Four on the Floor – Uriah Heep.

I have to admit to liking most variations of Uriah Heep, the only album I can honestly say I don’t like is Conquest (the first album ever recorded digitally fact fans) I like John Sloman as a vocalist, I simply didn’t like that album, so here we go my four Favourite Heep albums.

Uriah Heep – Demons and Wizards 1972.     8/10.

I heard this and the album Return to Fantasy on the same day ( on the day of release for the latter, and Demons and Wizards pip it at the post, I was never a huge fan of David Byron’s voice, it was OK on record but the live stuff I heard it was slightly off, he was a nice enough as I met him when he played at the Mayfair and Robin George was his guitarist, but I loved a couple of tracks on this album, The Wizard is still my fave Byron track/vocal and the whole album is pretty consistent musically and production wise, remember this was in the days when they used to release an album every six months.

Uriah Heep – Innocent Victim 1977.    8/10.

I like all of the albums (all three of them) that John Lawton sang on, even if he did look a little (ahem) dodgy this is the pick of the three, a little more “poppy” if you can believe it especially when it has a track like Free N Easy on it and my fave track with Lawton vocals on “Choices”, I don’t think the audience took him either, great voice but quite wrong image wise, I think that was because of the fact that they were never off the road so the light weight material was easy to produce, I still love Innocent Victim, I know some people who didn’t care for it, however it’s my choice so there you go!

Uriah Heep – Abominog 1982.     9.5/10.

My favourite vocalist and my favourite Heep album, a layoff while they considered their options, no Ken Hensley to bully them into recording his songs, mainly outside writers, and it rocked like a train with no brakes barrelling down hill to destruction, there was enough pace and shade, the only reason it loses from top marks is the production (which I do like) by Ashley Howe was a little muted in parts, I cant think of a single bad track, Pete Goalby sings like an angel again we got three albums before another change of vocalist, but in my eyes this is the perfect album!

Uriah Heep – Wake the Sleeper 2008.   9/10.

I have to admit that the band got off to a rocky start with Bernie Shaw singing, again I like him as a singer I simply didn’t care for the first couple of albums, dodgy production, dodgy record labels, something Mick Box realised, then he took the band by the scruff of the neck and give them a bloody good shake I remember blasting this album to death for nearly a month in my old job, the office was blasted morning noon and early evening I loved it to death and if I’m honest they haven’t done a bad album since, but this is the pick  of the crop for me.

So, there you go I had fun listening to the discography, I always knew which four albums I was going to choose, but you have to play the game don’t you, so until the next time stay safe , stay alive and well……..Toodles!