Classic Rock Revisited caught up with Uriah Heep guitarist, Mick Box, to chat up the bands 23^rd studio album, titled Into the Wild. The album is just what one would expect from Box and his band of brothers. There are a lot of wah-wah soaked guitars, high vocal harmonies and organ solos. After 23 albums, tens of thousands of live shows, and God only knows how many miles traveled, Heep still manages to keep their new music sounding fresh. The band is full of energy and they are playing like men half their age, hell, a third of their age.

This band loves music; it’s really that simple. Uriah Heep will be playing, writing and recording music until Box is six feet under. Even then, if anyone can come up with a killer guitar solo from beyond the grave, it will be Mick – just listen for a soft, wah-wah-wah coming up from the ground and you will know it is him!

Box is a normal guy. He just happens to have a job where he travels to every corner of the earth and plays guitar in front of thousands of diehard fans. He does not just respect Heep’s fans, he genuinely loves them. He will bend over backwards to sign an autograph, take a photo or have a short chat with any fan of Uriah Heep. I once stood behind the band at the merchandise booth, waiting for us to go out to dinner, in Kansas City, Missouri while they signed autographs for an hour and a half. In the meantime, every restaurant in the casino closed. The casino actually called the staff back to work and opened up a restaurant just for the band. Even then, well past Midnight, the band insisted I sit down and join them for a meal. There are few bands like Uriah Heep. There are also few men like Mick Box.

Into the Wild truly does hit the nail on the head. This band is doing more to keep real rock alive, across the globe, than perhaps any band in the world. Even better is the fact that they still kick ass live. Hair may be gray, bellies may be bigger and they may need their spectacles on to sign that autograph, but rest assure Uriah Heep are alive and well.

Mick: I think as a band, we are getting stronger all the time. Nothing really has changed, as we still have the same focus on making good music together and to travel the world playing it. I would be hard put to find any weaknesses right now, as our focus is so strong.

Mick: We are very happy thus far. They are happy with In the Wild and we are happy with them. One of the reasons we chose them was that they have a presence in the USA, which our previous company did not have in place. This is important to us, as we want to build our profile in the USA.

Mick: This is from a saying in the UK. When you say “nail on the head” it means you have got it 100% right.

Mick: They all have their own life, really. “Trail of Diamonds” could easily have remained a ballad, but when Phil [Lanzon] and I were writing it, we let it take us to other areas and it became a bit of an epic. It is wonderful when songs grow like this.

Mick: Lost was written by Trevor [Boulder] so hold that question until you do an interview with him and he will tell you.

Mick: Phil wrote “Kiss of Freedom.” Once again, the end developed into this long organ solo over the chorus riff. This happened naturally, as a jam, and we kept it.

Mick: Very naturally, and it would be wrong for us to over analyze. We just set about writing good songs and when it comes time to go into the studio, we give them to the band and they then take on a Heep flavor. Signature sounds come from the Hammond Organ, wah-wah guitar and our harmonies.

Mick: It is important to do what is good for the song. A lot of players take soloing as a time for them to show what they can do and the song gets lost. I always approach it as a writer would and try to find some melody. Start with impact, find something interesting to say in the middle, and find a strong ending. Keep it simple and make it enhance the song.

Mick: I have done that in the past with "Between Two Worlds," which was about trying to find a space between the real world, and the other world, where I could meet David [Byron] and Gary [Thain] and see them for a short time to see how they were doing, and to let them know I am keeping alive the musical legacy that they left on earth.

Mick: As long as we enjoy what we do, and we have our health, there is no need to stop. I think you only retire when there is no audience for you to play to. Luckily, for Heep, we have an audience in 53 countries. We have a very special relationship with our fans, and we appreciate their support more than you can imagine.

Jeb: Describe yourself as a guitar player. What makes you tick, musically?

Mick: I am a person who loves playing guitar more than anything else. I have never been driven to go the virtuoso route. I am often told that if you hear me on the radio, then you know it is me in a few notes, which is really cool. Also, I have been told by many a guitarist, that I am the reason that they picked up guitar in the first place. Now, the later of those two things is the highest accolade I can have, and that makes me the most proudest. ‘Who's better than who’ was never my thing, as I am not driven by that. Just do the best that you can with your heart and soul is my motto.

Jeb: Aside from the obvious deaths of former band members, what was Heep's low point, emotionally?

Mick: Probably when I had to fold the Conquest line up. I felt we lost our direction, somewhat.

Mick: Being the first Western rock band to play in Russia, to 180,000 people, in December, 1987, in Moscow, would be right up there.

Mick: Falling off stage and breaking my wrist in four places. I still continued on the three-month USA tour, with three injections a night, and two casts a day.

Mick: Of course I would be, Jeb. The one thing I am, thank goodness, is grounded. I never got sucked into the starship thing.

Mick: Yeah, thanks for the tip, Jeb. Well, the official bootlegs are just that, a selection of bootlegs that we release with great cover artwork by Ioannis. It gives people a chance to hear us in countries they would not otherwise be able to, like Sweden, Budapest, Hungary and Japan.

Mick: This song has all the hallmarks of Heep. Nice Hammond parts , riffs and high vocals.

Mick: This is a good rock song that made a great stage number. The opening riff I had written is very memorable.

Mick: Written by Ken Hensley about a woman he saw in the street from his hotel window. The rest is his imagination. He may have another story, but this is what I understand.

Mick: Another Hensley song. This was a big radio hit in the USA unto they realized it said "He done the ranchers daughter," and then it got dropped.

Mick: This has a very earthy riff of mine that seems to appeal to a lot of people. The song is still a strong live stage song to this day.

Mick: Politician. I managed, and tour managed, the band for the best part of 16 years, and there were many times I had to use the skill of a politician. We now, thankfully, have a brilliant manager called Martin Darvill.