In memory of David Byron: from the early years to the conquest of the hard rock arena - the legend's biography in amazing facts
An awesome vocalist, talented songwriter and just a charismatic person. David Byron needs no introduction. He had a great influence on his contemporaries as well as his followers. He also made a great contribution to rock music and became a legend of his time. Together with Uriah Heep Byron conquered the charts and the hearts of listeners with such stunning and enduring hits to this day as "Sunrise," "July Morning." or "Easy Livin'.".
Alas, at the height of his fame, Byron began to spiral out of control, sinking more and more intensely into alcohol abuse. It put the members of Uriah Heep in a predicament, and they literally had to say goodbye to their comrade - incredibly talented and adored by the public. Today's article is a tribute to the great musician. It is written in the format interesting facts.
He started singing when he was 5 years old.
Byron's vocals, or rather Garricka (real last name) has continued to delight an army of millions of listeners around the world for many decades now! Where does such charisma, confidence and virtuosity come from? It's simple: David began singing as a just a kid! And the love for this activity was instilled in him by his mother, a jazz performer by the way:
"I've been singing since I was five, that is, all my life. My mother was a soloist in a jazz band, and in general our family was musical: some sang, some played instruments, some tap-danced!
Creative journey with Mick Box
A fateful encounter with Mick Box happened when David was 16 years! He came to audition The Stalkers, sang "Johnny B. Goode" and won the band members over in an instant!
"He'd been to our gigs a lot - nice guy! Before the audition, I suggested he relax a bit, since he was tense: we had a couple of pints and started singing old rock 'n' roll stuff. That's how the story began!"
Soon Box and Byron formed a group of Spicewhich subsequently evolved into the Uriah Heep. By the way: the name was inspired by a character from a novel by Charles Dickens. The band achieved great success, not only in their native Great Britain, but also in the USA! Going back to those frantic days, Mick remembers:
"David was probably the best vocalist I ever worked with. He didn't just perform - he lived the song he was singing. That's why everything he sang sounded so convincing. He wasn't just a star on stage - he was a star 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. I think that's his phenomenon."
Another interesting fact is that Byron was personally acquainted with Elton John! They were just boys when they performed famous hits for a nominal fee and recorded in the London Avenue Records. Eventually their paths diverged, but each managed to reach great heights!
He was fired at the height of his fame
Success Uriah Heep led by Byron was a stunner! The band produced a number of hits, achieved fame on both sides of the Atlantic and made a big name for themselves! Today Uriah Heep is one of the most important bands of its era, and David is one of the most charismatic and ambitious vocalists in history. But at the height of his popularity he was dismissed…
Byron liked to drink, but it grew into heavy reliancewhich interfered with my work. The last straw was the album "High and Mighty.": David insisted that the record be recorded without a producer. In the end the record literally flopped, showing very poor results in the charts. The band's manager-producer Jerry Bron was furious! He personally criticized the work "to and fro" and finally turned the rest of the Heep members against Byron.
He refused to return to the group
At first, the members of Uriah Heep, including the manager, were more than decidedly. They told reporters that firing David was the best thing they could have done for the band, since they had virtually no future with Byron. А Ken Hensley and said that it was a great opportunity "to let some fresh air into the band". Nevertheless, he was the first to admit that Byron took all the magic of Uriah Heep with him.
When Hensley left the lineup, Byron was offered return into the group. But what his ex-colleagues certainly didn't expect was an indifferent failures. Although David's solo zeal left much to be desired, he had no intention of forgetting everything and making his way as a team again.
"When I left Uriah Heep, I decided to remember only the best, and forget the bad..."
The one and only
At the peak of his career, Byron enjoyed an excessive amount of female attention, but he himself truly fell in love with only one beauty - the 15-year-old Gabriella Liman. The girl was a beginner model, and fate brought her and the rocker together quite by chance - behind the scenes, during a photo shoot. David did not doubt his feelings for a moment: he invited the charming young blonde to dinner after the concert, and they had a great time together! So began a stormy romance, which ended with wedding - She was played when Gabriella came of age. By the way: she is the subject of "Spider Woman.".
Alas, with the advent of the '80s, literally three years after the wedding, the couple broke up.
His liver was destroyed
Alcohol addiction was ruining Byron From the inside: The musician's health suffered greatly, and once he lost consciousness just minutes after he went on stage! The concert was disrupted.
But a disrupted performance is nothing compared to the role alcohol ultimately played in David's life. Or rather, in his death. At the time of his death, the singer had no alcohol in his blood. not a drop of alcoholand not a single bottle was found at home. It was a heart attack, but later it would become known: David Byron's liver was completely destroyed. So, in total. 38 years a legend has left us...
