SOAP STARS IN THE MAKINGUriah Heep appeared as extras on a German soap opera named "Forbidden Love". The guys were born to play the part... In the scene, they were having a few drinks at a pub and clowning around.
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SOAP STARS IN THE MAKING
Uriah Heep appeared as extras on a German soap opera
named "Forbidden Love". The guys were born to play
the part... In the scene, they were
having a few drinks at a pub and clowning around.
SPELLBINDER
Mick Box found out a German radio station was going
to set up a mobile recording
studio to capture a few tracks
of a Uriah Heep concert for a radio broadcast.
His managerial side kicked in and he struck up a deal with the station. The band would take care of mixing the tracks but the station
would record the entire concert and the band would get a live album out of it. This was born Live in Koln 1994
or, as better known, Spellbinder. This was also released
on the HTP label.
HEEP.COM
The internet was beginning to really bring Heep fans together from around
the world in the late 1990s. More importantly, bands such as
Uriah Heep were much better able to locate and communicate with their
fans through the internet. Uriah Heep was
particularly fortunate to have a large number of savy fans on the internet. A
group of fans purchased the "Uriah-Heep.Com" domain for the band and Dave White's excellent website became the official page of the band.
Additionally by 1997, fans had launched over 50 websites
in honor of the band. The Heepsters Mailing List also kept Heep fans in touch with the band and each
other creating a strong coalition for the Heep cause.
EAGLE RECORDS / SPITFIRE
Once again Uriah Heep was looking for a new record
deal. Seemingly the best deal available was with Eagle Rock. The
US affiliate Spitfire would handle the North American distribution. It seemed to be a promising deal with many
well known classic rock bands signed to the label. During 1997, Heep
was back in the studio to do
a new studio album.
SONIC ORIGAMI
Uriah Heep's next release was another smashing success. This album, released
in 1998 by Eagle Rock Records, was aimed a bit more in a radio friendly direction but
it still had all the Heepy trademarks.
"Between Two Worlds" and " I Hear Voices" were
highlights of the album. Famous Producer Pip Williams was lined up for the album
and thus was born a long-standing relationship.
1999 NORTH AMERICAN TOUR CANCELLED
After being postponed once, Uriah Heep's 1999 North American tour was cancelled a mere week before it was scheduled to begin. Spitfire Records pulled financing from the tour at the last minute. Mick Box and Bernie Shaw had flown to the New York City just weeks earlier to do promotion work for the new
tour including numerous interviews. In fact,
Mick had purchased band equipment on his personal credit
card and had it in storage in anticipation of
the tour. Spitfire's behavior was very
odd considering they had given Heep a party in celebration of
the North American Tour on one day and cancelled the tour on the next.
There was speculation that Spitfire was having serious financial problems at the time.
LEE SUES OZZY!
Lee Kerslake and Bob Daisley have filed suit against Ozzy Osbourne for unpaid royalities from their time with in Ozzy's band. As Lee said in an interview
with Dave Owen of UHAS "I wrote seven tracks on the
albums. I co-wrote, did the production,
arrangements and words... Lots of the ideas I put forward were from the Uriah Heep days."
He added that Sharon Osbourne, Ozzy's manager
and wife, "has blatantly said she is not going to pay me what she owes me..." The case is still unresolved.
HEEP HAS NEW LABEL
After the 1999 North American tour cancellation,
rumors abounded that Heep's record company, Spitfire had
pulled financing for the tour at the last
moment. Understandably, relations between Heep and Spitfire were strained.
Soon Uriah Heep was investigating options for a new record label. Soon it was decided that Heep would meet their needs best by
forming a new label. Bob Carruthers of
Cromwell Productions, best known for the UK History Channel, established the Classic Rock Legends
label to produce and market various Heep products including CDs, DVDs, and Heep clothing.
URIAH HEEP TRIBUTE
A tribute album named Heepsteria was
released by Red Steel Music in England.
The 2 CD release includes performances by John Lawton, Ken Hensley
and many Heep fans from around the world.
