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OMSK Programme |
The authors of these lines are long-standing and straight-out fans of Uriah
Heep. This is why we'd like to note that some of the below mentioned
judgments should not be considered as completely objective and may in some points differ from your standpoint. Up to now we can hardly believe that the musicians who have been our idols for 25 odd years are finally coming to Omsk
- even thinking about it regarded as delirium by any sane man about 5 years ago. However, the UH were the first western rock band to come to the land of the Soviets with live concert program in 1987. That was a sensation, a shock, a milestone both in the history of the UH and our country's cultural life.
Ten years have passed since that time. It should be noted that the band's
crew has not undergone any changes since then - and this is really astounding!
The band's fans still remember that up to 1987 for 17 years in a row we
witnessed very frequent substitutes of musicians in the group.
The star of the UH rose in 1970 and from that time on it was very close to its fall time and again - that was obvious. For the first time the group was
about to collapse in 1976 while recovering from the tragic death of bass
player Gary Thain it was compelled to part with David Byron - the unique,
unprecedented voice in rock music. However, the deep crisis resulted in
mighty creative take off. When the vocalist John Lawton and the bass playerTrevor Bolder who replaced John Wetton (ex-King Crimson and Roxy Music, one of the founders of the UK and ASIA) joined the band and with the unfailing composing genius of its unconditional leader Ken Hensley (keyboards, guitars), the group not only managed to keep its old fans but also to win millions of
new ones.
Another fall into abyss began in 1980 when the group was abandoned by Ken Hensley, to whom the UH are indebted for their best works. Even the most optimistic fans of the UH began to say the memorial prayers in their minds.
The band had been recovering for 6 long years after this severe blow, creating a number of rather dull songs, changing the musicians, searching for a miracle. To crown it all Bronze Records ceased to exist in 1985, the firm which made itself the name due to the works the UH and Manfred Mann's Earth Band. The UH were losing the money invested in them, as well as their audience. Any other group, less viable than the UH, would have died inevitably under such circumstances. The UH survived due to the will and the patience of Mick Box.
His persistence seemed woeful, not many people believed then in the band's resurrection. But in 1986 the band stabilized its crew which, as it was mentioned above, exists up to now. The drummer Lee Kerslake and the bass player Trevor Bolder supported Mick Box by their reunion with the group. The so-called "veterans nucleus" (if this term is applicable in this case) emerged. The keyboard player Phil Lanzon and the vocalist Bernie Shaw (don't mix him up with the playwright Bernard Shaw) joined in later. The voice of Bernie Shaw turned out to be successfully conforming to the style and spirit of the band after long quest; so in 1986, the biggest and almost unsolvable problem disappeared.
This time there was no conquering take off, but a slow ascending, accompanied by desperate hope and titanic labour. The group really revived itself to the moment of its 25th anniversary. Before this there had been more or less successful tours, well-made hits alternating with the mediocre songs, but the main thing - revelation was still lacking. The miracle happened in 1995 the album "Sea Of Light" was released. That was something incredible - we did not believe our ears! We heard that very revelation, we had been so desperately longing for. The fresh young blood was pulsating in the music, but that was
the music so painfully familiar, born by the authentic inspiration.
The musicians, after all these years, displayed the whole range of their
creative possibilities again. The star of the UH was reborn. You will be
able to meet not only masterful musicians but also the living legend, which 27 years after its birth is on the roll. They're not the second-rate jaded rockers, but the band the popularity of which in Russia is boundless, the band which proved that its swan song is not sung yet.
To demonstrate the irresistible singularity of the UH one needs to write a
monograph. But to skip the topic seems impossible. We would mention colossal life-asserting pathos of their music as main and basic element, which literally inflates you with kindness, optimism and vigor. Their mighty dynamic drive charges you with positive energy. Their subtle lyrics leaves nobody indifferent. The combination of tough dynamic rhythms and gentle subtle lyrics is the most unique element in their music - melodic rock, the style, as we think, they undoubtedly discovered. They balance on the thin edge dividing the "heavy" music from commercial pop lyrics and keep their face
only because they manage not to skid neither to the left nor to the right.
Their contribution to the treasury of the world's culture is tremendous and is not completed yet, and these are not idle words. Let's illustrate this "high- sounding" phrase by some evident facts. In 1971 they received the 'Gold Lion (European equivalent of American Grammy) for their song Lady In Black. This very song became the anthem of Estonian (!) army. Many European Schools use the words of this song as a teaching aid at English classes. As for the famous instrumental from July Morning, it is often used instead of Mendelson's Wedding March! We could go on and on listing similar facts, but we stop here because we consider these examples the most demonstrative.The UH were the first in Europe, the way Grand Funk Railroad were in the USA, to use vocal harmonies. In any period of the UH existence all its musicians sing and harmonize. Being all the time in the shadow of Deep Purple, as the music critics used to put it while comparing both groups, the UH brought up on the basis of their music quite a dynasty of the super groups enjoying their popularity nowadays. This list includes the Scorpions, Asia, Magnum, Foreiner, Phenomena etc. Even Queen in the beginning used the Uriah Heep's innovations and were influenced by them. Which are the objective evaluations of the UH ? Here are some facts again. In 1994 The Observatory of Munich assigned the number and the name Uriah Heep to a brand-new star. In 1995 the band received the Gold Lion for the second time for their outstanding contribution into the world's culture development. In the same 1995 the Uriah Heep became the rock band No.1 regarding the number of purchased CDs (according to the rating of Jimmy magazine). The fans of the Uriah Heep are going to have a unique possibility to hear their favourite songs during the live concerts in Omsk.
We envy those who are new to this music because they are going to discover a brand new world. Welcome to the Wonderworld of Uriah Heep!
Eugeny Folkert
Alexander Kolesnikov
