Mick Box
{{Short description|English guitarist (born 1947)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2022}}
{{EngvarB|date=September 2022}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Mick Box
| image = 2017 Lieder am See - Uriah Heep - Mick Box - by 2eight - 8SC8028.jpg
| caption = Box performing in 2017
| birth_name = Michael Frederick Box
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1947|6|9|df=y}}
| birth_place = Walthamstow, East London, England
| death_date =
| death_place =
| genre = Hard rock, progressive rock, heavy metal
| occupation = Guitarist
| years_active = 1964–present
| associated_acts = David Byron
Uriah Heep
Iris
Spearfish
| website = {{URL|mick-box.net}}
}}
Michael Frederick Box (born 9 June 1947) is an English musician who is the lead guitarist of rock group Uriah Heep, having previously been a member of The Stalkers and Spice, both with original Uriah Heep vocalist David Byron.Larkin, Colin (2002) The Virgin Encyclopedia of 70s Music, Virgin Books, {{ISBN|1-85227-947-8}}, p. 468 He is the only member from the band's founding in 1969 who is still active with the group, and – following the deaths of Lee Kerslake and Ken Hensley in 2020 – is also the last surviving member of the group's classic line-up.{{Cite news |url=http://deserthighways.com/2015/02/04/mick-box-uriah-heep-interview/ |title=MICK BOX – URIAH HEEP Interview. |last=Parnell |first=Joel |date=4 February 2015 |work=Desert Highways |access-date=1 September 2017 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20170901140458/http://deserthighways.com/2015/02/04/mick-box-uriah-heep-interview/ |archive-date=1 September 2017 |url-status=dead }}
Biography
= Early influences =
In 2018 Mick Box said that he was influenced by Les Paul and Mary Ford, Django Reinhardt, Wes Montgomery, Tal Farlow and Barney Kessel. He attributes some of these influences to his first guitar instructor because he was the second guitarist for Django Reinhardt, as well as coming from a jazz background.{{cite web |last=Sharma |first=Amit |date=7 September 2018 |title=Uriah Heep's Mick Box: "I try to stay away from the scales and just go with my heart" |url=https://www.musicradar.com/news/uriah-heeps-mick-box-i-try-to-stay-away-from-the-scales-and-just-go-with-my-heart |website=Musicradar}}
When he started performing with Uriah Heep, other new bands included Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, and Led Zeppelin.
= Spice =
Before establishing Uriah Heep, Box's band was called Spice. The band performed from 1968 to 1969 with David Byron
and Nigel Pegrum.{{Cite web|url=http://thebritishsound.blogspot.com/2011/01/uriah-heep-family-tree.html|title=The British Sound: URIAH HEEP FAMILY TREE|first=Bruno|last=Ceriotti|website=Thebritishsound.blogspot.com|date=6 January 2011|accessdate=14 June 2020}} Box said they chose that name because they didn't want to get categorised into a narrow genre. "There's lots of spices, and that was our train of thought with the name of the band" said Box in a 2021 interview. After Ken Hensley joined the members of Spice, they became Uriah Heep.
= Recent activities =
According to Box, the COVID-19 pandemic prevented a 50th Anniversary Celebration, but he said that he was planning on a 52 year Celebration. He said he felt strange being in quarantine, because he was accustomed to being "on the road," and interacting with fans at concerts. He used the time to compose songs and produced some videos for the Lockdown Diaries.{{cite web |last=O'Brien |first=Joe |date=12 September 2021 |title=An Interview with Mick Box of Uriah Heep |url=https://vwmusicrocks.com/an-interview-with-mick-box-of-uriah-heep/ |website=Vwmusicrocks}}
Box has used his talent to promote the Nightingale Cancer Support Centre.{{cite web |date=2002–2021 |title=Mick Box Uriah Heep 50th Anniversary |url=https://www.mick-box.net/ |website=Mick-box.net}}
Discography
= With David Byron =
- Take No Prisoners – 1975{{cite web | url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/take-no-prisoners-mw0000599761 | first=Donald A. | last=Guarisco | date=2023 | publisher=ALLMUSIC, NETAKTION LLC | title=David Byron – Take No Prisoners Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic | website=AllMusic | access-date=2023-03-22 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230322193656/https://www.allmusic.com/album/take-no-prisoners-mw0000599761| archive-date=2023-03-22 }}
= With Uriah Heep =
- ...Very 'Eavy ...Very 'Umble – 1970
- Salisbury – 1971
- Look at Yourself – 1971
- Demons & Wizards – 1972
- The Magician's Birthday – 1972
- Live '73 – 1973
- Sweet Freedom – 1973
- Wonderworld – 1974
- Return to Fantasy – 1975
- High and Mighty – 1976
- Firefly...1977
- Innocent Victim...1977
- Fallen Angel – 1978
- Conquest – 1980
- Abominog – 1982
- Head First – 1983
- Equator – 1985
- Raging Silence – 1989
- Different World – 1991
- Sea of Light – 1995
- Sonic Origami – 1998
- Wake the Sleeper – 2008
- Celebration – Forty Years of Rock – 2009
- Into the Wild – 2011
- Outsider – 2014
- Living the Dream – 2018
- Chaos & Colour – 2023
= With [[Iris (Romanian band)|Iris]] =
- Lady in Black – 2002
= With Spearfish =
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category}}
- [http://www.mick-box.net/ The Official Website of Mick Box]
{{Uriah Heep}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Box, Mick}}
Category:Uriah Heep (band) members
Category:English rock guitarists
Category:English heavy metal guitarists
Category:English lead guitarists
Category:People from Walthamstow
Category:Musicians from the London Borough of Waltham Forest