“David was one of the best vocalists I have ever worked with. He just never sang a song, he lived with music” – yes David Byronie he spoke after years Mick Boxguitarist, leader Uriah Heep And the only musician of the original composition that still appears in this band today.
David Byron (still using his real name Garrick) he met the guitarist Micka Box thanks to the intermediation of his cousin, drummer Roger Penlingtonwho played with a box in one team. It was the box with Byron in the autumn of 1969 that they founded a group Spicewhich the manager and producer became interested in Gerry Bron. Thanks to the cooperation with him, a contract was signed for the release of a debut album.
This is what the debut of Uriah Heep looked like. “It looked good in print”
It was the singer who proposed to change the name from Spice to Uriah Heep, from the character from the novel “David Copperfield” by Karol Dickens. “It looked good in print, so we liked this idea,” said Mick Box.
Most of the songs on the album “Very ‘eavy … very’ umble” (1970), including the opening album of the Single hit “Gypsy”this is a joint work of the Byron/Box duo. It was only during the recording session that the keyboardist and composer came to the composition Ken Hensleywhich will become the main creator of the Uriah Heep repertoire over time.
“If this team is succeeded, I will take my life. After the first line you know that you do not want to listen to it” – so sharply Uriah Heep’s debut was treated by the reviewer of the magazine “Rolling Stone”. It turned out that, contrary to these words, the British group gradually enlarged the group of its recipients, and in over 50 years of their career sold over 40 million copies of albums.
David Byron (Uriah Heep): Someone more than just a singer
“I see myself as someone more than just a singer. I treat my voice as an additional instrument” – he said in one of the interviews David Byronwhich by many was one of the most charismatic rock frontmen from the 70s.
Then Uriah Heep placed at the forefront of hard rock together with Black Sabbath, Deep Purple and Led Zeppelin.
Second album “Solisbury” (1971) brought a ballad “Lady in black” (sung by Hensley) and a 16-minute title song, which was an attempt to go to symphonic rock (it was recorded with a 24-seater Brass Band).
1971, apart from the release of “Salisbury”, brought the formation important routes around the States and Europe and a recording session (July) to the third album. “Look at Yourself” He went to stores on October 16, brought masterpieces with the title song, “Tears in my eyes” and “Juls Morning” At the forefront and over time he obtained the opinion of the best group discography in the rich studio discography.
“‘Juls Morning’ is probably the best song recorded by the band in his history,” said the then bass player Paul Newton.
Uriah Heep: The machine began to break down
Although the formation was getting better on the charts (the albums from the first half of the 1970s appeared around the second and third dozens of British listing), the atmosphere in the team began to break down. The best (although better to say: the worst) example recorded in Germany “Wonderworld” (1974). During the session, David Byron reached for the drinks almost all the time, the problems with the bassist stimulants intensified Gary’s Thain (In December 1975 he died of an overdose, he was thrown out of the team just a few months earlier), and artistic and personal conflicts overlapped.
David Byron found time to record his debut solo album “Take No Prisoners” (teammates helped him in the studio – Mick Box and drummer Lee Kerslake). At the same time, a second solo album also came out Ken Hensley – “Eager to please”.
The singer was more and more plunged into addiction, which began to affect the quality of performances in front of the audience (which was always a strong point of Uriah Heep – a memorable concert album “Live Janures 1973”).
“He started looking for a child in a bottle”
“He always got drunk after the concerts, because the performances were for David first. The problems began when the show fell to second place,” he recalled Ken Hensley. “He began to oil his career and by the way ours. Unfortunately, David was a person who could not look in the eyes, but began to look for comfort in a bottle,” added a longtime manager Gerry Bron.
In the official biography of Uriah Heep, a Philadelphia incident is recalled. Being strongly under the influence of Byron, he hit a tripod from the microphone and found a 20,000 audience. Everyone around knew that it couldn’t be like that.
David Byron: Yes, I was released
In July 1976, after the last concert in Spain, the singer was poured from the band. Hensley was to determine his dismissal, who put the ultimatum manager – either Byron or he. The official statement published in the press did not reveal the backstage of separation, but it could be read between the lines that it had to come to it. Hensley talked about “cleansing the atmosphere” and with joy he greeted the new members of the team (for the bassist who was not matching the composition John Wetton A known from the group came David BowieTrevor Bolder).
“I feel absolute relief. Yes, I was released. But no, I don’t live any bad feelings because of it. I just stopped suited to them, or they stopped matching me” – commented David Byron for “New Musical Express”.
He finally replaced the singer John Lasnwon – The auditions also took part, among others David Coverdale (Deep PurpleLater Whitesnake),, Ian Hunter (Moot the hoople) and Gary Holtonwhich was released from the supporting URIAH team at the same time Heavy metal kids.
“I was afraid of the consequences that it was for the band. He was (Byron) such a talented singer and composer that his departure left a huge void also in this sense. But we came to the point where something had to be done” – recalled Mick Box after years.
“To anesthetize this pain in the only way he could”
“David survived it very much to remove him from the band. Nobody likes to be released. I guess that then he probably tried to anesthetize this pain in the only way he could,” added John Wetton, who after parting with Uriah Heep kept in touch with Byron.
The singer still tried to resuscitate his career, but his solo records, recorded with a group Rough Diamond (composed of, among others Clem Clempsonformer guitarist Colosseum and Humble Pieand Geoff Brittonformer drummer Wings) and albums signed with the name The Byron Band. In 1981 after the departure Ken Hensley With Uriah Heep They urged the singer to return to the band Mick Box and Trevor Bolderbut Byron finally rejected the proposal.
At the turn of 1983/84 a group of valued musicians (colleagues, among others Mick Jagger, Joe Cocker, David Bowie, Elton John and Eric Clapton) together with David Byron She entered the studio in London to record new material. Only three songs, covers were finally registered The Doors, Spooky Tooth and Marvin Gayeissued only in 2008 as “That was only Yesterday – The Last EP”. It turned out that these were the last recordings of the singer.
On February 28, 1985, David Byron’s body was found in his home in Maidenhead. The cause of the death of a 38-year-old singer was the destruction of the body caused by the long-term abuse of jumping drinks. Almost everyone left the music – wife, loved ones, friends and fans, and a handful of people came to the funeral.
Finally, let’s add that Uriah Heep goes on tour “The Magician’s Farewell”on which he will say goodbye to the fans. As part of it, the British will perform for the last time in Poland – the concert will take place on November 9 at the Orion hall in Wrocław. The current composition creates Mick Box (guitar), Bernie Shaw (vocal), Phil Lanzon (keys), Russell Gilbrook (drums) i Dave Rimmer (bass), which replaced the deceased in May 2013. Trevor Bolder.
(Most of the quotes come from the book “Wizards and Demons. History of the Uriah Heep band” by Dave Lingga, Kagra Publishing House, 2019).