Demons and Wizards (album)

For the Demons and Wizards album, see Demons and Wizards (Demons and Wizards album).
Demons and Wizards
Studio album by Uriah Heep
Released May 19, 1972
Recorded March–April 1972 at Lansdowne Studios, London
Genre Hard rock, psychedelic rock, heavy metal, progressive rock
Length 39:40
Label Bronze (UK)
Mercury (USA)
Producer Gerry Bron
Uriah Heep chronology
Look at Yourself
(1971)		 Demons and Wizards
(1972)		 The Magician's Birthday
(1972)
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic [1]

Demons and Wizards is the fourth album released by British rock band Uriah Heep.

The original vinyl release was a gatefold sleeve, the front of which was designed by Roger Dean and contains a hidden erotic image of male and female genitalia. The inner of the gatefold had pictures of the band and notes by Ken Hensley, whilst the LP itself was housed in a liner on which were printed the lyrics.

The songs "The Wizard" and "Easy Livin'" were released as singles in the United Kingdom and North America, as well as many other markets. "Easy Livin'" entered the US Top 40 at #39, making it Heep's first and only American hit. "Easy Livin'" was also a mega hit in New Zealand and Germany, countries which were becoming a strong market for the band. It reached a disappointing #75 in Australia. The album itself was certified Gold in the US on 27 October 1972.[2]

The album is today regarded by many fans and critics alike as Uriah Heep's best album, often ranked against the preceding Look at Yourself. Even Rolling Stone, which printed an infamously negative review of the band's debut album, ran a positive assessment of Demons and Wizards. "These guys are good. The first side of Demons and Wizards is simply odds-on the finest high energy workout of the year, tying nose and nose with the Blue Oyster Cult," wrote Mike Saunders, who stated in conclusion, "they may have started out as a thoroughly dispensable neo-Cream & Blooze outfit, but at this point Uriah Heep are shaping up into one hell of a first-rate modern rock band."[3]

The album also served as partial inspiration for Hansi Kürsch and Jon Schaffer's side-project Demons and Wizards.

Contents

Track listing

All songs written by Ken Hensley except where noted.

  1. "The Wizard" (Mark Clarke, Ken Hensley) – 2:59
  2. "Traveller in Time" (Mick Box, David Byron, Lee Kerslake) – 3:25
  3. "Easy Livin'" – 2:37
  4. "Poet's Justice" (Box, Hensley, Kerslake) – 4:15
  5. "Circle of Hands" – 6:25
  6. "Rainbow Demon" – 4:25
  7. "All My Life" (Box, Byron, Kerslake) – 2:44
  8. "Paradise" – 5:10
  9. "The Spell" - 7:32

Demons and Wizards was remastered and reissued in 1995 with four bonus tracks:

  1. "Why (Single Edit)" (Box, Byron) – 4:53 – Original B-side single version.
  2. "Why (Extended Version)" (Box, Byron) – 7:39 – Long version recorded during the Demons and Wizards sessions early 1972.
  3. "Home Again to You (Demo)" – 5:28 – A demo recorded during the Demons and Wizards sessions.
  4. "Green Eye (Demo)" - 3:46 – A demo recorded during the Demons and Wizards sessions.

Reissued again in 2003 with the following bonus tracks:

  1. "Why (Extended Version)" - 10:34
  2. "Rainbow Demon (Single Edit)" - 3:36
  3. "Proud Words On a Dusty Shelf" - 2:52
  4. "Home Again to You (Demo)" - 5:36
  5. "Green Eye (Demo)" - 3:46

Personnel

Charts

References

  1. ^ "Allmusic review". http://www.allmusic.com/album/r20889. 
  2. ^ "RIAA Gold & Platinum database". http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?resultpage=1&table=SEARCH_RESULTS&action=&title=&artist=uriah%20heep&format=&debutLP=&category=&sex=&releaseDate=&requestNo=&type=&level=&label=&company=&certificationDate=&awardDescription=&catalogNo=&aSex=&rec_id=&charField=&gold=&platinum=&multiPlat=&level2=&certDate=&album=&id=&after=&before=&startMonth=1&endMonth=1&startYear=1958&endYear=2009&sort=Artist&perPage=25. Retrieved 9 April 2009. 
  3. ^ Saunders, Mike (November 23, 1972). "Demons and Wizards". Rolling Stone (Straight Arrow Publishers, Inc.) (122): 66. 
Uriah Heep
Studio albums
Live albums
Compilations
Songs
Related articles