THEY take their name from Charles Dickens's most unctuous character and are part of the fabled four alongside Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath and Deep Purple. They have made 23 studio albums, sold 40 million records since 1970 and were the first Western rock band to perform in Russia.

On Tuesday night they play Fibbers, the live music bar in Toft Green, York; "they" being Uriah Heep, the band formed in London in 1969 by guitarist Mick Box, who now performs with Bernie Shaw, lead vocals, Davey Rimmer, bass, Phil Lanzon, keys, and Russell Gilbrook, percussion, in the latest Heep configuration.

The band's spring tour comes on the back of a year of touring overseas, complemented by the February release of Live At Koko, London 2014 on DVD/Blu-ray and CD. "We recorded it at a really funky theatre with the old art deco decor in Camden and it was the ideal place to do it," said Mick. "Normally we'd go to Shepherd's Bush, but we really loved this place; it was packed to the rafters with true fans from all over – and we've played in 58 countries, so that does mean all over."

Mick was still feeling "jetlagged to hell" when he spoke to The Press after arriving home from Uriah Heep's latest travels in Russia; Tel Aviv; a Caribbean Rock Cruise with Alice Cooper, the Doobie Brothers and Blue Oyster Cult; New York, the Mid-West, Los Angeles and Australasia. "We've got ten days off, then Finland; back to England; less than ten days off, then we're playing Britain," said Mick, casting an eye over his diary earlier this month. "We never stop, but I've always said a busy band is a happy band."

It was in December 1987 that Uriah Heep made history by playing in Russia while the Iron Curtain was still in place. "We decided that if people couldn't come to the music, we'd take it to the people," recalls Mick. "East Berlin, behind the Wall; Belgrade; it was always worth it to see their reaction. In Russia, they would save up for two months to buy our album.

"The guy that took us to the Eastern bloc countries, Laslo, kept applying for 17 years for us to play in Russia and the answer was always 'Nyet' , but when Gorbachev was in charge, we got a letter to invite us over there, and to play there was an amazing feeling.

"We were rock pioneers in a way because us going there in 1987 allowed others to go there too. Like going to South Korea too; we've opened up opportunities for other bands and it's great to have been able to have had that impact."

Reflecting further on Uriah Heep's achievements, Mick says: "It's music that has got people through their down times, because there's always a lot of energy to what we do. We've always been about good winning out over evil. Everyone else was going down that black magic, doomy line, but I was too happy to play the blues."

Uriah Heep play Fibbers, York, on Tuesday. Tickets: fibbers.co.uk or on the door from 7.30pm.