six bass players, and five keyboard players, it is impressive that guitarist Mick Box hung in there and really stuck to the name Uriah Heep for forty years.

To “Celebrate” the forty year voyage, Uriah Heep released a fortieth year anniversary album called “Celebration.” It was a fourteen track album consisting of twelve classic songs from their early years and two original songs. All twelve reprised tracks, including last month’s music in review “Lady in Black” sound as good as or better than the original recordings. Every track is more refined largely due to the fact that the overall quality of production is better, which makes sense; recording technology has improved dramatically in the past forty years. Also it is nice to hear the modern line up record studio versions of the classics they have been performing live for years.

The first track on the album is “Only Human,” and predictably it was the first track I heard on the new album. It was a catchy song, simple in design like most of the Uriah Heep classics, and thoroughly pleasant. The chorus runs smoothly and upon the third listen, or so, I started hearing the verses more explicitly. I had heard many of these phrases before and at first I dismissed them as coincidence until they ran together in a way that was clearly a message I had heard from someone before, and that really meant something to me. I couldn’t help but fall in love with the song.

This is one of those feel good about your life songs, strength comes from within, and your dreams can come true, kind of songs. It’s a very good and pretty damn rocking for a bunch of guys in their sixties. I was impressed, not a lot of bands can produce really good material after forty years. Most people just run out of ideas... they’re “only human after all.” Being able to create even one new gem to the hit list is very impressive for a band as old as Uriah Heep it’s almost worth celebrating over. All in all “Celebration” was one of my favourite albums of 2010, very well done you old rock and roll souls, very well done.

Until next month keep on rocking in the free world.

- Colin Kelly

Uriah Heep - Lady in Black

Original:

Celebration:

If a respected rock and roll magazine were to publish a list of the top 100 songs of all time, what would you expect to see at the top? Led Zeppelin - Stairway to Heaven, Neil Young – Keep on Rocking in the Free World, Black Sabbath – Paranoid, Aerosmith – Dream On, stuff like that right? Well it depends where you live.

If you lived in Finland you would swear up and down 80’s one hit wonder Europe (The Final Countdown) was actual a fantastic rock band with a must have discography. If you live in Romanian you probably consider Isis to be gods. If you lived in Japan you may consider songs about “Super Robots” an appropriate sub genre of rock and roll. If you live in Canada you actually know who the Tragically Hip are. If you live in central Europe you would consider Uriah Heep one of the greatest bands of all time.

I was watching Uriah Heep videos on youtube and started reading the comments left by others. In the live video for “Lady in Black” there was a long conversation between people from Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Hungary, and Denmark, going on, and on, about what they considered the three greatest songs of all time. Reoccurring songs included, Led Zeppelin – Stairway to Heaven and Black Sabbath – Paranoid, makes sense so far right? Also Nazareth – Holy Roller and of course Uriah Heep – Lady in Black. I’ll talk about Nazareth some other time.

I knew Uriah Heep was popular in places like Denmark and Switzerland, that’s how I discovered them, but I never really appreciated how popular they were. Uriah Heep is only kind of know in their home country of England, but is considered one of the greatest rock bands of all time in central Europe, right on par with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, crazy right? On top of that “Lady in Black” is considered one of the greatest songs of all time and has been covered by other rock groups in multiple languages, even by a group of monks who performed a strange chanting version of the song.

You know what? They’re right, Lady in Black is one of the best songs of all time, and no one in North America knows it; that is until now, now about forty of you know it.

It is a very simply song from a performer’s point of view, there is only like three cords for each instrument within the song. If I had a better ear or perhaps I better understanding of the actual workings of music I could probably pick out the specific notes and give an exact calculation of just how simple the song is, but you don’t need that to hear what I’m talking about. Actually it is very similar to the Canon in this regard now that I think about it.

Lastly, the lyrics, the lyrics in Lady in Black are superb, so good in fact I’m just going to give them to you; I haven’t done that in a while;

She came to me one morning
One lonely Sunday morning
Her long hair flowing
In the midwinter wind
I know not how she found me
For in darkness I was walking
And destruction lay around me
From a fight I could not win
Ah ah ah ...

She asked me name my foe then
I said the need within some men
To fight and kill their brothers
Without thought of love or god
And I begged her give me horses
To trample down my enemies
So eager was my passion
To devour this waste of life
Ah ah ah ...

But she wouldn’t think of battle that
Reduces men to animals
So easy to begin
And yet impossible to end
For she’s the mother of our men
Who counselled me so wisely then
I feared to walk alone again
And asked if she would stay
Ah ah ah ...

Oh lady lend your hand outright
And let me rest here at your side
Have faith and trust
In peace she said
And filled my heart with life
There is no strength in numbers
Have no such misconception
But when you need me
Be assured I won’t be far away
Ah ah ah ...

Thus having spoke she turned away
And though I found no words to say
I stood and watched until I saw
Her black coat disappear
My labour is no easier
But now I know I’m not alone
I find new heart each time
I think upon that windy day
And if one day she comes to you
Drink deeply from her words so wise
Take courage from her
As your prize
And say hello from me
Ah ah ah ...

It’s a perfect piece of music, give it a listen and you will hear a perfect sound for a perfect moment, Uriah Heep’s Lady in Black really is that good.

Uriah Heep did a fantastic retooled version of Lady in Black on their “Celebration” album, but that is a conversation for part two of this music in review.

Happy New Year.

- Colin Kelly

Uriah Heep - Rainbow Demon

This month it is time to do something obscure and classic.

If you lived in Switzerland or Denmark there is a decent chance, though not necessarily a very good chance you know the group I’m going to talk about. If you listen to a lot, and I mean a lot of classic rock you might know them as well. They are Uriah Heep, and unknown to most of the world they are living legends.

Uriah Heep started out in England as another rock group of many during the seventies, the critics never gave them any credit, and frankly their record sales left a lot to be admired. Then again it was the early seventies, you try competing with Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, The Who, The Eagles, Rush, Alice Cooper, David Bowie, KISS, and others and tell me how many people notice you even exist.

Uriah Heep was a progressive rock group, which in laymen’s terms means they experimented a lot with new sounds. What perhaps set them apart form other progressive rock groups, was their highly fantasy influenced lyrics and sounds. They had a lot of songs about wizards, time travel, and other fun stuff like that.

You may, maybe, just maybe, may have heard “Easy Living” on the radio, I have once. That’s Uriah Heep.

I got into them via the Internet and discovered they had several songs that were actually very good. Not to banter on and on about how several different songs struck me with powerful symbolic meaning and great rock and rock sound, but yes, many songs were A grade.

I bought a couple of their albums, and so on, they’re great, they really are.

While I feel the need to choose one song I want to make it perfectly clear they have several very awesome songs, nonetheless I believe I will tell you about “Rainbow Demon.”

“Rainbow Demon” is not one of their bigger hits, it’s a cult hit among fans. A cult classic song from a cult classic rock group makes a lot of sense to me. Obvious fantasy based lyrics with the whole demon angel but there is a unique sound that makes this song different form any other. Once familiar with the general sound of Uriah Heep this is clearly a Uriah Heep song, but a strange and different Uriah Heep song, one of their best in my opinion.  I particular like the retro sound combine with what I feel sounds like a western twang.  I always invision the Rainbow Demon as some king of multicolored sword wielding cowboy from hell.  King of like the gunslinger, only on acid.

Perhaps it is just me and my dark ways but I feel a great dread in this song, a song about some horribly heart broken demonic warrior;

"Rainbow Demon" by Miryah:
http://miryah.deviantart.com/

"There rides the rainbow demon
On his horse of crimson fire.
Black shadows are following closely
On the heels of his desire.

Riding on in the mist of morning
No one dared to stand in his way.
Possessed by some distant calling.
Riding on through night and day.

Rainbow demon - Pick up your heart and run.
Rainbow demon - Looks for his sword and is gone."

And now all you know about Uriah Heep, and my work is done for another month. So until next month, keep on rocking in the free world.

- Colin Kelly