But I’ll be damned if Demon and Wizards doesn’t have something up its sleeve–namely some good songs featuring some dandy playing. And David Byron’s histrionic tonsils–his voice has more octaves than there are steps on the stairway to heaven–occasionally make Geddy Lee sound like Paul Rodgers. Sure, the lyrics are the work of somebody who has spent far too much time amongst hobbits.
So imagine my surprise when I turned on 1972’s Demons and Wizards–chortle, chortle–only to discover I rather liked the thing. And I haven’t thought of them, except to chuckle at their risible swords and sorcery pretensions, since. I’ve always loved “Easy Livin’,” but when I was but a teenage droogie I plunked down some hard-earned money for a Uriah Heep 8-track that quickly made its way to the bottom of my 8-track pile. But such was the case–to a degree any way–when I decided to “relisten” to Uriah Heep.
Who was it who said, “He came to mock, but remained to pray?” It doesn’t matter. Remembering Uriah Heep drummer Lee Kerslake.
