Year : 2013
Style : Hard Rock
Country : United Kingdom
Audio : 320 kbps + all scans
Size : 153 mb
Bio:
Kenneth William David Hensley (born 24 August 1945) is an English singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer, best known for his work with Uriah Heep during the 1970s.He wrote or co-wrote the majority of Uriah Heep's songs during this period, including the hit singles "Lady in Black" (on which he sang lead vocals), "Easy Livin'" and "Stealin'", as well as "Look at Yourself", on which he also sang lead vocals, and "Free Me".Born in Plumstead, south-east London, Hensley moved with his parents, three brothers and sister to Stevenage, Hertfordshire in 1945. He learned how to play guitar at the age of 12 from a Bert Weedon manual. His first gig was at The Mentmore Pen Factory, in Stevenage (September 1960). After that, he played with The Blue Notes, Ken and the Cousins and Kit and the Saracens (1962). In 1963, this band evolved into The Jimmy Brown Sound, and they recorded some now lost songs. At this time, Hensley's first "professional" opportunity almost came about: they were to back Ben E. King on a British visit, but it never happened.In Early 1965, Hensley formed a band called The Gods, with the young guitarist Mick Taylor, well known later for his work with John Mayall and The Rolling Stones. Hensley wrote most of the material, sang and played the Hammond B3 organ as the band already had the talented Mick Taylor on guitar. The Gods' line-up included, at one time or another, vocalist and guitar/bass player Greg Lake (later of King Crimson and Emerson, Lake & Palmer), bass player Paul Newton (later the first Uriah Heep bassist), drummer Lee Kerslake (later also of Heep), bassist John Glascock (later of Jethro Tull), and guitarist Joe Konas. In early 1968 they signed with Columbia Records and recorded two LPs and several singles. After that, Newton left the band to join Spice, an Essex-based band. Hensley also played on a one-album side project of The Gods initially planned to become their 3rd album, but was recorded and eventually released in 1969/1970 under the moniker Head Machine's "Orgasm". The album was produced by David Paramor (producer of "The Gods") and both Hensley and Kerslake featured, along with John Glascock on bass, Brian Glascock on drums, and David Paramor on vocals, all under pseudonyms. Hensley played mostly guitar again, as in the beginning of his career. Although Paramor was credited as composer, the songs bear many of Hensley's influences. The album was released before Hensley joined Toe Fat and might almost be considered a prototype for the harder side of his future work in Uriah Heep.The band eventually split but Cliff Bennett, from the Rebel Rousers, decided to move in a more "progressive" direction and asked The Gods to join him. Under the name Toe Fat they released two LPs, but only the first featured Hensley.Paul Newton asked Hensley (Christmas 1969) to join forces in Spice, as they were looking for a keyboard player to make their sound less bluesy and more progressive, in keeping with the current trend. In January 1970, Spice changed its name into Uriah Heep. Also in the line-up were guitarist Mick Box and vocalist David Byron. With Uriah Heep, Hensley found a place to develop and showcase his songwriting and lyrical abilities as well as his keyboard and guitar playing. The band's "classic" line-up featured Hensley, Byron, Box, Kerslake and bassist Gary Thain, plus the management provided by Gerry Bron (Bronze Records). During his time with Heep (1970–1980), they recorded 13 studio albums, and the live album Uriah Heep Live – January 1973 along with many compilations and singles. Hensley also recorded his first two solo albums, Proud Words on a Dusty Shelf (1973) and Eager To Please (1975) during this time. He was supported mainly by Mark Clarke and Bugs Pemberton.After the departure of bassist Gary Thain (who died in 1975) and vocalist David Byron, other musicians were brought into the Heep family: John Wetton (Family, King Crimson, Roxy Music, later of UK and Asia), Trevor Bolder (from Spiders From Mars, later of Wishbone Ash) and John Lawton (Lucifer's Friend), among others.In 1980 Hensley left the band, unhappy with the musical direction they had chosen. After trying to put a new band together in the UK (Shotgun), he later moved to the USA and played a few gigs in North America as The Ken Hensley Band. Around this time he released his third solo LP, Free Spirit (1980).In 1982 Hensley joined Blackfoot, a hard rock Florida-based band. With them, he recorded two albums (1983's Siogo and 1984's Vertical Smiles). Although the group achieved some success, Hensley left after Bron informed him of Heep vocalist David Byron's death in 1985.After 1985, Hensley lived in semi-retirement in St Louis, Missouri (USA), making a few appearances with W.A.S.P., Cinderella and others. W.A.S.P.'s frontman Blackie Lawless stated that "Ken Hensley wrote the rule book for heavy metal keyboards as far as I'm concerned."In 1994, From Time To Time, a collection of lost recordings, was released featuring rare songs recorded by Hensley between 1971 and 1982, as well as some early versions of Heep's classic songs, played by Hensley and his roommates at that time, namely guitarist Paul Kossoff and drummer Simon Kirke (both of Free). Other musicians on the songs were bassist Boz Burrell (King Crimson and Bad Company), guitarist Mick Ralphs (Bad Company), drummers Ian Paice (Deep Purple, Whitesnake) and Kenney Jones (The Who), amongst others.In 1999, Hensley's musical activities began to increase, besides his work with St Louis Music. He opened a multi-room recording studio (The Upper Room), where he recorded the album A Glimpse of Glory,(recording engineers [|Bud Martin]] & Jason Mcentire) together with his band Visible Faith.During the fourth Uriah Heep Annual Convention in London, May 2000, plans were made for a one-off concert by the so-called "Hensley/Lawton Band". Hensley was joined by former Uriah Heep singer John Lawton, their first public collaboration since the latter's departure from Uriah Heep in 1979. With them were Paul Newton (the band's original bassist) and two members of Lawton's band, Reuben Kane on lead guitar and Justin Shefford on drums. They played a set of old Uriah Heep classics and some of Hensley's solo songs, and the concert was recorded for a CD release, followed by a tour in Europe culminating with a concert in Hamburg, Germany, featuring a full orchestra and a new rendition of Heep's old song "Salisbury".Running Blind, his first effort in 21 years, was released worldwide in 2002 and followed by a world tour with his band called "Free Spirit", that included some incredible musicians: Dave Kilminster (guitar), Andy Pyle (bass) and Pete Riley (drums). Kilminster and Riley later also played in the Keith Emerson Band (Kilminster is part of Roger Waters band nowadays). He now plays regular annual shows at small venues in Scandinavia, such as the "Summer Party" in Fredrikstad, Norway, where he has been playing consecutive gigs every August for nearly six years.After moving to Spain, Hensley kept his schedule busy and released The Last Dance (with new songs), The Wizard's Diary (Uriah Heep classics re-recorded in 2004) and Cold Autumn Sunday (Hensley's solo songs re-recorded in 2005).Featuring a number of special guests, the rock opera Blood on the Highway was recorded at the end of 2006 and released in May 2007. The story portrays the rise and fall of a rock'n'roll star and the eventual restart. The lead vocals role was split between Hensley himself, plus Glenn Hughes (ex-Deep Purple, Trapeze, Black Sabbath), Jorn Lande (ex-The Snakes, Masterplan), John Lawton (ex-Lucifer's Friend, Uriah Heep) and Eve Gallagher.In September 2008, Hensley went on stage again with John Lawton, Lee Kerslake and Paul Newton, all of Uriah Heep fame plus the addition of ex-Focus guitarist Jan Dumée, for the "Heepvention 2008" fans meeting.Hensely continued to write and record a series of new albums, beginning with a collection of songs under the title of Love & Other Mysteries, recorded near his home in Spain and followed in 2011 by Faster, his first studio recording of new songs with his live band, Live Fire. Tour followed tour but the inspiration for new songs kept coming. A CD of one of his solo concerts was released by Cherry Red Records in April 2013, this to be followed on 24 June this year by a live CD recorded with Live Fire during a September/October tour. Just to complete the cycle of three album release in a single year, Trouble, an album of 10 new songs recorded with a revised LIVE FIRE line-up was released, again by Cherry Red, in early September. Meanwhile, the tours continued and saw Hensley solo in Japan, Russia and other countries plus shows in all of Europe and Scandinavia with Live Fire.For the past few years, Hensley and his wife have lived in the village of Agost near Alicante in Spain.
Album:
On September 3rd 2010, armed with a new recording contract, Ken and his band, ¨Live Fire¨ went into the studio to record their first album together. The result was the May 2011 release of ¨FASTER¨ a CD that blends great great classic rock songs and modern, youthful energy and technology.It was Ken´s 51st record!!From childhood poet to legendary status is a long, long road and it´s hard to cut this particular story short .... so why try?Born in London with music in his family and in his blood, Ken formed the dream of being a rock star at the age of 11 when he bribed his parents into buying him a guitar. Armed with not much more than sheer determination he moved from step to step always looking for a way to advance his powerful ambitions.This was achieved through bands like The Gods which went through several incarnations before recording 2 albums for EMI Records and until the formation of Uriah Heep in 1970, the group in which all of his dreams came true and which changed his life forever, in many ways.Ken will tell you that he is first and foremost a writer /composer / lyricist and his enormous history of world-wide hit records is testimony to this, as is his history of world-wide sales of over 40 million records. After returning to Europe from the US, Ken began the climb back into rock & roll history and in 2007 released the acclaimed rock opera Blood On The Highway.Steadily Ken grew back into the consciousness of his huge fan base and, either solo or with Live Fire, the live performances thrilled audiences from Norway to Russia and all points in between.With his classic autobiography, ¨When Too Many Dreams Come True¨ printed in English, Russian and now Bulgarian, the man who first made his mark in the 20th century is now clearly capturing the 21st.With a new CD of rare songs already mixed, 2012 will see the release of the another solo CD and the recording of a double live CD and DVD with Live Fire. It is also the 50th anniversary of his life on the road … ¨50 Years On The Job¨ !!!Ken Hensley is a rock & roll legend with no plans to stop.
Line Up:
Ken Hensley : Vocals, Guitar, Keyboard
"Wild" Willy Bendiksen : Drums
Eirikur Haukksson : Guitar, Back Vocals, Keyboard
Morty Black : Bass, Back Vocals
Ken (Jr.) Ingwersen : Guitar
Eirikur Haukksson : Guitar, Back Vocals, Keyboard
Tracklist:
01. Introduction
02. Free Me
03. Longer Shadows
04. The Wizard
05. I Don't Wanna Wait
06. Wise Man
07. Through The Eyes Of A Child
08. Rain
09. Come To Me
10. There Comes A Time
11. July Morning
12. Slipping Away
13. Tales
14. I Close My Eyes
15. Lady In Black
Download links for all albums only on our blog here: http://goodmetalandhar.do.am/
