Uriah Heep, active since 1969 (originally under the name Spice), belongs to the founding generation of British hard rock alongside Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin and UFO. Had it been up to the US-American "Rolling Stone", the band would not have even made it to the end of the historic rock year 1970 - that's how devastating the critique of the influential magazine was about their debut album "Very 'Eavy, Very 'Umble". Half a century later, band co-founder Mick Box and keyboarder Ken Hensley, who joined the band in early 1970, can still be seen grinning from the confrontation with the reviews of that time
Whoa! The Classic Rock heart was literally overturning when the first announcements of the January live event "Music & Stories" were released: Uriah Heep, Nazareth and Wishbone Ash, three bands of almost the same age, all around 50 years old in the Rock Earth orbit, actually come together at the same concert event! That's the "music" part, but what's with the "stories" component? Sweets Andy Scott, the host of this classic rock show of superlatives, gives us a first insight. And also points to sweet prospects for the future.
Cologne's Hilton, not far from the main train station, is the obvious place for interviews. Here you are undisturbed and yet right in the middle of it. The journalists have a comfortable journey, the musicians a perfect starting point to explore the city. While Mick Box sips a Coke, Phil orders his fourth Kölsch before four in the afternoon. Mick comments: "He thinks it's rock'n'roll", which encourages Phil to note that these test tubes are not really beer at all. Once this detail has been clarified, Phil enjoys the eclipsed cover of the current issue with the cover story for the 1968 musical year:"I got married there, but only lasted seven years. I never made that mistake again after that." Mick, on the other hand, regrets that his German is not enough to read the story. "Jeff Beck's'Truth' I have to listen to again, one of my absolute favorite albums."
eclipsed: "Living The Dream" surprises with many vintage organ sounds and more backing vocals.
LED ZEPPELIN - The Last Remaster?
"That's it," my ass! Jimmy Page has charmingly told us about the new editions of "Presence", "In Through The Out Door" and "Coda". With "The Complete BBC Sessions" the 72-year-old Englishman once again enters the Remasters-Ring and adds eight songs to the live recordings from the late 60s and early 70s as well as a lot of discussion needs. We report what awaits the fan and discuss with Jimmy Page the new extended and revised re-release - possibly the last remaster.
THE BEATLES - Always on the move
The Uriah Heep veteran Mick Box is a humorous person on and off stage. No matter when and where I met or spoke to the musician personally in the last thirty years, he always had time for shakehands and a nice anecdote or two. Even if you criticize his band, he stays cool. Meanwhile he even reacts calmly when his counterpart talks about Ken Hensley, Heep's former mastermind. After all, it's now also a pleasant experience for him when Ken - like last year in Moscow - returns to the stage with his old band for a gig. But it's even more fun for him when he thinks of the early days of hard rock pioneers.
eclipsed: The back catalogue of Uriah Heep is not reissued for the first time. What's different this time?
THE WHO
The Story of Quadrophenia
"'Tommy' changed everything and saved us," Pete Townshend remembers in the introductory essay to the 2011 re-release of "Quadrophenia". Basically, The Who had been a singles band in the sixties; the sudden intellectualization of pop music had posed a new, unexpected challenge to its thought leader. "People suddenly wanted to hear 'serious' music from pop groups.
YES
Between heaven and earth
Life can be so simple. Just do what you like and you will do it with joy, energy and passion - if you have to until retirement age. "Sure, I still have a lot of fun, otherwise I wouldn't do what I do," says Mick Box, last remaining founding member of Uriah Heep. eclipsed caught him a few days before his sixty-seventh birthday on June 9. So, is there gonna be a real rock'n'roll party? "Sure," he laughs, "I'll make it pop." But before that there will be some live shows in Scandinavia, among others at the "Sweden Rock Festival".
With the weakest opener since years the new Heep album comes up. "Speed Of Sound" is exactly the opposite of what the title promises. It really starts with the atmospheric "One Minute". Wonderful organ sounds meet a Bernie Shaw in top form. Finally the sympathetic singer can put himself in the limelight.
THE HISTORY OF THE PROGRESSIVE ROCK
Reflections on a Fascinating Form of Music
JEFF BECK/ERIC CLAPTON
Inventor of Olympus
They are among the most celebrated rock guitarists in the world. They once played in the same band, though not at the same time. After their departure from the Yardbirds, the careers of Jeff Beck (65) and Eric Clapton, who turns 65 on March 30, developed completely differently. eclipsed traces the paths of the fundamentally different (musician) characters, visited one of the rare joint concerts in London, spoke with Mr. Beck himself and interviewed numerous fellow musicians about their eternal rivals.
JOE BONAMASSA
"I'm not a blues snob, I'm a rocker!"
