Lee Kerslake facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lee Kerslake
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Kerslake with Uriah Heep in 1973
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Lee Gary Kerslake |
| Also known as | The Bear |
| Born | 16 April 1947 Bournemouth, Hampshire, England |
| Died | 19 September 2020 (aged 73) |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) | Drummer |
| Years active | 1968–2020 |
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Lee Gary Kerslake (born 16 April 1947 – died 19 September 2020) was an English musician. He was best known as the drummer and backing singer for the rock band Uriah Heep. He also played with Ozzy Osbourne in the early 1980s.
About Lee Kerslake's Life
Early Musical Journey
Lee Kerslake was born in Bournemouth, England. He started playing drums when he was 11 years old. His first professional music job was with a band called The Gods in 1969. He recorded three albums with them. Later, he played with other bands like Toe Fat and National Head Band. In November 1971, he joined Uriah Heep.
Time with Uriah Heep
Lee Kerslake first played with Uriah Heep on their 1972 album, Demons and Wizards. He recorded nine studio albums and one live album with the band. He left Uriah Heep in 1978. During this time, he also played on solo albums for David Byron and Ken Hensley. On the Firefly album, he was called Lee "The Bear" Kerslake. This nickname came from his beard and strong build.
After having great success with Ozzy Osbourne, Kerslake rejoined Uriah Heep. This was for their 1982 album, Abominog. Many people saw this album as a big comeback for the band. He stayed with Uriah Heep until January 2007. In total, he played on 17 studio albums and several live albums for the band.
Working with Ozzy Osbourne
In 1980, Kerslake met Ozzy Osbourne, the former singer of Black Sabbath. They met by chance in an elevator in Australia. They soon formed a band called Blizzard of Ozz. This band later became Ozzy Osbourne's solo project. You can hear Kerslake's drumming on Ozzy's first two solo albums. These are Blizzard of Ozz and Diary of a Madman. He also played on the 1980 Live EP and parts of the 1987 Tribute live album.
Kerslake left Ozzy's band in early 1981. He needed to care for his mother, who was sick. On the Diary of a Madman album, Lee Kerslake and bassist Bob Daisley were not given credit. Other musicians were credited instead. The drummer who was credited, Tommy Aldridge, later said that it was not his drumming on that album. He always gave Lee Kerslake the credit he deserved.
Later Music Projects
In 1998, Kerslake and Bob Daisley sought credit and payments for their work on Ozzy Osbourne's first two albums. In response, the recordings of Kerslake and Daisley were removed from later versions of the albums in 2002. Other musicians re-recorded their parts. However, due to many fan requests, the original bass and drum tracks were put back on the albums in 2011.
Kerslake was not sure why he was treated this way. He remembered telling Ozzy's manager about Ozzy not being able to do two shows in one night. He thought this might have caused some bad feelings. The album producer, Max Norman, agreed that Kerslake and Daisley helped a lot with writing the songs.
In 2003, Kerslake joined a "super group" called Living Loud. This hard rock band also included bassist Bob Daisley and guitarist Steve Morse. They released their first CD, which included some songs Kerslake and Daisley had written for Ozzy Osbourne.
Lee Kerslake also performed with his own band, the "Lee Kerslake Band". He also played with other bands and sometimes joined former Uriah Heep members in "Uriah Heep Legends".
In 2007, it was announced that Kerslake left Uriah Heep because of health problems. He was mostly retired due to his illness.
In 2015, Lee started recording his first solo album, Eleventeen. The name came from how he used to count as a child. In 2016, he made a music video for his solo album Celia Seanna. In 2018, Kerslake began working on a documentary about his life. He wanted to leave something for his fans and his wife. Famous musicians like Ian Paice, Joe Elliott, and Gene Simmons were set to appear in the documentary.
Health Challenges and Passing
In December 2018, Lee Kerslake shared that he was fighting prostate cancer. He said doctors had given him a short time to live. He also had other health issues, including psoriasis and heart problems.
Kerslake had a final wish: he wanted to receive the special platinum album awards for Blizzard of Ozz and Diary of a Madman. These awards show how many copies of the albums were sold. Ozzy Osbourne made his wish come true. Kerslake wrote a letter to Ozzy about his health and his wish. He later received his platinum plaques.
On 14 December 2018, Kerslake joined Uriah Heep on stage for a performance. He played percussion and sang on the song "Lady in Black".
Lee Kerslake passed away from cancer on 19 September 2020, at the age of 73. He had finished recording his solo album, Eleventeen, before he died. It was released after his death on 26 February 2021.
Lee Kerslake's Music Albums
Solo Albums
- Eleventeen (2021)
With The Gods
- Genesis (1968)
- To Samuel a Son (1969)
With Toe Fat
- Toe Fat (1970)
With National Head Band
- Albert One (1971)
With Uriah Heep
- Demons and Wizards (1972)
- The Magician's Birthday (1972)
- Uriah Heep Live (1973)
- Sweet Freedom (1973)
- Wonderworld (1974)
- Return to Fantasy (1975)
- High and Mighty (1976)
- Firefly (1977)
- Innocent Victim (1977)
- Fallen Angel (1978)
- Abominog (1982)
- Head First (1983)
- Equator (1985)
- Live at Shepperton '74 (1986) – recorded 1974
- Live in Europe 1979 (1986) – recorded 1979
- Live in Moscow (1988)
- Raging Silence (1989)
- Different World (1991)
- Sea of Light (1995)
- Spellbinder Live (1996)
- King Biscuit Flower Hour Presents in Concert (1974) (1997)
- Sonic Origami (1998)
- Future Echoes of the Past (2000)
- Acoustically Driven (2001)
- Electrically Driven (2001)
- The Magician's Birthday Party (2002)
- Live in the USA (2003)
- Magic Night (2004)
- Between Two Worlds (2005)
With Ken Hensley
- Proud Words on a Dusty Shelf (1973)
With David Byron
- Take No Prisoners (1975)
- Man of Yesterdays: The Anthology
With Ozzy Osbourne
- Blizzard of Ozz (1980)
- Diary of a Madman (1981)
- Tribute (1987) (on two tracks)
- The Ozzman Cometh (1997) (not on the current pressing)
With Living Loud
- Living Loud (2003/04)
- Live in Sydney 2004 (2005, 2CD/DVD)
With Berggren Kerslake Band
- The Sun Has Gone Hazy (2014)
See also
In Spanish: Lee Kerslake para niños
