Search - Rough Diamond, David Byron :: Rough Diamond

Not quite Heep (but it'll do in a pinch)!

M. G. Kimmel | St. Louis, MO | 11/16/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"When David Byron left Uriah Heep in 1976, it was the end of the best of times for both sides. Like Brian May (Queen) said, the four members added together separately weren't worth more than the four of them together. That's certainly the case with Heep.



Before I go on, let me first qualify that by saying that I think Ken Hensley was (and is) a very good keyboardist, a good guitarist, and an magnificent songwriter. Lee Kerslake is an excellent drummer. Mick Box is possibly one of THE most underrated guitarists in rock and roll. Take a look at the three of them, fercryinoutloud! 30 years ago the critics said they wouldn't last. They're STILL touring and STILL selling CDs!



Byron would be too, if he hadn't died.



The problem with Byron was that he began to think that Uriah Heep (along with the majority of the rest of the world) revolved around him. He was a good singer, and certainly the absolute perfect fit for Heep. His solo LPs (Take No Prisoners and Baby Faced Killer) only hint at what he was capable of with Heep.



Nine tracks on the album, and none really seem to get going. They're all good, but they all move right up to he point where you sit back and think "Yeah! Here we go!" and then it's over and the next track starts. You go through the whole album like that.



It's good - don't misunderstand that part. I like it. I'd give it three-and-a-half to four stars. If Heep had done it, I'd give it seven stars on a five star scale! Byron never seems to be able to get out of the gate.



If you like Uriah Heep, you won't be disappointed with this CD. If you're looking for something to show you how Heep or Byron sounded at their best, go grab Demons & Wizards or Look At Yourself."