"Many of you have been with us since the beginning": Uriah Heep announce farewell tour

Mick Box speaking in front of a wall of gold discs
(Image credit: Uriah Heep)

UK rock legends Uriah Heep have announced plans to tour the world one final time. The news was announced in a video filmed by band founder Mick Box and shared on social media. 

"Hello there. It's Mick from the mighty Heep," says Box. "And who can believe next year is 55 years since the band started? And that's just so amazing. I know many of you have been with us since the beginning, and we do thank you for that. It means the world to us.

"Unfortunately, we have made the decision to wind down touring the whole world next year under the title of 'Magician's Farewell'. In fact, 'The Magician's Farewell'. Over the next two to three years we intend to play as many places as possible and see you all for the one last time. 

"We will continue to play shows, but these will be limited to festivals and weekends and things like that. But the tour dates will be announced starting February 2025. So we hope to see you all out there.

"On behalf of the band and myself, I wanna thank you all for the continued support you have always given us. It means the world to us, and it means so much to us, and I just wanna thank you for that. Happy days!"

Uriah Heep were founded in London in late 1969 under the name Spice, but changed their name early the following year, playing their first show as Uriah Heep at the  Technical College in Salisbury, Wiltshire on March 20. Since then they've played more than 3600 shows – including 65 this year alone – touring every year apart from 1981.

Uriah Heep's most recent album, Chaos & Colour, was released in 2023. 

Fraser Lewry

Online Editor at Louder/Classic Rock magazine since 2014. 38 years in music industry, online for 25. Also bylines for: Metal Hammer, Prog Magazine, The Word Magazine, The Guardian, The New Statesman, Saga, Music365. Former Head of Music at Xfm Radio, A&R at Fiction Records, early blogger, ex-roadie, published author. Once appeared in a Cure video dressed as a cowboy, and thinks any situation can be improved by the introduction of cats. Favourite Serbian trumpeter: Dejan Petrović.