URIAH HEEP LIVE JANUARY 1973 DELUXE EDITION DUE

The story of Uriah Heep is one that is now within its 40th year and as such, is testament to the band’s talent and tenacity as both recording and touring artists.

From their early incarnation as The Gods and Spice, through record breaking tours, gold and platinum selling albums, timeless chart scaling anthems and a fiercely dedicated fan base of worldwide proportions, Uriah Heep can rightly claim to be one of the greatest U.K. progressive heavy rock bands of both the 20th and 21st centuries.

Lead by original lead guitarist Mick Box since 1982, whose Cheshire cat grin has endured throughout all the highs and lows that are inevitable for such a lengthy musical career, Uriah Heep returned in 2008 from a recording hiatus that had lasted ten years with Wake The Sleeper, a brand new studio album that floored the critics and fans in equal measure, such was the strength of the music on display. The fresh material proved why Uriah Heep have enjoyed such a lengthy career supported by an equally strong and enduring fan base.

Always ‘Eavy, Always ‘Umble!

Dateline: January 1973. Three years of dogged hard work and steady musical evolution had paid off and Uriah Heep were well on the way to becoming one of the biggest bands in the world. Issued within six heady months of each other the previous year, their most recent two albums – Demons And Wizards and The Magician’s Birthday – had seen the four-fifths British quintet (New Zealander bassist Gary Thain joined English-born vocalist David Byron, guitarist Mick Box, keyboard player/guitarist Ken Hensley and drummer Lee Kerslake) perfecting a colourful sound and achieving a well-deserved international breakthrough.

But there was still one important thing missing. Deep Purple already had Made In Japan, the Rolling Stones had released Ger Yer Ya-Ya’s Out and The Who’s Live At Leeds was already on the way to assuming legendary status. Somebody in the Heep camp (the favourite would have been manager Gerry Bron) realised that five studio records into their own career, Uriah Heep needed their own live concert recording – preferably a top of the range double gatefold job, with all the trimmings.

Live January ’73 was rightly hailed as one of the best live records of the year and whilst the band were on tour in the States, the album reached reached #13 in the UK charts and became their third US Gold album.

Due for release on Sanctuary 26 April