Spice was a band founded by vocalist David Garrick (who later changed his last name to Byron) and guitarist Mick Box in 1967 after their previous band Stalkers had split up. Various line-ups included drummer Nigel Pegrum and bass players Barry Green and Alf before Paul Newton joined in 1968. With this line-up they recorded almost an album's worth of material for United Artists but the 7" single What About The Music / In Love was all that was released from these sessions. In 1969 Alex Napier replaced Pegrum on drums, Gerry Bron became their manager and they went to studio to record their first album. During the recording they experimented with adding keyboards to the line-up. Colin Wood was brought in as a session player and it worked out so well that it was decided to look for a permanent organist and that's how Ken Hensley was contacted and the band evolved into Uriah Heep.

RECORDINGS

7" What About The Music / In Love 1968

Additional songs: At least songs Funny Man At The Fair, Masquerade & Leila were recorded in 1968 in addition to the single but they have never been released. Some Spice recordings from 1969 ended on the first Uriah Heep album either as original or re-worked versions. Songs from these sessions like Born In A Trunk, Astranaza, Celebrate, I Want You Babe, Magic Lantern & Schoolgirl remained unreleased until they were included on The Lansdowne Tapes compilation in 1993.

1969: Mick Box - Paul Newton - David Byron - Alex Napier