Former Uriah Heep bassist Paul Newton has revealed details about his abrupt departure from the legendary rock band. He shared his account in an interview with Classic Rock History.
Newton’s comments came in response to a direct question about what led to his exit from the band. His response detailed the circumstances surrounding his dismissal and the tensions that had been building within the group.
When asked “What led you to leave Uriah Heep?”, Newton provided a candid explanation of the events.
“That’s an easy one. I was fired,” Newton said. “For some time, the internal problems had been increasing, creating a bad atmosphere. The workload of constant touring and recording in those circumstances made life unpleasant. By this time, I was receiving a lot of criticism regarding my playing from both Hensley and Gerry Bron, our manager.”
Newton went on to describe the business dynamics that contributed to his dismissal.
“They had formed an unsavory alliance as Bron recognized the lucrative potential of Ken’s songwriting skills,” he continued. “They were not happy with my work on Look at Yourself. This, coupled with a legal dispute between my father and Gerry Bron regarding unpaid monies due to my father for his work for us, led to me being called into Bron’s office one day.”
The bassist concluded by describing the moment of his dismissal and its immediate aftermath.
“He gave me £40—two weeks’ wages at the time—and informed me that I had been replaced,” Newton said. “I was now an unemployed musician with 40 quid in my pocket.”
Newton’s departure marked a significant turning point for Uriah Heep. He had been instrumental in the band’s formation and early development.
Outsider Rock reported that Newton was a founding member of Uriah Heep who had previously played in such late ’60s bands as the Don Shinn Group, The Gods, and Spice. His musical background and experience had been crucial to establishing the band’s early sound and identity.
Following his dismissal, The Legend Of Rock noted that Newton was briefly replaced by Mark Clarke. This temporary replacement highlighted the band’s urgency to continue their touring and recording commitments despite the internal turmoil that led to Newton’s departure.
The tensions Newton described were not isolated incidents but part of a broader pattern of conflict within the band. In a separate interview captured on YouTube, Newton expressed his feelings about the situation more bluntly, stating: “Jerry Bron and Ken Hensley hijacked our band.”
Newton’s experience reflects the harsh realities of the music industry during the early 1970s. Business interests often clashed with artistic relationships during this period. His account provides insight into the internal dynamics that shaped one of rock’s most enduring bands during their formative years. It reveals how personal conflicts and management decisions could dramatically alter a musician’s career trajectory.
