Uriah Heep - Chapter & Verse: The Uriah Heep Story (35th Anniversary Collection) (2005) [6CD Box Set]

Now, this really is a chunk to bite off and chew. This six-disc overview of the long, winding, and confounding career of Uriah Heep (confounding that Mick Box and Lee Kerslake have managed to keep it afloat for nearly 40 years), is the first box to take into consideration all the permutations this dinosaur juggernaut has been through. First, the box itself: a long box, containing the six music-packed CDs, a lavishly illustrated book with an exhaustive liner-note interview with Mick Box (the man who compiled this set, and the band's only constant member), Ken Hensley (member from 1969 – 1980), and Lee Kerslake (left in 1979 and came back in 1981). Two of the band's founding members, vocalist David Byron and bassist Gary Thain are deceased due to self-destructive behaviors. There's also a groovy concert poster enclosed. (A DVD of concert footage would have been nice, but oh well.)

Disc one begins the tale with 12 tracks by Heep precursor bands such as the Gods, Spice, Toe Fat, Head Machine, and the Keef Hartley Band. Interestingly, this music, though it has its flaws, is utterly compelling, particularly the cuts by Spice – the unreleased cut "Astranaza," and "Born in a Trunk" contain the earliest version of the sound the Heep would hone on Magicians Birthday and Demons and Wizards. The earliest UH material here is "Gypsy" and the previously unissued "Real Turned On" and "What's Within My Heart." It's frightening how the band has a sound a lot like the music Deep Purple would make in 1974. Hensley's keyboards against Box's roaring SG are devastating.

The Heep story continues through the glory years when they rang the bells at the higher reaches of the charts on both sides of the Atlantic through 1977, and into the demise and back again – musically if not popularly. There are 14 unreleased studio cuts, in total, and a whopping sixth disc of live material, most of which has never been released before. Virtually every track a fan would want is here: "Sweet Lorraine," "The Magician's Birthday," "July Morning," "Look at Yourself," "Tears in My Eyes" (an unreleased alternate take), to "Easy Livin'," and "Stealin'," to "Sweet Freedom." The new cuts here, like the alternates of "Lady in Black," and "Why," are wonderful sit-ins for their originals.

It is true that the material on discs four and five can be dicey at times, but there is still plenty to love. Box did a fine job of keeping the dross of the albums from Different World through Sonic Origami at bay, but all is redeemed on disc six with the live material, showcasing the awesome power and sheer dynamic theatricality of a band that walked the line between hard rock, metal, and prog rock. Chapter and Verse is highly recommended for the faithful. All others be forewarned: the Heep might become an addictive, guilty pleasure as one of the consummate bands of the 1970s; they embodied everything wonderful about the rock decade as well as its tawdry, conceited excesses.

by Thom Jurek, allmusic

Tracklist CD1 (1968-1972):

01. The Gods - Towards The Skies (03:26)
02. The Gods - Looking Glass (04:15)
03. The Gods - Lovely Anita (03:30)
04. National Head Band - Too Much Country Water (Previously Unreleased on CD) (04:14)
05. Spice - In Love (Single) (03:16)
06. Spice - What About The Music (Single b-side) (02:53)
07. Spice - Astranaza (Previously Unreleased Version) (03:35)
08. Spice - Born In A Trunk (Previously Unreleased Version) (03:44)
09. Toe Fat - I Can't Believe (03:58)
10. Head Machine - The First Time (05:01)
11. Keef Hartley Band - Not Foolish, Not Wise (03:57)
12. Keef Hartley Band - You Say You're Together Now (03:44)
13. Uriah Heep - Gipsy (05:45)
14. Uriah Heep - Real Turned On (Previously Unreleased Version) (03:36)
15. Uriah Heep - Wake Up (Set Your Sights) (Previously Unreleased Version) (06:14)
16. Uriah Heep - Dreammare (BBC Session '70) (03:09)
17. Uriah Heep - I'll Keep On Trying (05:25)
18. Uriah Heep - Bird Of Prey (US Mix Version) (04:06)
19. Uriah Heep - What's Within My Heart (Previously Unreleased Version) (05:24)


Tracklist CD2 (1971-1972):

01. Lady In Black (Edit Version - Previously Unreleased) (03:38)
02. Time To Live (04:01)
03. Tears In My Eyes (Extended Version - Previously Unreleased) (05:04)
04. Look At Yourself (05:09)
05. July Morning (10:32)
06. Shadows Of Grief (08:38)
07. Easy Livin' (02:36)
08. Why (Previously Unreleased Version) (07:52)
09. The Wizard (02:59)
10. Circle Of Hands (06:25)
11. Rain (04:00)
12. Sunrise (04:04)
13. Tales (04:07)
14. The Magician's Birthday (10:21)


Tracklist CD3 (1973-1976):

01. Stealin' (04:50)
02. If I Had The Time (Previously Unreleased Version) (06:17)
03. Sweet Freedom (06:28)
04. Seven Stars (03:49)
05. Pilgrim (Extended Version - Previously Unreleased) (07:02)
06. Wonderworld (04:30)
07. Suicidal Man (03:35)
08. Something Or Nothing (02:55)
09. Return To Fantasy (05:46)
10. Devil's Daughter (04:48)
11. A Year Or A Day (04:21)
12. Shady Lady (04:48)
13. One Way Or Another (04:39)
14. Misty Eyes (Edit Version - Previously Unreleased) (04:16)
15. Weep In Silence (05:08)
16. Beautiful Dream (Demo Version - Previously Unreleased) (05:48)


Tracklist CD4 (1977-1982):

01. Been Away Too Long (05:04)
02. Who Needs Me (03:38)
03. Sympathy (04:44)
04. Wise Man (04:41)
05. Free Me (03:33)
06. Free 'N' Easy (03:05)
07. Illusion (05:03)
08. Come Back To Me (04:20)
09. Fallen Angel (04:59)
10. Let It Ride (Previously Unreleased Version) (05:15)
11. I Won't Change (Previously Unreleased Version) (03:26)
12. La Woman (Previously Unreleased) (05:01)
13. Think It Over (Single) (03:32)
14. Carry On (03:56)
15. Fools (04:57)
16. It Ain't Easy (05:41)
17. I'm Alive Again (Ridge Farm Demo Version - Previously Unreleased) (03:37)
18. Sell Your Soul (05:27)


Tracklist CD5 (1983-1998):

01. Too Scared To Run (Previously Unreleased Version - Live '83) (04:08)
02. That's The Way That It Is (Previously Unreleased Version - Live '83) (03:55)
03. Weekend Warriors (03:50)
04. The Other Side Of Midnight (03:57)
05. Straight Through The Heart (03:45)
06. Split Image (Previously Unreleased Version - Film Soundtrack) (02:18)
07. Angel (Live '85) (05:07)
08. Mr. Majestic (Live '87) (05:51)
09. Cry Freedom (04:31)
10. Blood Red Roses (04:08)
11. Different World (Acoustic Version - Live '00) (04:47)
12. Against The Odds (06:13)
13. Spirit Of Freedom (04:15)
14. Dream On (04:27)
15. Sail The Rivers (06:54)
16. Time Of Revelation (04:03)
17. Between Two Worlds (06:31)


Tracklist CD6 (1973-2005):

01. Sweet Lorraine (Live '73) (04:36)
02. So Tired (Previously Unreleased Version - Live '74) (03:19)
03. Look At Yourself (Previously Unreleased - Live '79) (04:53)
04. Easy Livin' (Previously Unreleased - Live '79) (03:30)
05. Stealin' (Previously Unreleased - Live '79) (05:04)
06. Falling In Love (Previously Unreleased - Live '79) (03:07)
07. Woman Of The Night (Previously Unreleased - Live '79) (03:04)
08. Rockarama (Previously Unreleased on CD - Live '85) (05:55)
09. Bad Blood (Previously Unreleased on CD - Live '85) (03:24)
10. Sympathy (Live '01) (05:21)
11. Circus (Acoustic - Live '00) (04:33)
12. Interview (Previously Unreleased - German Promo. Circa 1976) (12:56)
13. Free Me (Previously Unreleased - Live At Johannesburg, S.A. '95) (05:32)
14. Gypsy (Previously Unreleased - Live At The Astoria, London '97) (12:32)


All thanks go to the original releaser