Uriah Heep: Very 'Eavy Very 'Umble

URIAH HEEP ...VERY 'EAVY, VERY 'UMBLE...

1970

01. Gypsy (6:38) (Box/Byron)
02. Walking In Your Shadow (4:30) (Byron/Newton)
03. Come Away Melinda (3:49) (Hellerman/Minkoff)
04. Lucy Blues (5:10) (Box/Byron)
05. Dreammare (4:40) (Newton)
06. Real Turned On (3:39) (Box/Byron/Newton)
07. I'll Keep On Trying (5:27) (Box/Byron)
08. Wake Up (Set Your Sights) (6:28) (Box/Byron)

Total playing time: 41:07

Note: the US & Canadian version not only differed in album title, but also the outer cover art & track listing. 'Lucy Blues' was dropped for the US version & replaced with 'Bird Of Prey' from the band's 2nd UK album 'Salisbury'

Bonus tracks (2003 Sanctuary, UK):

09. Bird Of Prey (4:08) (US album version)
10. Born In A Trunk (4:32) (prev. unrealesed vocal version)
11. Come Away Melinda (4:16) (prev. unrealesed version)
12. Gypsy (7:07) (prev. unrealesed extended version)
13. Wake Up (Set Your Sights) (6:32) (prev. unrealesed version)
14. Born In A Trunk (4:37) (prev. unrealesed instrumental version)
15. Dreammare (3:08) (BBC version)
16. Gypsy (5:16) (BBC version)

Total playing time: 80:01

David Byron: Lead Vocals
Ken Hensley: Organ, Slide Guitar, Mellotron, Piano & Vocals
Mick Box: Lead & Acoustic Guitars, Vocals
Paul Newton: Bass Guitar, Vocals
Nigel 'Ollie' Olsson: Drums, Percussion

with:
Alan Napier: Drums all tracks except 'Dreammare', 'Lucy Blues' & 'Bird of Prey'
Colin Wood: Keyboards on 'Melinda', 'Wake Up' & 'Born In A Trunk'
Keith Baker: Drums on 'Bird Of Prey'

Production: Gerry Bron for Hit Records Productions Ltd.
Recording engineer: Peter Gallen
Recorded at Lansdowne Studios, London, July 1969 - early 1970
Mixing engineer: Peter Gallen & Peter Olliff
Original sleeve design (UK): Robin Nicol (Design Machine)
Cover design (US): John Craig
Art direction: Desmond Strobel
Photographs: Pete Smith
Mastered by Tom Coyne

'The letters LP could well mean 'Large Problem' for that is what faced everybody involved in making this album.
To condense into a single groove, the mood of each song, alone is a monumental task - but when allied with the associated technical precision demanded by today's high standards it assumes frightening proportions.
Like all problems it was solved by a powerful combination; that of great technical knowledge & experience, & determined enthusiasm. All linked by one common factor, co-operation.
I am delighted to have contributed to this record of which I am immensely proud. Happy too that I have this opportunity to offer the band's thanks to everyone concerned.
This, our first album, embraces vital individuality & a number of styles all adequately displaying individual & collective techniques.
Uriah Heep is a group in its most together sense & possesses, I feel, phenomenal ability & potential.
But, superlatives aside, I would like to mention certain points on the album which permit one's enjoyment of each member's influence.
Mick's guitar solo on 'I'll Keep On Trying' is so simple in concept & yet so very effective although it's difficult to be specific when commenting on a player of such a consistently high standard.
Paul, too, is such a great bass player & complements every arrangement extensively. His writing ability is valuable & appears here on 'Dreammare'.
Nigel joined the band with tremendous impact about three-quarters of the way through recording & provides a standard of drumming which is valid & completely satisfying. Credit must go too, to our former drummer, Al Napier.
Dave carries our vocal flag with rare precision & expression & has uncanny flexibility which makes him an instrument on his own - a 'Davotron' yet! As one of the main writers in the band his contribution is priceless.
I particularly enjoy 'Gypsy' & they let me do a little slide-guitar here & there to keep me quiet! (Quiet!)
So that's a brief insight into the structure of the band which I sincerely hope will enhance your enjoyment of our first LP'

- Ken Hensley, 1970 (UK sleeve notes)

'This, our first album, embraces vital individuality & a number of styles all adequately displaying individual and collective techniques. Uriah Heep is a group in its most together sense & possesses, I feel, phenomenal ability & potential. But, superlatives aside, I would like to mention certain points on the album which permit one's enjoyment of each members influence. Mick's guitar solo on 'I'll Keep On Trying' is so simple in concept & yet so very effective although it's difficult to be specific when commenting on a player of such a consistently high standard. Paul, too, is such a great bass player & complements every arrangement extensively. His writing ability is valuable & appears here on 'Dreammare'. Nigel joined the band with tremendous impact about three-quarters of the way through recording & provides a standard of drumming which is valid & completely satisfying. Credit must go too, to our former drummer, Al Napier. Dave carries our vocal flag with rare precision & expression & has uncanny flexibility which makes him an instrument on his own - a 'Davotron' yet! As one of the main writers in the band his contribution is priceless. I particularly enjoy Gypsy & they let me do a little slide-guitar here & there to keep me quiet! (Quiet!) So that's a brief insight into the structure of the band which I sincerely hope will enhance your enjoyment of our first LP. 'Gypsy' - Leading track of the album, featuring a wild organ solo & multi-tracked vocal harmonies. 'Walking In Your Shadow' - An all-guitar number, featuring a guitar solo from Mick. 'Come Away Melinda' - A feature for the softer side of David's voice. Basically a conversation between a father & his young daughter whose mother has died in the war. 'Bird Of Prey' - We recorded this one last. Our new drummer, Keith, helped develop the heavy sound about a heavy 'bird.' 'Dreammare' - After a build up beginning 'Dreammare' takes up through various dreams & nightmare sequences. 'Real Turned On' - A funky mid-tempo all guitar shuffle, first solo from Ken & second from Mick. 'I'll Keep On Trying' - Back to the organ for a Gypsy-type heavy arrangement with a frightening wah-wah solo from Mick. 'Wake Up (Set Your Sights)' - Lyrically, 'Wake Up' couldn't be anywhere else but at the end. A song that takes us as closely as possible from the beginning to the end of a battle, & then back to the beginning, but differently'

- Ken Hensley (US sleeve notes)

Re-mastered for CD by Robert M Corich & Mike Brown, Nov. 2002
Bonus tracks 10-14 recovered/mixed by R M Corich & Ian Herron at Terrapin Nest & Studio 125 for Red Steel Music 1991, 1994 & 2002
Reissue compilation & production by R M Corich for Sanctuary Music

Tracks 15 & 16 (P) BBC 1970. Released by arrangement with BBC Worldwide Ltd.
Recorded live for Mike Harding, Sonds of the 70s Show at Maida Vale studio 5
Producer: Malcolm Brown; engineer: Mike Harding & Mike Franks
First transmission date: 12/5/70

Sleeve notes by David Ling, 'Classic Rock' magazine
Extra photos, clippings & notes courtesy of Paul Newton, Mick Box, Ken Hensley, Trevor Hensley, Warren Eady at the UHAS archives
Special thanks to Alan Hartley, Liam Moore at BBC, Dave Owen & Rodrigo Werneck
CD artwork by Rachel Gutek @ guppyart
Reissue coordination: Anthony Amos & Steve Hammonds

First released in UK in June 1970 on Vertigo (6360 006) & in the USA as 'Uriah Heep' on Mercury Records (SR61294)
Re-released by Bronze Records Ltd.

Lyrics