I remember the first time I ever heard Uriah Heep. I was about six or seven years old and my mother had taken me to a local carnival. As I was boarding the ferris wheel, I noticed the ride operator was wearing a shirt with Uriah Heep on it. As the opening strains of ‘Stealin'” began from just beyond his station, I asked him who was Uriah Heep. He pointed at the speaker and said to me, “That, little girl, is Uriah Heep.”
With over 40 million albums sold, Uriah Heep is still going strong. Their latest release is a double CD recorded in London in 2014, “Live at Koko.” Led by original guitarist, the one and only Mick Box, and longtime members vocalist Bernie Shaw and keyboardist Phil Larson, the band still sounds phenomenal.
This live set features all the best of Uriah Heep and some epic performances. Of course, you’ll hear “Stealin'” and you won’t want to miss the keyboards in “Between Two Worlds.” Surprisingly, one of my favorite songs was a newer one “Nail on the Head” which has an outrageous drum opening followed by a simple groove and sing a long chorus. Prog fans will want to check out the ridiculous jam midway thru “Look at Yourself.” Another highlight is the instrumental track “Box Wah” with Mick doing some out of this world solo work. Closing out the set is an encore performance of “Free and Easy” and “Easy Living.”
“Live at Koko” is nicely done and will make a welcome addition to any rock fans collection especially if you’ve never gotten the chance to experience Uriah Heep and their prog heavy brand of rock in person.
