Uriah Heep - Innocent Victim (1977) plus Bonus Tracks

(UK 1969 - Present)

Almost a year had elapsed since Uriah Heep and their newly appointed singer John Lawton (from Lucifer's Friend) decamped to north London's Roadhouse studios to create their tenth album called Firefly. The album was flagged for release in the following February after which the band flew to the States to support Kiss, and also headlined the Reading Festival back home in the U.K

In the shape of the ballad 'Wise Man', Firefly had given the British five piece - completed by guitarist Mick Box, keyboard player/guitarist/singer Ken Hensley, drummer Lee Kerslake and newly arrived bassist Trevor Bolder (formerly of David Bowie's Spiders From Mars) - a rare hit single in the UK. Given their inconsistency during the latter years spent with David Byron at the microphone, it was a far from below-par album from Uriah Heep. Consequently, many of their fans (including me) were however reluctantly prepared to accept the band's decision to move on with Lawton.

European & UK Cover

However, the punk rock revolution was in full swing, and in popularity terms the group still found themselves reeling on the ropes as a consequence of Byron's absence. Firefly failed to chart well, and while many acts might have taken a contemplative break, or at least paused to lick their wounds, the quintet were about to begin their second of 1977.

The lineup remained the same for Innocent Victim, their eleventh studio release, as did the choice of recording studio (the Roadhouse again) and the man in the producer's chair - long serving manager Bronze Records label boss Gerry Bron. This time however, Hensley received a co-credit for his involvement.

The possessor of a fine, bluesy voice, Lawton undoubtedly grew in confidence on his second album with Uriah Heep. Having joined them just three weeks before commencing his share of the recording of Firefly, John's involvement was always going to be peripheral. This time, he co-wrote the impressive "Free 'N' Easy" with Box. The other 'new boy'. Trevor Bolder, also chipped in with a shared by-line of his own on "Roller".

Uriah Heep 1977

Hensley was far less prolific than usual, being involved with just four of the original album's nine tracks. More so than ever, the band's work bore the stamp of Jack Williams, the American tunesmith who'd cut his teeth working for a publishing company owned by The Who's Pete Townsend and Roger Daltrey, before accepting Ken's invitation to relocate to England and work for Hensley's own outlet of the era, Humble Tunes. Williams brought the band three songs; "Keep On Ridin' " (Penned in tandem with Hensley), plus "The Dance" and "Choices". Puzzlingly, one of the finest Lawton-era recordings - "The River" - failed to make the final listing (though it is added here as a bonus track).

With hindsight, Innocent Victim is a more varied and sophisticated effort than Firefly, though none but the least objective devotee could have claimed it was as good. [I must be that least objective devotee - I think it is fare better!]

To some, its combination of rock numbers and slick, scarf-waving ballads like "Illusion" represented an attempt to tap into the lucrative US stadium rock market - not what they believed an act as 'eavy and 'umble as Heep should have been doing.

Once again, the band failed to dent the UK chart, though the album was an enormous success throughout the rest of Europe - even racking up their biggest ever sales in German. Its ability to shift a million copies there was largely attributable to the crossover success of another 7" triumph.

As the Roundhouse recording sessions neared completion, Hensley had walked in one day with the song concerned. "Free Me" was laid down in two days flat. Mick Box commented many years later: "It was instant. There was no extended writing or rehearsal period - it just emerged. And everybody was very excited about it".

It sounded like a hit from the minute we heard the demo" agreed Gerry Bryon afterwards. "And it certainly did a lot to put the band back on the right track commercially. In Germany we were soon back playing venues which were as big if not bigger than anything we had played previously". "Free Me" later also topped the singles chart in New Zealand and also received good airplay here in Australia.

But there was also a flipside to this success. However many new doors "Free Me" opened for the band, it also slammed others firmly in their faces. Heep had worked hard to earn themselves a reputation as a tuneful, powerful rock band. Yet newcomers seduced by the single baulked at the rest of the record's hard rock repertoire, and many who'd grown up with Heep felt alienated by this new, more lightweight direction. The band had unwittingly made a rod for their own backs.

Innocent Victim certainly spelled the beginning of the end for John Lawton, who has belatedly concurred that the album wasn't all it could've been. As a singer observes: "There are some good numbers on there, but it wasn't consistent enough. And then, out of the blue, there was the hit single "Free Me". It turned out to be Heep's biggest single ever in Europe. It went straight to No #1 in Germany and stayed there for about five weeks.

"And it had nothing to do with what Heep were doing before that; it was a straightforward pop song". expands Lawton. "Consequently this was seen as the way to go. And after that we started to write weird pop songs. That just wasn't me, I can't write pop songs to save my life. For me, "Free 'N' Easy" was what it was all about - blood and guts".

Differences over the band's direction would ultimately inflame an unfortunate rift between John and Ken, just as the keyboard maestro had fallen out with David Byron. Hensley's frustration was stoked by Bronze's insistence that Heep deliver yet more songs in the vein of 'Easy Livin' ("Free 'N' Easy" being a mild example of the phenomenon). He also didn't look too favourably upon the presence of Lawton's wife Iris on tour, finding it intrusive.

When it surfaced in November 1977, Innocent Victim elicited a mild disinterest from the press. The opinion of Classic Rock reviewer - Geoff Barton - who'd crossed swords with Heep on many occasions in the past, was perhaps typical. Barton reviewed the LP in the pages of the weekly 'Sounds Mag' and found himself addressing what must now be a very real possibility - namely that Uriah Heep will still me making music by the time the writer reaches the grand old age of 60! Understandably, the weary journo admitted he didn't know "whether to laugh or cry" at such a notion. 

The album he professed was: "Alright. Not world-shattering, epoch-making, mind-blowing, senses-shattering, soul-searing, the pinnacle of greatness... just alright".   [Liner notes by Dave Ling - Classic Rock Mag]

This post consists of rips taken from my U.S Vinyl pressing that I purchased from an import shop in Flinders Street - probably in 1978 (there were always delays in getting hold of the latest releases in Australia).  It still has the shrink wrap on the cover and the vinyl is almost virgin.  The cover is different to the European 'Snake' cover but I personally like the more conservative U.S one anyhow.  The bonus tracks were ripped from the expanded CD release and full album artwork is included for both media sets, along with label scans.

My favourite tracks are "Free 'N' Easy" and "Illusion", but I must admit I didn't really like "Free Me" at the time, as it sounded like a complete 'commercial' cop out to me.  I have since softened to it in my old age and can now appreciate that the band was under the pump to provide Bronze with another hit (for their survival). 

Although I initially found it hard to accept Lawton as Heep's new vocalist (when David Bryon exited), I was surprised to learn that my favourite track on the album was actually written by Lawton. To wit, I decided to do some research into his past and discovered his connection with the band Lucifer's Friend.  Upon further investigation, I came across a track that he wrote and sang with that band called "Ride The Sky", which is in the same vain as "Free 'N' Easy", and is a killer track.  I have included "Ride The Sky" in this post so you can appreciate the same I hope. 

Track List

01  Keep On Ridin'   3:41

02  Flyin' High   3:18

03  Roller   4:38

04  Free 'N' Easy  3:02

05  Illusion  5:02

06  Free Me  3:35

07  Cheat 'N' Lie  4:50

08  The Dance  4:48

09  Choices  5:42

[Bonus Tracks]

10  Illusion / Masquerade (Full unedited version)   (8:17)

11  The River (Out-take)  3:07

12  Put Your Music Where Your Mouth Is (Previously Unreleased)  2:54

13  Cheat 'N' Lie (Alternative Live Version)  5:58

14  Free Me (Alternative Live Version)  5:47

15  Free 'N' Easy (Alternative Live Version)  3:15

Band Members:

Vocals – John Lawton

Bass – Trevor Bolder

Drums, Vocals – Lee Kerslake

Guitar – Mick Box

Keyboards, Guitar, Vocals – Ken Hensley

Producer – Gerry Bron, Ken Hensley

Innocent Victim Link (459Mb)

New Link 12/10/2023