Rock Something | Features | Mick Box Uriah Heep Interview

Everyone says it –now at least anyway – Uriah Heep are one of the most underrated rock acts that Britain has ever-produced. And that’s not by the fans, oh no. But by the so-called rock press. Well not at RockSomething. For those that aren’t aware, Heep have been touring and recording for over three decades now – and that’s despite the majority of the music press being against them from the offset. The fans however, were never fooled by any of it and continued to buy some of the best British rock albums that were ever released. Tracks such as “Look at Yourself”, “July Morning”, “Easy Livin’” and “Too Scared to Run” would prove that no matter what the critics said, Mick Box and Company rocked – and still do. RockSomething’s Adam Harrold was lucky enough to get hold of Mick before the band sets off on their next bout of touring. One of the legends of rock discusses why he thinks the critics were harsh to UH in the first place and how it hasn’t mattered anyway…

RockSomething: First off, how’s it going and what is the band up to at the moment?
Mick: It is going very well thank you! we are busy touring and in between that some of us are taking holidays with our families ( Phil & Mick ) , Bernie was getting married in Canada ( Mick was the best man ), Trevor is rebuilding his house and Lee is in France with his wife celebrating his 10th wedding anniversary

RockSomething: the band is enjoying another spell in the spotlight at the moment – why do you think that this is?
Mick: I feel that the spotlight comes and goes and the band just carries on! This is a good, powerful band with a lot of good songs, old and new, that people love hearing as much as we love playing them. I have always said a good song stands the test of time and we are lucky enough to have quite a few to draw upon whether we do an electric or acoustic show. You can do no better than come to a Heep show for good, honest rock music. This keeps us in the spotlight.

RockSomething: the press were always quite hostile towards Uriah Heep in the early days – why do you think this was? Would you say that the press has grown out of all that now?
Mick: The press were hostile because we came at the very end of the supposedly hard progressive rock bands. Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, led Zepplin etc were all established and we arrived at the very end when the music was changing from progressive rock to electric/folk music in London. We had a blasé of publicity and it was almost seen as oh no not another one.

RockSomething: Are there any particular moments when you thought to yourself, “that showed the critics – look at what we did”?
Mick: I felt that every night we played because the reviews did not match the reaction from the crowd. Constructive criticism is fine, but when the audience are still calling for 3 or 4 encores and they give you a bad review who’s got it right? An audience cannot be conned but in the end this made us more of a people’s band because the reviews were not believable. If you were there you would understand. There were times when they printed a set list that we did not even play that night so where did they do their review from… the bar?!

RockSomething: You started out in a very exciting time for British rock music – who were your influences and what did you think of bands such as Sabbath and deep purple?
Mick: Sabbath and purple were great bands. we never saw it as competition because we had our own identity. We had 5 singers in the band and most of those other bands only had one. it was such an exciting time and we were all immersed in our own thing.

RockSomething: When did you realise that you had a talent for song writing?
Mick: When David Byron and myself started writing early on. In the early days we played covers and then we would slip in one of ours and it went down just as well so this encouraged us to continue.

RockSomething: over the years there have been numerous line-up changes, yet still heep have carried on, were there any moments that you felt that it would all have to end?
Mick: Around “Conquest” but it was short-lived.

RockSomething: The current line-up has lasted longer than any other – why do you think this has been the case?
Mick: Well for a start I took on the management responsibilities and this gave us a firm foundation with which to build upon. Once everybody was happy with that we could then get on and do what we do best.

RockSomething: The current music scene in the UK has become very rock-orientated again, were there times through punk, grunge or nu-metal that you felt slightly lost amongst the current fads?
Mick: I have always said “there is old wave, new wave and we are permanent wave”

RockSomething: Are there any new bands that you like to listen to?
Mick: Tea Party, System of a Down, Stereophonics and many, many more…! (These bands have been around for a while though…)

RockSomething: What would you say the band’s greatest moments have been? And what has been your proudest moment in your career?
Mick: Playing the Albert Hall as it made my mother so proud and the rest of the family stopped saying, “ when is he going to get a proper job”. Hearing our music on the radio for the first time, getting our first gold record, being the first band to play Russia and many more…

RockSomething: You’ve released a brilliant and varied collection of 20 albums, are there any that you wish you’d done differently or that you think get overlooked too often?
Mick: There is no point in that! What is done is done and I am proud of it!

RockSomething: Have there been any particular low points?
Mick: David & Gary dying for sure.

RockSomething: How much longer do you plan to carry on for?
Mick: As long as we enjoy what we are doing then there is no reason to stop. In this business I think that the business retires you because when there is no audience and nobody buys your records it is time to gracefully bow out. Thankfully none of that is on the horizon with this band.

RockSomething: Are there any different ways that you approach your work and touring now compared to the ways that you might used to have done?
Mick: Not really. We now have touring busses that help tremendously but other than that it is pretty much the same.

RockSomething: What plans does the band have for the future?
Mick: Record a new CD and tour the world.

RockSomething: Are there any final words you would like to leave your fans?
Mick: Thanks so much for your support. It means the world to us.


			Mick Box of Uriah Heep Interview by Adam Harrold www.uriah-heep.com

	Everyone says it –now at least anyway – Uriah Heep are one of the most underrated rock acts that Britain has ever-produced. And that’s not by the fans, oh no. But by the so-called rock press. Well not at RockSomething. For those that aren’t aware, Heep have been touring and recording for over three decades now – and that’s despite the majority of the music press being against them from the offset. The fans however, were never fooled by any of it and continued to buy some of the best British rock albums that were ever released. Tracks such as “Look at Yourself”, “July Morning”, “Easy Livin’” and “Too Scared to Run” would prove that no matter what the critics said, Mick Box and Company rocked – and still do. RockSomething’s Adam Harrold was lucky enough to get hold of Mick before the band sets off on their next bout of touring. One of the legends of rock discusses why he thinks the critics were harsh to UH in the first place and how it hasn’t mattered anyway… RockSomething: First off, how’s it going and what is the band up to at the moment? Mick: It is going very well thank you! we are busy touring and in between that some of us are taking holidays with our families ( Phil & Mick ) , Bernie was getting married in Canada ( Mick was the best man ), Trevor is rebuilding his house and Lee is in France with his wife celebrating his 10th wedding anniversary RockSomething: the band is enjoying another spell in the spotlight at the moment – why do you think that this is? Mick: I feel that the spotlight comes and goes and the band just carries on! This is a good, powerful band with a lot of good songs, old and new, that people love hearing as much as we love playing them. I have always said a good song stands the test of time and we are lucky enough to have quite a few to draw upon whether we do an electric or acoustic show. You can do no better than come to a Heep show for good, honest rock music. This keeps us in the spotlight. RockSomething: the press were always quite hostile towards Uriah Heep in the early days – why do you think this was? Would you say that the press has grown out of all that now? Mick: The press were hostile because we came at the very end of the supposedly hard progressive rock bands. Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, led Zepplin etc were all established and we arrived at the very end when the music was changing from progressive rock to electric/folk music in London. We had a blasé of publicity and it was almost seen as oh no not another one. RockSomething: Are there any particular moments when you thought to yourself, “that showed the critics – look at what we did”? Mick: I felt that every night we played because the reviews did not match the reaction from the crowd. Constructive criticism is fine, but when the audience are still calling for 3 or 4 encores and they give you a bad review who’s got it right? An audience cannot be conned but in the end this made us more of a people’s band because the reviews were not believable. If you were there you would understand. There were times when they printed a set list that we did not even play that night so where did they do their review from… the bar?! RockSomething: You started out in a very exciting time for British rock music – who were your influences and what did you think of bands such as Sabbath and deep purple? Mick: Sabbath and purple were great bands. we never saw it as competition because we had our own identity. We had 5 singers in the band and most of those other bands only had one. it was such an exciting time and we were all immersed in our own thing. RockSomething: When did you realise that you had a talent for song writing? Mick: When David Byron and myself started writing early on. In the early days we played covers and then we would slip in one of ours and it went down just as well so this encouraged us to continue. RockSomething: over the years there have been numerous line-up changes, yet still heep have carried on, were there any moments that you felt that it would all have to end? Mick: Around “Conquest” but it was short-lived. RockSomething: The current line-up has lasted longer than any other – why do you think this has been the case? Mick: Well for a start I took on the management responsibilities and this gave us a firm foundation with which to build upon. Once everybody was happy with that we could then get on and do what we do best. RockSomething: The current music scene in the UK has become very rock-orientated again, were there times through punk, grunge or nu-metal that you felt slightly lost amongst the current fads? Mick: I have always said “there is old wave, new wave and we are permanent wave” RockSomething: Are there any new bands that you like to listen to? Mick: Tea Party, System of a Down, Stereophonics and many, many more…! (These bands have been around for a while though…) RockSomething: What would you say the band’s greatest moments have been? And what has been your proudest moment in your career? Mick: Playing the Albert Hall as it made my mother so proud and the rest of the family stopped saying, “ when is he going to get a proper job”. Hearing our music on the radio for the first time, getting our first gold record, being the first band to play Russia and many more… RockSomething: You’ve released a brilliant and varied collection of 20 albums, are there any that you wish you’d done differently or that you think get overlooked too often? Mick: There is no point in that! What is done is done and I am proud of it! RockSomething: Have there been any particular low points? Mick: David & Gary dying for sure. RockSomething: How much longer do you plan to carry on for? Mick: As long as we enjoy what we are doing then there is no reason to stop. In this business I think that the business retires you because when there is no audience and nobody buys your records it is time to gracefully bow out. Thankfully none of that is on the horizon with this band. RockSomething: Are there any different ways that you approach your work and touring now compared to the ways that you might used to have done? Mick: Not really. We now have touring busses that help tremendously but other than that it is pretty much the same. RockSomething: What plans does the band have for the future? Mick: Record a new CD and tour the world. RockSomething: Are there any final words you would like to leave your fans? Mick: Thanks so much for your support. It means the world to us.