Jimmy Kay From Canada’s The Metal Voice spoke to URIAH HEEP guitarist Mick Box. Mick spoke about the upcoming North American tour as a special guest with JUDAS PRIEST, being inducted into the Hall of Heavy Metal History in Connecticut, on stage, on May 16 2019 by CEO Pat Guesaldo and Rock author Martin Popoff. Box also spoke about touring memories with Rush and Kiss back in the 70’s
Watch the interview here:
URIAH HEEP have sold over 45 million million albums, worldwide performed over 4,000 shows in some 61 countries.
When asked about being inducted into the Hall of Heavy Metal History at Mohegan Sun Arena in Connecticut USA
“It’s just amazing you know, I think any award or accolade you get is wonderful and we’ll accept it with open arms my friend. It’s a great honor, it’s the fans that put us there in the first place so you know we’re absolutely delighted and course I’ve known Martin Popoff for quite a while now, he’s done lots of work for so many years. Martin even just did our latest bio so it will be really good to catch up with him.”
When asked about their latest album Living the Dream and it’s reception
“Fans and critics love it and we play about seven songs from it in our set list alongside the classics. We love playing the new songs it revitalized us and the fans but the reaction has been just absolutely tremendous and a lot of people have been saying you know it’s one of the best of our career. ”
When asked about Touring with Rush in the 70’s on Neil Peart’s first show and did he think that Rush were a force to be reckon with in years to come
“Yeah that was Neil Peart’s first show with Rush, we gave Rush our audience and they took it by the throat. I think in the early days Geddy was getting the Robert Plant comparisons because he’s got a high voice so in that respect it was a kind of of Downer but you know they got through all of that and came out stronger, And yes it was very obvious they were going to be a force to be reckoned with especially being a 3-piece, my goodness they really kicked backside as we say in England.”
When asked about Kiss opening for Uriah Heep and if there were any cool stories
“Kiss did come out with over-the-top costumes but they certainly had a look about them that was just unbelievable like they’ve coming from another planet. Peter was a prankster on tour, Criss had a habit of putting dyes into into swimming pools, lots of pranks went on yeah it was a good fun.”
When asked about Lee Kerslakes contributions to Uriah Heep over the years
“We were headhunting Lee for a couple of years and we kept asking him and asking him and then suddenly he thought well okay let’s give it a go. It was just a powerhouse it was exactly what we were looking for to cement the band and then when Gary Thames came in those two cemented that rhythm section, we knew our engine room was complete. Lee and I are brothers with different mothers we’re always been found each other, I’m always phoning him and we go out to dinner occasionally. I actually got him up on stage when we played London recently which was really cool. Hopefully Lee can join us for one show that we’re headlining in the Czech Republic, the 12th of July I think I, we are trying to fly him out .”
When asked about Randy Rhoads love for Demons and Wizards
“I think demons touched a lot of people and I think Randy was no exception who really knows good music. I went down to see Bob Daisley play with the Blizzard band, it was quite evident that you know Randy was something special right there jaw-dropping stuff, even the rehearsals. I thought that it was a very powerful band and then I saw him playing with Ozzy and in England and it was great. Why the band (Blizzard of Ozz band ) ever broke that up I’ll never know as long as I can never understand, it was such a strong entity with that chemistry and it’s all about chemistry and they would have gone on to soar and do even greater things. ”
The band’s 25th studio album, “Living The Dream”, was released last September via Frontiers Music Srl
Box is the original guitarist and sole remaining founding member of URIAH HEEP. He, vocalist Bernie Shaw and keyboardist/vocalist Phil Lanzon have formed the nucleus of the band for more than 32 years and released 17 albums together.
Track listing:
01. Grazed By Heaven
02. Living The Dream
03. Take Away My Soul
04. Knocking At My Door
05. Rocks In The Road
06. Waters Flowin’
07. It’s All Been Said
08. Goodbye To Innocence
09. Falling Under Your Spell
10. Dreams Of Yesteryear
11. Take Away My Soul (alternate version) (bonus track; CD/DVD deluxe edition)
Bonus DVD track listing:
* “Grazed By Heaven” music video
* “Take Away My Soul” music video
* “Making The Dream” documentary
Metal Shock Finland (World Assault ) 