Uriah Heep, a name from Charles Dickens' novel 'David Copperfield'and the name of the legendary British heavy rock band who earned their accolades in the 70s alongside Led Zepplin, Black Sabbath and Deep Purple. The band is set to give one of their memorable performances in Malta on 29 July in Valletta.

With a distinctive theatrical style and over 40 million albums sold worldwide, it is safe to say that this band has a vast number of dedicated fans; possibly not many more devoted than 41 year-old twin sisters Andrea and Claudia Obergfell.

The twins, who were raised in a village in the south-west of Germany,spoke to The Malta Independent about their passion for Uriah Heep ahead of coming to Malta to see their favourite band perform live for the umpteenth time. When asked how many UH concert's they've been to, they said "120 times and counting!"

Why do you go to so many of their concerts? What is so special about this band?

It's a fantastic band and they have so many great songs. Every show is quite unique, and you can clearly tell they enjoy what they're doing. They also have a unique relationship with their fans which makes it even more fun to go see them. We also love travelling. 

Which is your favourite song and why?

It's impossible to pick one favourite song, there are too many... It changes all the time too.

Which album or song sparked your passion? Was there a particular instance when you thought, "YES!"?

The first Uriah Heep song we ever heard was "Lady in Black". That was around 1986, when we were about 13 years old. Apart from that, it wasn't that much a particular song or album, but their gigs that did the job. Sure they can draw on a very strong back catalogue from the past 46 years with Gypsy from their debut album and lots of great tunes from the "Demons And Wizards" and "The Magician's Birthday" albums, to name just a few.

And as they never ceased to put out new great music there are equally good songs from recent years! We have to admit we've got a certain sweet spot for the"Sonic Origami" Album from 1998... And we're really looking forward to the next album! 

And was there any particular concert which stuck out among all the rest?

The opening of the "Classic Oldtimer Hotel" in September 2015 was a blast! There's nothing like spending a whole weekend having fun with your favourite band!

Since you have met and now know Heep's band members personally. What can you tell us about them?

They're a great bunch of guys. Each of them is awesome as a person and a fantastic musician. The first time we came in personal contact with them was in 2014 when Mick (lead guitars) and Bernie (lead vocals) did the"Rock Meets Classic" concert series in Germany. We were at 7 of those shows and always at the front. By pure chance we met them at the side of the stage before the second last show, and what should we say? They were so nice! Soon after we got to meet the rest of the boys, and it turned out they are equally nice and friendly guys! They made us feel very welcome from the beginning.

Is there any particular lineup which you think had better chemistry than the current one? Both live and recorded?

No. The guys in the current lineup get along like a house on fire and love to do what they do best! You can see and feel that at every single show!

Is there a particular memory which you will always cherish?

One of the most unforgettable moments as fans of Uriah Heep was surely when in late 2014 we were given the chance to take part at the unveiling of the Carparelli S4 guitar donated to the Hard Rock Cafe in Hamburg that year. A friend had made us aware of the event a couple of days before, so we were there hoping to take some nice pictures when all of a sudden someone from the Hard Rock asked us if we would fancy helping with the unveiling! Of course we couldn't resist!

Finally, are coming to Malta to see them on 29 July? What will you expect from this gig at the Grand Harbour?

It's going to be a nice little holiday break and of course we expect a great Uriah Heep show! Also, we've never been to Malta before and we love to visit new places, so it's going to be very interesting! 

Andrea and Claudia describe themselves as "late-starters" in terms of modern music, becoming very exposed to rock music and concerts in 1996 - 1997. Their other favourites include shock rocker Alice Cooper and British glam rock band The Sweet.

Both sisters are graduates in Computer Science and currently work as software developers for the same company. "Those quite well-paid jobs gave and kept giving us the possibility to drive our addiction to rock concerts to the next level," the twins said adding jokingly that the company was pre-warned about their love for international concerts.

Uriah Heep will be performing live in Malta on 29 July at Ta' Liesse, Grand Harbour, Valletta supported by local bands Crux and Nomad Son.