Freedom to Music
Uriah Heep – Live (1973) (@256)
29 Mar 2007
(Review from progarchives.com)
There are many fine live albums, “Yessongs”, “Made in Japan (Deep Purple)”, “Welcome back my friends” (ELP) etc, but arguably the finest of them all is “Uriah Heep Live 1973″.
Despite numerous well documented problems which meant that it very nearly never happened, everything fell into place for the band for this recording. The line up is the classic one – Box/Byron/Hensley/Kerslake/Thain, with each member of the band attaining top form. There is some doubt as to whether the tracks included here were all taken from the same concert, but there’s no obvious indication that subsequent overdubbing has been undertaken.
There are so many highlights to the album, I could wax lyrical about every track. What is especially pleasing is the way the longer tracks have been developed and reworked, while retaining their identity. “July Morning” has a much more satisfactory ending, with the opening theme returning in place of the fade out. “Gypsy”, a track which changes with every tour, has a superb synthesiser solo from Hensley. “Circle of Hands” is completely transformed from the track on “Demons and Wizards”, the slide guitar which ends the studio version gives way here to a synthesiser solo, which builds majestically, powered on by Kerslake’s frantic drumming, to a euphoric crescendo.
The album closes with the encore rock ‘n’ roll medley. Byron is in his element here, as the band power through the old favourites. Truly a classic live album, which captures the essence of the band perfectly. The double LP came in a programme style sleeve, and sold for the price of a single LP which turned out to be a very effective marketing move.
Line-up:
- David Byron / vocals
- Mick Box / guitar, vocals
- Gary Thain / bass, vocals
- Lee Kerslake / drums, vocals
- Ken Hensley / keyboards, vocals
Track List:
01. Sunrise
02. Sweet Lorraine
03. Traveller In Time
04. Easy Livin’
05. July Morning
06. Tears In My Eyes
07. Gypsy
08. Circle Of Hands
09. Look At Yourself
10. The Magician’s Birthday
11. Love Machine
12. Roll Over Beethoven
13. Blue Suede Shoes
14. Mean Woman Blues
15. Hound Dog
16. At The Hop
17. Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On
18. Blue Suede Shoes
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about 5 years ago
MP3!
Filesonic 1 -> http://tinyurl.com/42xdwm9
Filesonic 2 -> http://tinyurl.com/3hn7tcn
Rapidshare 1 -> http://tinyurl.com/y94gyf6
Rapidshare 2 -> http://tinyurl.com/yd8lfus
Password -> sakalli
about 4 years ago
In the top 3 best live albums ever! And THE best ever for a hammond B3 Organ extravaganza.
about 3 years ago
Thanks.
If you have the album Rides Again by James Gang, perhaps you can share this album?
about 3 years ago
> If you have the album Rides Again by James Gang, perhaps you can share this album?
Sorry, I don’t have it.
about 1 year ago
I’ve been looking for this live album for a long time. I lost my tape some 20 years ago.
Thank you so much.
about 3 months ago
Merci, Sakalli.