It's about time SOMEBODY reacted to this! I've been suggesting it forever. Great job!! If you listen carefully right before each guitar solo you can hear a click when Mick Box steps on the wha-wha pedal to activate it. He also didn't use the tap technique back in those days. He was just that fast. Amazing song! Zepplin, Purple, and others had their "EPIC" songs back in those days. This is Heep's "EPIC".
Salisbury is one of my most listened albums ever. I've known it, back then on a homemade cassette, since I was about seven. The title track, Salisbury, is the dramatic, rousing, culmination of the LP, which as a whole is an absolute rock masterpiece. Rock with orchestral music, jazz and more. Salisbury still amazes me after probably over 300 listens, I know every detail. Such music gets better and better over time the better you know it, instead of getting boring. Hardly anyone knows or appreciates the album Salisbury (except Lady in Black), I don't get it either, it's on such a high and different level. Very satisfying to see that someone else feels the same way! Hopefully Uriah Heep and especially Salisbury will get the attention they deserve.
Although a troubled soul,..Alex Harvey was a genial performer and prolific songwriter.....so glad to have a reaction to this classic song👍👍....if you don't mind me saying but it's pronounced...." Sallsbury"..........(silent i).
Thanks, Nick for taking on Salisbury! Uriah Heep had so many layers going on in several tunes...you're right, they should have been bigger than they were! 👍💖
Alex Harvey was such a special artist, listen to his songs Vambo, Man in a jar, and Gangbang. As for Uriah Heep, I have been a huge fan of their work since I 1st saw them in concert in1973. It's a shame the Rock hall won't acknowledge them as the innovators they were. Gary Thain was the most underrated bass player ever, Byron's voice is always amazing, and Ken Hensley's keyboard and writing stellar! add Mick Box on guitar and Kerslake on Drums, what's not to love
I'll tell you who is really underrated....Hensley's slide guitar. When you hear slide it isn't Mick Box. So many have no clue it is Hensley playing Slide. Slide on Circle of Hands, on Paradise/The Spell And yes, Gary Thain, from Keef Hartley Band, is an awesome bassist and extremely underrated.
Thanks to my elder sister and cousins I discovered Uriah Heep, Deep Purple, Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin in 1970 at the age of nine! I love them all but Uriah Heep was, is and will always be my absolute favourite rock band. While the Byron-era is the most impressive - of course - there are many many great songs on Heep's albums since then to discover, believe me :)
Brilliant Video, Nick. Uriah Heep are a fantastic Band. Mick Box is The Guitarist. Thanks for posting this excellent reaction. Keep Rockin'🎸 RONNIE Scotland 🏴🎸
Hi Nick, glad you have been introduced to The Sensational Alex Harvey Band & what an absolute classic to start with ( great band live ). Early Uriah Heep probably does not get as many kudos as it should!!
Back in the early '70's my 3 favorite bands to see (repeatedly) were Wishbone Ash, Humble Pie & Uriah Heep! I saw them with different configurations - first US tour they had Paul Newton on Bass and Ian Clark on drums (Paul was on Salisbury /Ian was brought on board for the first tour) then I saw them with Mark Clarke on bass and later Gary Thain on bass - the core group of Ken Hensley (Vocals/Keys), David Byron (Lead Vocals) & Mick Box (Guitar) were later supported by long time drummer Lee Kerslake and the four main guys in the band! I got to see them do Salisbury on the first tour! Mick Box was one of the most incendiary guitarists I saw on stage! Lee Kerslake stayed with the band until the end of the '70's. Mick Box is still leading the band. Other songs off this album deserving a listen are Birds of Prey and Simon the Bullet Freak! (And if you haven't gotten into Humble Pie yet... you're in for a treat!)
Great album Great band. David's vocals on title track and time to live awesome. He sang with such dynamic and tone and expression so soft yet so powerful. Beautiful and magical RIP David. Saw him many times in 70s. David and heep always so underated??but true heep fans know what i mean when i say..not by us never..heep were the bee's bollocks for all of us hahaha to be sure 🎸🎶🎵🎹
Mick Box is a phenomenal player - the solo on Magician's Birthday is his best. The Salisbury solo was actually written/composed note by note which is unusual but compatible with the orchestral feeling to the track.
Salisbury is one of the best combinations of group and orchestra ever recorded, but as the good old critics had already decided that Heep were rubbish, it has never received the kudos it deserves. In the sleeve notes Ken Hensley wrote that the orchestra were “grooving fantastically” and he was right! Btw on Side 1 of Salisbury there’s a track called The Park. It’s fantastic and shows what a brilliant singer David Byron was 👍
There's so little content of SABH on RU-vid, I keep seeing this. It'd be great if you could dig a bit more! They really don't deserve to be forgotten so soon!
Great reaction for Salisbury man. Funny how, around the 30 minutes line, you said how the instruments were great, the trumpets, saxophones, the base, the keybord, unbeknownst to you you were about to hear one of the greatest guitar solos of all time. It was fun to watch, thanks for sharing.
Omg this is one of the greatest songs ever! Not many reactors react to this due to its length but believe me it is worth every minute. Ty very much for putting the time aside to bring us this masterpiece! Best reaction to any song I've ever watched react. Lex should hear this.
the Sensational Alex Harvey Band are fantastic They did many covers but made them their own. Next is one of my Favourite songs of theirs. Anthem is another lives up to the title
I was waiting for the opportunity to request it to both of you, but I decided to request it now. I couldn't wait and thought this would be too long for Lex's back. Same with the other mega marathon.
I've suggested "Salisbury" to many RU-vid reaction folks to no avail. Just you and Just JP are the only ones so far to do it. THANK YOU! It's my favorite Uriah Heep song.
My first ever album was the first Heep album very 'eavy very 'umble and paved the way for me into all kinds of rock, prog, blues and all other kinds of music. This one stands out for me, just because it does. Thanks for your reaction Nick. Keep up the good work!
So glad you liked it. I actually think this is world class. So happy to see you being amazed by Box's playing. His solo is from another planet.Yet so simple but still a masterpiece. Means everything to me. ❤️❤️❤️
Wow, Nick! Couple of intense intros and songs. Grew up in a house with hippies and bikers. They had Salisbury when it came out. Heard it a 1000 times. The whole album is a masterpiece. Saw them the Stealin' Tour. They did this song I was sitting RIGHT beside the speaker probably left stage. The good old days. Ears hurt for days. Ha! Great reaction, buddy!
When talking about the music of the 70s, Uriah Heep is unfortunately often forgotten. This band has more influence on later music than many believe. Whether the guitarist Mick Box belongs to the best, I do not want to judge, because of bias. What I do know is that he is one of the nicest and most fan-friendly guys I have ever met. He comes across as incredibly positive even after 50 years on stage. Heep has been my favorite band since 1970 and always will be. Explore IMO their master album "Look at yourself". No album have I listened to as much as this one. The Sensational Alex Harvey Band was a great live band. Saw them many times. Another epic song of theirs is "Last of the Teenage Idols". Thanks Narvik, your recommendations are the best. All thumbs up. Alex welcome to the Heepsters.🎸🇩🇪
Yes Narvik! Going into the archives with Alex Harvey! It's been so long since I've heard this, that it's like I'm reacting along with Nick. I still have his album from '72 "The Joker is Wild". Great stuff as always Narvik! Good vibes and thoughts my friend!
This is an absolutely killer reaction video. Salisbury Is My Favorite Heep album. Cant Get Enough of This track. Alex Harvey is also killer. I am not as familiar with him but back in the day (70's) WMMS in Cleveland Used to Give Alex Harvey A Lot of love.
Thank you. Salisbury is one of my all time favorites. Uriah Heep never got their due in the US but they were big in Europe. I was lucky enough to see them at the Academy of Music in NY I believe it was 1972. They were at their best with David Byron who unfortunately had a bad drinking problem. I'm not sure that led to his death but it didn't help. Mick is the only remaining original member. Look at Yourself album also contains two great songs, July Morning and Look at Yourself. You should really do more reactions to Heep. You won't be disappointed.
the last time I saw them live Mick Box pointed out multiple times that there music genre was melodic rock. I also read in interviews that he always made sure that all his members could sing in harmony
Salisbury - the whole album - is great. My favorite from this band. Heep's guitarist is Mick Box, he is often unfairly treated as a "one trick pony", and I am not a guitarist to really judge, but some stuff he does on the Heep albums (especially this track) sounds insanely good to me.
Great album great band, David's vocals on title track and Time to live..awesome. his voice had such dynamic and tone so soft yet powerful he sang with such expression...saw him many time's in the 70s..RIP David .
Wow! It was so good to hear The Sensational Alex Harvey Band again after such a long time. When I moved down to London at the end of 1973, I worked with a guy who was the biggest SAHB fan on the planet it seemed! Somehow, I never got to see them live and that's always seemed a missed opportunity in my musical journey. I will be going onto YT to see what I can find. I never really got into Uriah Heep. I guess I was too busy with Yes, Genesis, ELP etc. But it's great to hear them here and catch up on their music. Thanks Nick and Narvik, I don't know what you're going through, but I do hope you're winning.
Heard Salisbury at a party when I was in High School and was hooked in 1971/72. The guy hosting the party had a stack of records his brother had brought back from college and we put it on primarily because it had a long song. Album covers and long songs were often hooks that got me to buy albums. Even though I was a fan and saw them in concert many times in the next couple of years I don't think they ever equalled this piece.
I'm a big Deep Purple fan but I still think the track Salisbury mixes rock and classical music together better than DP's Concerto for Group and Orchestra (and I love that too 🥰)
This song is really incredible. I first listened a few years ago a short version of it on a Uriah Heep compilation. I like many Uriah Heep songs for some years already, but I had never heard Salisbury. And then I heard the short version and was mesmerized. Searched for it on RU-vid and discovered it was a 16 minutes song. Not only that, but a MASTERPIECE. I was just blown away.
Saw Heep in 1971 amazing band deaf for a week after it. Saw S.A.H.B in 1973 and 1974 stunning live. Faithhealer is in my top fifty songs. Keep up the great show.
It has been years since I have listened to this amazing song and album. Heep we’re always considered slightly lower than Deep Purple and Black Sabbath. However, have those 2 bands ever wrote a sonata mixed with rock, jazz, prog? I grew up with this band, got my first kiss listening to Gypsy Queen. As far as I am concerned, while individually there were more talented individual musicians in other bands, collectively Heeps musicians were untouchable. Mick Box guitar work is freaking amazing.
One of my Favorites by the Heep...When I was in High School I was becoming a Rock Singer and David's voice was a huge inspiration..I use to fall asleep at night listening to this piece. It's wonderful I wasn't wrong about how good it was and can be re-enjoyed by another Generation...If you to hear my group look up "Frequency Tribe " I'd suggest maybe the song "Smog Monster"
Remembering I bought the Salisbury album back in the mid 70's when I was a teenage broncin' buck with a pink carnation and a pickup truck 😂 But this album had other noteworthy tunes like "High Priestess", and "The Park". David Byrons vocals are wonderfully powerful and compliment Ken Hensley vocals very nicely throughout Uriah Heeps golden era.
Salisbury has always been an enigma to me within the Heep catalogue; it's just soooooo good, that everything else pales by comparison, fine though so many tracks are.
Epic SAHB - their best song ! Excellent choice Narvik. Reminds me of my youth and I want to "paint a picture", which you Narvik might have experienced, too, but I don't know, if there were places like that in the USA. In a small town close to my home, about 15 - 20 minutes to drive, there was a so called Rock-Disco - The Musical Box - ; in the year of 1981 I spent there almost every weekend and I learned so much about music I hadn't heard yet, even though I already knew a lot at this time. So here's the picture : the disco was in a former industry plant, large, several hundred people fitting in, high ceilings, very good sound, loud but not too loud. When the DJ played the Faith Healer, they dimmed the lights a little more, just a few towards the dancefloor and the fog machine started - can you see it ? And then the "elves", young girls and women "floated" over the dancefloor ... hardly any male person tried to join .... does this put smiles on your faces ? I hope so 😆 Uriah Heep - Salisbury surely is an epic track, for me personally the 2nd best of Uriah Heep right after Magician's Birthday with the second best guitar solo right behind the one in Magician's Birthday 🤘
I was just coming over to your site to check if you had ever listened to SAHB and there it was ... "The Faith Healer"; a great place to begin. I fell in love with Alex and the band after seeing a live show on TV in the mid-70's, and bought the "Next" album that this song opens as soon as I could. A year-ish later, I couldn't believe it when they actually came to my city (in Alabama of all places), opening for Jethro Tull - who I was also a huge fan of - on the "War Child" tour in '75, if memory serves. Seeing those two bands together was a dream concert and well worth the cracked eardrum I had the next day! The "Next" album was also the very first CD I ever bought, unbelievably again, finding it in a small record store in Alabama. Over the years, while I still love JT, I listen to SAHB way more often. While there are so many of their songs I could recommend, I really hope that one day you'll react to "The Tale of the Giant Stone Eater". In one song it takes you through so many genres, all amazing as only that band could pull off. From bawdy bar blues (their song "Gang Bang" is not a metaphor) to beautiful songs like "Anthem" and their cover of the French song, "Next" (on that same titled album) by Jacques Brel released in 1964 about a soldier losing his virginity (organized and sanctioned by the Army, it seems), no band was ever like SAHB. RIP to master showman Alex, and to brothers Ted & Hugh McKenna (keyboards and drums) who both died in 2019.
This song is a masterpiece. It was very bold of them to do this on their second album. The guitar solo is excellent, one of the best Mick Box ever recorded. And, yes... he beats Jimmy Page by far!
I am so pleased that I saw The Sensational Alex Harvey band live before Alex died. Note: The rhythm section went to The Rory Gallagher Band and the Michael Schenker Group.
Well done for finding your way to Alex Harvey's door Nick. Next up has to be Give My Compliments To The Chef. With a song title like that how can you resist? They were a very visual/theatrical spectacle so maybe check out the live version from the BBC's Old Gray Whistle Test. Then their music has even more impact. One thing is for sure if you were a chef - you wouldn't want to receive a compliment from Alex :)
This song and the whole album "Salisbury" is one of my all time favorites and the best one by Uriah Heep. It's funny that the two chord song Lady in Black is the best known song from the album.
I used to listen to the Alex Harvey Band a fair bit back in the day, but have always been a Heepster first and foremost. Good luck getting Salisbury out of your head now Nick!
Hi [ again ! ] Well ... this was just the reaction I was expecting ! It blew me away the first time I heard it...Yes you must get Lex to listen ! Alex Harvey was great live too. His interaction with the audience is legendary....He does a song called "Framed" where the lyrics say he is arrested for a crime he didn't commit. He stops the music on stage and asks the audience if they believe he is innocent ? "I was framed ...Do you believe me folks" ? ... and the audience yells back "NO" !!! ... " What ? You don't believe me ? !!! ....Ok, the concert ...is....Cancelled " !!! Lol Brilliant ! [ Scottish humour ] .... Love Uriah Heep. This is very different....Remember last time when you did "Come Away Melinda" as I mentioned Ian Gillan and Deep Purple having such a big influence on this group....Well in 1969 Deep Purple released an album "Concerto for Group and Orchestra" which for a rock group was rare ... very rare....also ... Ian Gillan did "Jesus Christ Superstar" a rock opera, in 1970. Then in 1971 Uriah Heep do this. I am sure very much influenced by those albums....and Gillan !! [ Vocals + that scream ] Brilliant reaction marathon. Thankyou ! Byee Jim X
@@johns.4331 He still tours with the band, and he and the current Heep members have also released several new, great, hard-rocking Uriah Heep albums since 1995. The last one, "Living The Dream," really rocked! A new album is coming in 2023 too.
Musical Mayhem Zal Cleminson Sensational Alex Harvey Band (Guitar) at his best what a Sensational Reaction. loved this so much !! it really cheered me up after having had a nasty bout of Covid for the past few Weeks. Your Air Guitar was the best I have seen for a While its always entertaining Lol Nick 🎸Uriah Heep is still Kicking ass 👻 The Special T-shirt !! will be winging its way over to you very soon know that I have recovered as we all know it's no fun being confined at home 😀
Thanks @Narvic for the sugestion of Salisbbury, @NicknLex You're reaction was as epic as the song its self, Loved it, I grew up listenening to heep now in my 60s they are amazing.
Damn, i'm always late to the Party! Yes, i still have this Album from the 70's on Vynly! This kicks man! my favorite song for ages & still holds high! I'm sure there are 'Rotating-Leslie-Speakers' on the Organs, Especially at the begining! Classically Awesome! Glad you so approved! :) 🙌👍
Love Alex Harvey. Got 6 albums of their. And "next" is the favourite... with "faith healer" is my all time fav from alex harvey. Great pick! And with Uriah Heep.. well.. all David Byron era albums are great !! Mick Box on the guitar just kills it !!!
Just JP is my other go to reaction channel. He comes across a genuine music lover with good insight and descriptions of the music. A nice guy as well .
MORE SAHB!!! ''The Dolphins'' is one of the heaviest songs ever....my other picks would be ''Soul in Chains'' ''Give My Complements to the Chef'' ''Isobel Goudie'' ''Boston Tea Party'' ''Hot City Symphony'' and their version of ''School's Out''
Mick Box has to be top 10 guitarist and most underrated. The founding member of UH and the only original member left. beside his amazing guitar work he is also a amazing song writer and has a gift for finding phenomenal musicians to join him there curent line up is one of there best
Mick does not use any tapping or trickery aside from trills, perhaps. He played that solo straight and one pass. As someone said, 'he's just that fast" Thanks for the video. Its so nice to see a younger muso appreciate this old stuff. It was the best...😉
I am so eternally grateful that I got to see the Sensational Alex Harvey Band open for Jethro Tull on their 'War Child' tour in 1975. I was already a fan of SAHB after having seen a live performance on TV and couldn't believe they came to play in my town in freakin' Alabama. All of their albums jump around in styles, from epics like this, to really bawdy straight up bar blues tracks (I mean, their song "Gang Bang" isn't a metaphor, unlike "Giddy Up a Ding Dong"). But songs like "Tale of the Giant Stone Eater" - talk about shifts in tone and style! - and the track "Anthem" (my absolute favorite track after this one) are just legendary. RIP Alex.
@@chrisbarlow2131 Read his comment again. He did not say that they came *from* Alabama. He said that they came *to play in his town* in Alabama. They played a concert in his town in Alabama. Of course, they came *from* Glasgow, Scotland! 🙂
SAHB were such a great band, and even better live (check out any videos you can find; though there's not many). I recommend The Hot City Symphony (Parts 1 and 2)
Great reaction nick, seen them at knebworth park, Uk, they stole the whole concert for me with their performance, truly sensational check out there live performances on you tube , incredible band, RIP ALEX HARVEY
The GREAT Mick Box on Guitar!! I saw Uriah Heep live 4 times. The first time was in 1974. The last time was in 2019. They never disappoint! Nick, you want to hear an Epic Mick Box Guitar solo you and Lex should react to The Magicians Birthday by Uriah Heep.
I'm glad someone picked up "Salisbury" after JP did his reaction earlier. It's a fine long epic with an orchestra -- and it's the only one by Uriah Heep. It seems many artists in the mid-70s were entitled to perform one and only one long epic. Cat Stevens played one with "Foreigner Suite" in 1973, and you might be interested in Grace Slick's 1974 "Theme From The Movie Manhole". It wasn't a movie in reality, but it has an orchestra, and Grace practices some Spanish pronunciation in it, which you might find amusing. And a few of her friends from the Jefferson Airplane helped too
I got to see The Alex Harvey Band live in the early 70's, fronting for Jethro Tull... amazing energy, kinda made JT look a little tame afterward... will never forget it.
Como estas querido Nick? Que buena musica, te felicito!!! Me hace acordar mucho a la máquina de hacer pájaros del señor " Charly García". Sigue asi campeón del mundo!!! Saludos desde Baires.
Uriah Heep were fairly awesome! I only caught them live, once, but it was a great gig! SAHB I saw 6 or 7 times - great live, and I love the albums but, Nick, you will not find much about them from just one song...their material was so diverse...sometimes serious, sometimes comic book - but always interesting!
Uriah Heep had several epics in their discography. July Morning is my favorite, and The Magician's Birthday is pretty good too. Unfortunately, they moved away from doing these longer tunes. This is my first exposure to The Sensational Alex Harvey Band. Interesting stuff.
That's Mick Box on guitar......and this album (their 2ed) was recorded in October, and November of 1970 !.......1970 Dude !!! And interesting that you would make such comparisons to Blackmore and Page. I also made such comparisons in march of 1971. That's the month I started learning serious guitar. I knew NOTHING, however I had one major advantage over my contemporaries.....I had an exceptional ear. I needed to know WHO was the best. I shortly concluded that none of them were what I required, and I moved on into other forms of music. At any rate, I vividly remember feeling exactly as you did. It would seem that Salisbury is a good pivot point !
Tony Bourge from the wales band "Budgie" had lots of great riffs on his guitar aswell. In the same ligue of iommi.. One example of it is the riff from their song "Breadfan" made by Budgie.. not Metallica ;)