Salisbury (album)

Salisbury
Studio album by Uriah Heep
Released	January 1971 (US) February 1971 (UK)
Recorded	October–November, 1970 at Lansdowne Studios, London
Genre	Hard rock, heavy metal, progressive rock
Length	37:59
Label	Vertigo (UK) (original release) Bronze (UK) (reissue) Mercury (USA)
Producer	Gerry Bron
Uriah Heep chronology
...Very 'Eavy ...Very 'Umble (1970) Salisbury (1971) Look at Yourself (1971)
Alternative covers
Uriah Heep Salisbury US album cover

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]

Salisbury is the second album released by British rock band Uriah Heep.

Although the majority of tracks are clean hard rock, more so than on the previous ...Very 'Eavy ...Very 'Umble, the album features forays into both jazz-fusion on "The Park", whose tune is borrowed from a traditional Andean/Bolivian song "Nacimiento"^{[citation needed]}, and square progressive rock on the band's first foray into large-scale composition, the 16-minute title track featuring a 24-piece orchestra. It also includes the largely acoustic ballad "Lady In Black." The hard rock sound, quite prominent here, would be transferred over to their next release, which was to be dominated by this genre.

Unlike their first album, songwriting credits for fully half of the record are attributed to Ken Hensley alone, as opposed to the collaborative partnership credits of Box/Byron on the debut.

The album was originally released on the Vertigo label, as had been the band's debut ...Very 'Eavy ...Very 'Umble, but both were soon re-released when the band signed to the new Bronze Records for their third LP.

The connection of the artwork to the title is readily explained. Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, England, is an Army training-area. On the front of the album sleeve is a British Chieftain tank. The original LP release was a gatefold-sleeve. Inside is a b/w picture of a British tank of the First World War, over which were printed Hensley's comments on each track. Later reissues would be in a single sleeve.

About

The band's second album Salisbury was more squarely in the progressive rock genre, with its 16-minute title track featuring a 24-piece orchestra.^[2] One of the album's tracks, "Lady in Black", described as "a stylishly arranged tune that builds from a folk-styled acoustic tune into a throbbing rocker full of ghostly harmonies and crunching guitar riffs",^[2] became a hit in Germany upon its re-release in 1977 (earning the band the Radio Luxemburg Lion award). Produced by Gerry Bron, the second album went a long way to (according to AllMusic) perfect Uriah Heep's "blend of heavy metal power and prog rock complexity"^[2] and was also significant for Ken Hensley's instant rise to a position of the main author. Soon after the release Keith Baker left the band^[3] to be replaced by Ian Clarke (from another Vertigo band Cressida). With him the band made their first US tour, supporting Three Dog Night and Steppenwolf.^[4]

Track listing

• All Songs Copyright Dick James Music, Inc. (BMI)

UK Release

Side 1

Side 2

US Release

Side 1

Side 2

1996 remastered CD

This remastered CD added two bonus tracks and extensive liner notes:

2003 Expanded Deluxe Edition

2003 Expanded Deluxe Edition has 7 bonus tracks:

Charts

Release History

Personnel

• Keith Baker – drums, percussion
• Mick Box – lead & acoustic guitar, vocals
• David Byron – lead vocals
• Ken Hensley – slide & acoustic guitar, vocals, piano, harpsichord, organ, vibraphone, lead vocals (on "Lady in Black, High Priestess")
• Paul Newton – bass guitar, vocals

Additional personnel

• John Fiddy – string and brass arrangements

Production

• Produced By Gerry Bron
• Recorded, Engineered & Mixed By Peter Gallen
• Mastered By Tom Coyne

References