According to Dave Ling's 2001 autobiography of the band, Wizards and Demons, The Uriah Heep Story, though the "Uriah Heep" moniker was chosen in December 1969, the band continued to play gigs as "Spice" until Ken Hensley joined in February 1970. Then the name was changed to that of the well-known character from David Copperfield, Uriah Heep (for, according to biographer Kirk Blows, " Dickens' name being everywhere around Christmas '69 due to it being the hundredth anniversary of his death"). The four-piece found themselves booked into the Lansdowne Studios in London, still under the name of Spice. He became the band's manager and signed them to Vertigo Records, the newly formed Philips label. "I thought they were a band I could develop and I took them on that basis," remembered Bron later. Spice avoided playing covers and, according to Box, always strove ".to do something original." Managed initially by Newton's father, the band climbed their way up to The Marquee level, then got signed by Gerry Bron (the Hit Record Productions Ltd.'s boss) who saw the band at the Blues Loft club in High Wycombe. Drummer Alex Napier (born 1947 in Glasgow, Strathclyde, Scotland) joined, having answered a music paper ad bassist Paul Newton of the Gods completed the line-up.
David Garrick changed his surname to Byron. Box and Garrick formed a songwriting partnership and, having higher musical aspirations than their colleagues, decided to give up their day jobs and go professional. When the band's singer left, drummer Roger Penlington suggested his cousin David Garrick (who knew the band) as a replacement. The band's origins go back to 1967 when 19-year-old guitarist Mick Box formed a band in Brentwood called Hogwash, which began playing in local clubs and pubs. In the late 1970s the band had massive success in Germany, where the " Lady in Black" single was a big hit. 7 in 1975), while of the fifteen Billboard 200 Uriah Heep albums, Demons and Wizards was the most successful (No. Thirteen of the band's studio albums have made it to the UK Albums Chart ( Return to Fantasy reached No. Uriah Heep have released twenty-five studio albums of original material, twenty live albums and forty-one compilation albums (including two greatest hits albums).
They also maintain a significant following and perform at arena-sized venues in the Balkans, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Russia, Finland and Scandinavia. The band has sold over 40 million albums worldwide with over four million sales in the U.S, where its best-known songs include " Gypsy", " Easy Livin'", " The Wizard", " Sweet Lorraine", and " Stealin'".
Uriah Heep were part of the early 1970s rock scene, and have been referred to as pioneers of the hard rock, heavy metal and progressive rock genres. Notable former members of the band are vocalists David Byron, John Lawton, John Sloman and Peter Goalby, bassists Gary Thain, Trevor Bolder, John Wetton, Bob Daisley, Paul Newton, and John Jowitt, drummers Nigel Olsson, Iain Clark, Lee Kerslake and Chris Slade, and keyboardists Ken Hensley, Gregg Dechert and John Sinclair. They have experienced numerous lineup changes throughout their 54-year career, leaving Box as the only remaining original member. Their current lineup consists of guitarist Mick Box, keyboardist Phil Lanzon, lead vocalist Bernie Shaw, drummer Russell Gilbrook, and bassist Dave Rimmer. Uriah Heep are an English rock band formed in London in 1969.
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