JUNE 13 1970 Uriah Heep released their debut album, ...Very 'Eavy ...Very 'Umble. The original vinyl release was a gatefold sleeve, featuring frontman David Byron on the front sleeve, almost unrecognisable beneath cobwebs. It was issued in August 1970 by Mercury Records in the United States as just Uriah Heep with different sleeve artwork (a centipede type monster), and with the track "Bird of Prey" in place of "Lucy Blues". The album was reissued by Bronze Records in 1971 after the band signed to that label. The album shows the band trying out various genres – a mix of heavy metal and progressive rock – rather than the hard rock that they would become known for on later albums. Tracks 3 and 8 were recorded as Spice songs prior to the band's renaming as Uriah Heep, and featured session player Colin Wood on keyboards. When Ken Hensley joined Spice in early 1970, the tracks were not re-recorded. Critic Melissa Mills of Rolling Stone says she'll commit suicide if the group "makes it," but the negative critical reaction doesn't stop Heep from appealing to fans and moving on to have a long, successful career as a trailblazing heavy metal band. Inside The World Of Rock