Any band that reaches their 50th anniversary must have something special going for them. Uriah Heep – the hard rockers who formed in 1969 and have rarely paused for breath since – have Mick Box. At 75 years of age, the guitarist should probably be organising his slipper collection. Instead he’s an exuberant blur of positive energy and garrulous cockney vowels when he greets us just after the end of the World Cup Final. “Did you watch the football? How exciting was that?” he beams. “Mate, what a game! ’Appy days!”
Box’s enthusiasm is infectious, and he would probably be equally upbeat even if he hadn’t just witnessed Lionel Messi bringing the Cup home for Argentina.
As showcased on their brand new album Chaos And Colour, Uriah Heep are on similarly top form right now. In fact, they’ve been enjoying a new golden era for at least the past decade. A run of great albums, which began with 2008’s Wake The Sleeper, has delighted diehard and old-school fans, while bringing plenty of new, often younger punters through the doors too. A startling 53 years on from the release of their seminal debut Very ’Eavy, Very ’Umble, Uriah Heep are still making great music and momentous memories.
“There’s been[the ’72 classic that features Heep’s best-known song,
