URIAH

British hard rock legends Uriah Heep recently released their incredible 25th studio album Chaos & Colour. Like many groups who have endured the pandemic, Uriah Heep’s latest offering came to fruition whilst the band had time away from the road during COVID. Thankfully for their fans, Uriah Heep recently returned to the road whilst celebrating their landmark 50th anniversary. Frontman Bernie Shaw joined the group in 1986, and since that time has had many fond memories of touring the globe with Uriah Heep.

Recollecting some of his favourite jaunts with the mighty Heep, Bernie casts his mind upon the band’s first shows behind the Iron Curtain. “We were the first Western rock band to go to the then USSR. But also, the first time I went to the Berlin Wall, and Checkpoint Charlie, that was pretty memorable,” explains Shaw. “Going to South Korea and being the first rock band to go to South Korea and play in Seoul, that was a major one as well. So, I’ve been very fortunate that I’m with a band that doesn’t mind going and pushing the limits.”

Uriah Heep has never been afraid to venture into unchartered territory. “We were in Serbia. I think the dust hadn’t even settled from the war, and we were already there. We saw the bullet holes and AK 47 damage on buildings, and you go, we’ve got a show here tonight?” he says. “If the people can’t come to the music. We take the music to the people. So, we’re lucky we’ve had some really memorable moments.”

The band’s recent tour took them to some astounding concert halls around the globe. “Some of the venues have been really unbelievable, as in the architecture of the buildings,” explains Shaw. “The Estonia show probably sticks out because it was the most amazing theatre in the middle of Tallinn. It was all plush blue velvet seats, and there were three balconies.”

No matter how far the patrons are from the stage, the lead vocalist often encourages fans to come to the front where possible. “Once the doors are closed, and I’m seeing the people above way up in the gods going nuts, I do on occasion invite them to come down. It will take a minute, if you want them to actually come down to the very front, like a mosh pit sort of thing - this is where the action is. In Estonia, I did that, and about 400 people must have come down, right in front of the expensive seats, and went nuts,” explains Bernie. “I think that’s probably why it stuck out, not only just the building, but the trick worked. The people came down, and they certainly weren’t expecting to be within sweating the distance of the band and for their whatever, Euro ticket. It just turned out to be a really, really cool, special show.”

Whilst COVID may have curtailed touring activity for Uriah Heep, it didn’t stifle the band’s creativity. “Mick and Phil were still together writing songs,” said Bernie. “I think it gave us a bit of fresh air where we could all concentrate on the writing side of things, because sometimes it can be very last minute, and you’re pushed with the writing. But you know, painters paint, writers write. Songwriters write music,