MICK RONSON – Only After Dark: The Complete MainMan Recordings

For many, Mick Ronson needs no introduction. However, for his much celebrated fame with Bowie’s Spiders From Mars, his associations with Mott The Hoople and Lou Reed and having a lifetime champion in Def Leppard’s Joe Elliott, there’s one aspect of Ronson’s career that’s sometimes overlooked: his 1970s solo recordings.

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URIAH HEEP – Firefly

1304460884_1304449466_firefly_front1When David Byron left Uriah Heep in 1976, the band’s fans figured he’d be irreplaceable.  His dynamic vocal range was an important part of the Heep sound, after all.  The band found a replacement in ex-Lucifer’s Friend vocalist John Lawton and to everyone’s surprise, the resulting album – 1977’s ‘Firefly’ – was not only enjoyable, but a big improvement over the workmanlike approach which dominated most of 1976’s ‘High & Mighty’.  This was an achievement considering the band had lost a key member, but pretty amazing since they also had a new bass player in tow.  ‘Firefly’ also marks the first appearance in Uriah Heep for Trevor Bolder (best known for his work as bassist with David Bowie’s Spiders From Mars).

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