JUDAS PRIEST FACTS:
Members: Ian Hill, Rob Halford, Glenn Tipton, Scott Travis, Richie Faulkner
Genre: Heavy Metal
Formed: Birmingham, England
Albums: Rocka Rolla (1974); Sad Wings of Destiny (1976); Sin After Sin (1977); Stained Class (1978); Killing Machine / Hell Bent for Leather (1978); British Steel (1980); Point of Entry (1981); Screaming for Vengeance (1982); Defenders of the Faith (1984); Turbo (1986); Ram It Down (1988); Painkiller (1990); Jugulator (1997); Demolition (2001); Angel of Retribution (2005); Nostradamus (2008)
Awards: 1 Grammy
Hits: "Breaking the Law", "You've Got Another Thing Comin'"
Other: Name taken from the Bob Dylan song: "The Ballad of Frankie Lee and Judas Priest".
The core of what would become the second, and far more well known, version of the band Judas Priest, grew up together in a town in the West Midlands of England. Ian Hill, K. K. Downing, and John Ellis were playing as "Freight" when they met Al Atkins, late of a recently broken up band called Judas Priest. He joined them in 1970, bringing his old band name along. The new Judas Priest played gigs around Birmingham, leaving behind their blues sound for a new, harder one, one that would eventually help define a genre.
The band released their debut album, Rocka Rolla in 1974. The album wasn't a big success for the band. Conflicts with the producer resulted in a sound the band didn't care for, and lead to self-producing their follow-up album: Sad Wings of Destiny. The 1976 album, containing a variety of favorites from the band's live shows, fared better on the charts and helped raise their profile.
Their next two albums helped refine the signature sound of Judas Priest, but mainstream success eluded them until 1978's Killing Machine. Released in the US as Hell Bent for Leather, the album charted worldwide and brought their unique sounds to more and more fans. Killing Machine paved the way for their first Platinum studio album, British Steel. The album included the enduring favorites "Breaking the Law" and "Living After Midnight" which became the band's highest charting UK singles.
The early and mid 80s saw the band enjoy a career high, releasing a string of Platinum albums. Their 1981 single "You've Got Another Thing Comin'" achieved great success in the US, reaching #4 on the US Mainstream Rock Tracks. The early 90s saw the band achieve notoriety for events outside the music world, named in a short-lived lawsuit for alleged "subliminal messaging" on the album, Stained Class. The lawsuit was dismissed in just over a month, and the band went back to making music.
One of the earlier members and a name most associated with the band, Rob Halford, left the band in 1991. The band replaced Halford with the lead singer of a Judas Priest tribute band. "Ripper" Owens would be with the band for seven years and two albums before Halford reunited with them. These events would become the premise of the motion picture Rock Star.
Judas Priest delivered a smaller number of studio albums during the 2000s. The last of the decade, Nostradamus, was a concept album based on the prophecies of the 16th century prophet. The band continued to release live albums as well. The 2010 British Steel - 30th Anniversary - Live album earned them a Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance.
Judas Priest is one of the most influential and recognizable acts in music. The band's pioneering sound significantly shaped what became known as heavy metal, as did their taste for leather and studs influence the popular perception of the heavy metal "look." Their shows are just as legendary as their sound, and not to be missed. Get your tickets today!
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