The Best of Uriah Heep | ||||
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Compilation album by | ||||
Released | 1974 (Canada) November 1975 (Europe) [1] February 1976 (US) | |||
Recorded | 1969-1973 | |||
Genre | Progressive rock, hard rock , heavy metal | |||
Length | 35:51 (Canada) 46:13 (Europe) 45:01 (US) | |||
Label | Bronze (Europe) Mercury (Canada and US) | |||
Producer | Gerry Bron | |||
Uriah Heep compilation chronology | ||||
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European edition cover | ||||
US edition cover | ||||
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [2] |
The Best of Uriah Heep (also known as Best of...) is the title of the most successful compilation album by the British rock band Uriah Heep. It was released by Bronze Records and Mercury Records in three distinct editions with roughly the same songs,but different cover art and track listing. The first edition was released in 1974 in Canada,the second in 1975 in Europe and the third the following year in the US. Some European editions had the song "Lady in Black" substituted by "Suicidal Man". The compilation reached gold status in Germany. [3]
Chart (1975-1978) | Peak position |
---|---|
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) [4] | 21 |
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista) [5] | 13 |
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan) [6] | 47 |
US Billboard 200 [7] | 145 |
Chart (1995) | Peak position |
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Norwegian Albums (VG-lista) [5] | 8 |
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Germany (BVMI) [8] | Gold | 250,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
Uriah Heep are an English rock band formed in London in 1969. Their current lineup consists of guitarist Mick Box,keyboardist Phil Lanzon,lead vocalist Bernie Shaw,drummer Russell Gilbrook,and bassist Dave Rimmer. They have experienced numerous lineup changes throughout their 55-year career,leaving Box as the only remaining original member. Notable former members of the band are vocalists David Byron,John Lawton,John Sloman,and Peter Goalby;bassists Gary Thain,Trevor Bolder,John Wetton,Bob Daisley,Paul Newton,and John Jowitt;drummers Nigel Olsson,Iain Clark,Lee Kerslake,and Chris Slade;and keyboardists Ken Hensley,Gregg Dechert,and John Sinclair.
Kenneth William David Hensley was an English musician,singer,songwriter and producer,best known for his work with Uriah Heep during the 1970s.
David Garrick,better known by his stage name David Byron,was a British singer,who was best known in the early 1970s as the original lead vocalist of the rock band Uriah Heep. Byron possessed a powerful operatic voice and a flamboyant stage presence.
Demons and Wizards is the fourth studio album by English rock band Uriah Heep,released in May 1972 by Bronze Records in the UK and Mercury Records in the US.
The Magician's Birthday is the fifth studio album by English rock band Uriah Heep,released in November 1972 by Bronze Records in the UK and Mercury Records in the US. The concept was "based loosely on a short story" written by keyboardist Ken Hensley in June and July 1972.
Wonderworld is the seventh studio album by English rock band Uriah Heep,released in 1974 by Bronze Records in the UK and Warner Bros. Records in the US. Wonderworld was the last Uriah Heep album to feature bass player Gary Thain.
Michael Frederick Box, born on 9 June 1947,is an English musician who is the lead guitarist of rock group Uriah Heep,having previously been a member of The Stalkers and Spice,both with original Uriah Heep vocalist David Byron. He is the only member from the band's founding in 1969 who is still active with the group,and –following the deaths of Lee Kerslake and Ken Hensley in 2020 –is also the last surviving member of the group's classic line-up.
"The Wizard" is a song by British rock band Uriah Heep,from their 1972 album Demons and Wizards. It was the first single to be lifted from the album. It was composed by Mark Clarke and Ken Hensley. It is a gentle,semi-acoustic ballad whose lyrics deal with a wanderer meeting "the Wizard of a thousand kings". This song is the first Uriah Heep single which had a music video.
Over the years,the British hard rock band Uriah Heep has released 25 studio albums,20 live albums,41 compilation albums,27 UK singles and 17 videos. The band's best selling album is Sweet Freedom,which was released in 1973 and its worldwide sales are more than 6 million copies. Uriah Heep's progressive/art rock/heavy metal fusion's distinctive features have always featured massive keyboards sound,strong vocal harmonies and David Byron's operatic vocals. Twelve of the band's albums have made it to the UK Albums Chart while of the fifteen Billboard 200 Uriah Heep albums Demons and Wizards was the most successful. In the late 1970s the band had massive success in Germany,where the "Lady in Black" single was a big hit. With Black Sabbath,Deep Purple and Led Zeppelin,Uriah Heep became one of the top heavy metal and hard rock bands of the 1970s.
"Lady in Black" is a song by the rock band Uriah Heep. It is the fourth track of their 1971 album Salisbury.
"July Morning" is a song by the English rock band Uriah Heep. It is the third track on their 1971 album Look at Yourself.
"Bird of Prey" is a song by British rock band Uriah Heep,from the group's US version of their 1970 debut album Very 'Eavy... Very 'Umble. A re-recorded version of the song would appear on the European version of 1971's album Salisbury. The original 1970 version of the song would later appear on the European 2003 remaster of Very 'Eavy... Very 'Umble. Although not released as a single,the song is regarded by many fans as one of the band's most popular songs. The song is the B-side of the band's first ever worldwide single "Gypsy".
Loud,Proud &Heavy:The Best of Uriah Heep is a 2007 3CD compilation of tracks spanning the history of Uriah Heep from 1970 to 1991.
Live at Shepperton '74 is a live album by British rock band Uriah Heep,released in 1986. It was recorded live in studio in 1974 for radio broadcasting.
...Very 'Eavy ...Very 'Umble is the debut studio album by English rock band Uriah Heep.
The Ultimate Collection is a compilation album released by the British rock group Uriah Heep. It features songs from their debut album ...Very 'Eavy ...Very 'Umble through their 1991 album Different World.
Live in Armenia is a 2011 double live album by British rock group Uriah Heep,comprising a live 2-CD set and corresponding DVD.
"Easy Livin'" is a song by the British rock band Uriah Heep,released as the second single from their 1972 album Demons and Wizards. The band also shot a basic music video for the song in 1972. It was the band's first hit in the United States and the only top 40 hit there,peaking at No. 39 on the Billboard Hot 100 in September 1972. The song's greatest success came in the Netherlands,where it reached No. 5,as well as reaching the Top 20 charts in Norway,Denmark,Finland and Germany. The song also peaked at No. 25 in Canada. In 1988,the band released a live version of the song,with new vocalist Bernie Shaw,as a UK single from the album Live in Moscow.
"Look at Yourself" is a song by British rock band Uriah Heep,originally released in 1971 on their third studio album,Look at Yourself,and the same month as a single,the first by the band in the United Kingdom. It was written and sung by Ken Hensley.
"Gypsy" is the debut single by British progressive rock/hard rock band Uriah Heep. It is the opening track on their first album,…Very 'Eavy …Very 'Umble,released in 1970. "Gypsy" was written by Mick Box and David Byron. The album version of "Gypsy" lasts more than six and half minutes,while the single version lasts less than three minutes. The song was also included on the band's first compilation album,The Best of Uriah Heep,and on two live albums,1973's Uriah Heep Live and the later Live in Armenia. The song is structured with an intro,outro and three verses with no chorus.