Welcome to the deep dive where we really get
into the stories shaping our world and today
Wow, we are cranking out way out all the way
to 11, right? Exactly. We're diving deep into
the legacy of a band that I mean, they didn't
just play heavy metal They almost seem to forge
it You know that sound, right? The searing twin
guitars doing their thing, clashing and weaving,
and those vocals from a deep growl right up to
that high falsetto. And operatic power, yeah.
And the look, leather, studs, it just is heavy
metal for so many people. It's absolutely iconic.
Definitely. So when you think heavy metal, what's
the first thing that comes to mind for you? Because
honestly, for millions, it's got to be Judas
Priest. Precisely. They are, well, quite literally
the metal gods. Formed way back, Birmingham,
England, 1969. And Priest didn't just, you know,
exist in heavy metal. They were true pioneers.
They shaped the sound, the look, the whole spirit
of it. Their impact, I mean, across music, especially
all those sub genres that came later. Frash,
glam, you name it. It's just undeniable. It's
baked in. And today. We're going all in, a proper
deep dive into that whole five decade story.
We've got a stack of sources, detailed histories,
biographies, personal stories, especially about
Rob Halford, their legendary frontman. Yeah,
the Halford stuff is fascinating. Totally. So
our mission today is clear. Unpack the whole
Judas Priest saga from the humble beginnings,
those early struggles. Which were pretty intense.
Right. All the way to global superstardom. We'll
look at their musical innovations. Huge ones.
The iconic image, the personal stuff, triumphs,
challenges, and that massive enduring legacy.
Quite a story. Get ready for some surprises,
I think. Maybe some aha moments. Hopefully you'll
come away with a really thorough understanding
of one of metal's most influential and just plain
resilient bands. So yeah, buckle up. This is
gonna be epic. The Genesis of the Metal Gods.
Forging Identity, 1969, 1977. Okay, let's start
right at the beginning. Birmingham, England.
Gritty industrial place, 1969. That's where Judas
Priest begins. The first lineup, Al Atkins on
vocals, Brian Bruno, Stappen Hill, bass, John
Perry guitars, and John Feza Partridge on drums.
What always strikes me with these early bands,
Priest included, is how much turnover there was.
Was that just like how things were then, or was
heavy metal especially tough to get right chemically?
That's a really good point. It was pretty typical
for new bands, sure, but for heavy metal, which
was still, you know, finding its feet. Right.
It was brand new territory. Exactly. The stakes
fell higher. They weren't just forming a band.
They were kind of inventing a whole genre piece
by piece. So that constant searching wasn't just
for talent, but for that perfect mix aggression
melody, that bit of theater. Which became their
thing. Became their signature, yeah. And even
the name. Judas Priest came from the bassist,
Stappen Hill, apparently inspired by a Bob Dylan
song, the ballad of Frankie Lee and Judas Priest.
Wow, a folk song inspiring the metal gods. That's
wild. It really is. Shows how diverse those early
influences could be, you know? Yeah. And yeah,
that instability you mentioned, it kept going.
John Perry, the original guitarist, tragically
died young, only 18. Awful. And here's another
twist, K .K. Downing, future guitar hero. He
auditioned early on. and got turned down. No
way. Yeah. Initially, they picked Ernest Chataway,
who, get this, played with Black Sabbath back
when they were called Earth. Imagine that timeline.
KK not in Priest. Crazy. Makes you wonder, doesn't
it, those little forks in the road? But those
early struggles, the lineup changes, it definitely
built resilience. It's a good reminder these
legendary bands don't just appear fully formed.
They go through some serious upheaval. So the
band we kind of recognize starts taking shape
when Al Atkins joins another band, Freight. Right,
a local heavy rock group. And Freight had K .K.
Downing, the guy they rejected, in guitar now,
his mate Ian Scalhill on bass, and John Ellis
drumming. They took the Judas Priest name, Atkins'
old band name. First gig as that version was
March 6th, 1971. OK, so the pieces are starting
to come together. But the real game changer,
the arrival of the metal god himself, May 1973.
Rob Halford joins as vocalist. He brings his
drummer, John Hinch, from his last band, Hiroshima.
Pivotal moment. And here's a detail I love. Halford
was Ian Hill's girlfriend's brother, Sue Halford.
So it was kind of a family connection that brought
him in. Yeah. Right from the start. Does that
kind of personal link, do you think, help when
things get tough in those early days, that built
-in trust? Oh, I think it absolutely can. That
pre -existing bond, that loyalty, it can really
help a band push through the rough patches, the
really unglamorous early years. Definitely. Halford's
arrival. With Hinch, it really set the scene.
They did their first tour in continental Europe,
early 74, came back, signed with Gull Records,
a small label, and it was actually Gull who suggested
adding a fifth member to really beef up the sound.
Ah, leading Tipton. Glenn Tipton, second lead
guitarist. And that move. Monumental. It solidified
that classic twin guitar sound, the sound that
didn't just define Priest, but influenced countless
metal bands afterwards. Absolutely. That twin
lead thing is Priest. But even with that, Their
first album, Rock -A -Rolla, September 74, produced
by Black Sabbath's Roger Bain. It wasn't exactly
smooth sailing. No, far from it. Those Rock -A
-Rolla struggles were, well, a real baptism by
fire for them. The recording itself had technical
issues, poor sound quality. But maybe more importantly,
Roger Bain, the producer, despite his Sabbath
cred, he kind of took over, made decisions the
band hated. Like what? Well, he left off songs
they loved playing live, real fan favorites like
Tyrant, Genocide, The Ripper, so they weren't
commercial enough or something. Wow, okay. And
he famously took their big 10 -minute epic Caviar
and Meths and chopped it down to just a two -minute
instrumental. Ouch. That must have stung. It
absolutely did. And I think that experience,
it really forged in them this fierce determination
to control their own sound later on. They learned
early that compromise could just dilute everything
they were trying to do. A tough lesson to learn
right out of the gate. And the album bombed commercially,
right? Left them totally broke. Yeah. Dire financial
straits, is the phrase used. They were struggling
to get even 50 pounds a month from Gull. Can
you imagine band members eating one meal a day,
taking part -time jobs? just to survive while
trying to be rock stars. Exactly. It really grounds
the whole metal gods mythology, doesn't it? Shows
the sheer grit behind the legend. They were literally
starving for their art at that point. But they
didn't quit. They kept pushing. In 1975, they
actually played Rockarolla and Dreamer Deceiver
Deceiver on BBC 2's old gray whistle test. That
was a year before those songs were even on the
next album. That's persistence. John Hinge left
on drums. Alan Moore came back in October 75.
And despite the money troubles, the lineup changes.
They somehow managed to record the next album,
Sad Wings of Destiny. Just two weeks, November,
December 75, Rockfield Studios in Wales, tiny
budget 2 ,000 pounds. 2 ,000 pounds for a full
album. Incredible, right? They stayed sober the
whole time, 12 -hour days. Just pure focus and
dedication shows how much they believed in it.
And the album cover, that image is so powerful.
The grounded angel, flames, the devil's three
-pronged cross, which became their symbol. Oh,
yeah. That artwork was genius. Visual branding,
that cross especially. instantly iconic. It wasn't
just a logo. It symbolized their whole identity,
that emerging metal aesthetic. Amazing how one
image can stick like that. Sad Wings of Destiny
didn't exactly fly off the shelves initially
either, did it? Punk Rock was taking off. Right,
they had competition. But looking back now, everyone
sees Sad Wings as the moment Priest really found
their sound, their image, the heavy riffs, the
complex arrangements. Tipton and Downing said
they were inspired by the factories in the black
country. You can almost hear that industrial
weight in the music. Totally. That makes you
wonder how many albums are initially overlooked
but end up being completely foundational later
on. Sad Wings is a perfect example. They found
their voice there. And it had victim of changes
on it too, right? Which came from older songs.
Yeah, massive fan favorite. It evolved from an
old Al Atkins song, Whiskey Woman, and a Halford
one, Red Light Woman. Shows how they could build
on earlier ideas and make something even bigger.
They were clearly getting frustrated with Gull
Records though. Understandably. They got a new
manager, David Hemmings, who helped them break
away and signed with a major label, CBS Records.
Got a 60 ,000 pound budget for the next album.
Huge step up. Massive. But the catch was, Gull
kept the rights to the first two albums and everything
related. And Alan Moore, the drummer, left permanently
because of the whole situation. So a clean break,
but definitely came at a cost. Two, mainstream
ascent and iconic status. 1977, 1991. OK, so
new label, CBS. Bigger budget. renewed energy,
they're ready for their proper major label debut,
Sin After Sin, January 1977, produced by Roger
Glover from Deep Purple. And Simon Phillips played
drums just as a session guy for this one. But
this album, Sin After Sin, it was a real leap
forward technically, wasn't it? Especially the
drumming. Oh, absolutely. Revolutionary for heavy
metal. Particularly the double kick drumming.
Think about Dissident Aggressor. Right. Before
this, drums in heavy bands were often powerful,
but maybe simpler, more driving. Priest, with
those rapid fire 16th notes on the bass drums,
locking in with the guitars, it was like a machine
gun. A sonic assault. Exactly. It ramped up the
feeling of speed and aggression massively. It
wasn't just faster. It was this relentless energy.
That directly paved the way for speed metal thrash.
It changed the whole rhythmic foundation of the
genre. And they also did that cover of Joan Baez's
Diamonds and Rust. Yeah. Which is kind of surprising,
right? A folk pop song. Shows they weren't afraid
to try different things even then. Pop metal
almost. And it worked. Sin After Sin was the
first of, what, 11 consecutive gold or platinum
albums for them in the U .S.? 11. An incredible
run. Shows how quickly they were connecting with
a bigger audience. Simon Phillips didn't want
to join full time, though. Right. So Roger Glover
recommended Les Binks. Yep. Les Binks came in
permanently. Great drummer. He even co -wrote
Beyond the Realms of Death, another classic.
And they just kept going. 1978 was huge for them,
two albums. Stained Class. Which leaned more
into that progressive metal side again. And Killing
Machine. which is called Hell Bent for Leather
over here in North America. Yeah. And Killing
Machine, Hell Bent for Leather, that was really
their first conscious move towards a slightly
more streamlined commercial sound. Still heavy,
but punchier songs. A period of really intense
evolution, both musically and visually. Totally.
Killing Machine brought back some of those earlier...
bluesy feels, simpler structures. But yeah, the
visual thing was massive around then, too. That's
when they ditched the 70s hippie -ish clothes.
And went full leather and studs. The iconic look.
K .K. Downing actually claimed he came up with
it around 76. Felt something was missing until
they had that powerful image. And man, did that
image stick. It basically became the heavy metal
uniform. It really did. It wasn't just clothes.
It was a statement. It matched the aggressive
sound. And it influenced everyone. 80s glam bands,
early black metal. It just cemented their identity,
visually and musically, an instantly recognizable
brand. The momentum just kept building. Unleashed
in the East, the live album from 79, first platinum
album for them, captured that live energy. It
did, although it got some flak for studio touch
-ups. Yeah, I was going to ask about that. Was
that fair criticism? And how much does that live
authenticity matter when you're trying to capture
stage power on a record? It's a classic live
album debate, isn't it? The criticism was kind
of valid. They did do some overdubs, but what's
a live album for? Is it a raw document, flaws
and all? Or is it about capturing the feeling?
Exactly. The spirit, the energy. Maybe that means
some polish. For Priest, it was about bottling
that stage power. And hey, it went platinum,
so clearly worked for the fans, despite the critics.
True. But Les Banks left after that, right? a
money dispute. Yeah, late 79. Payment issues
over the live album, apparently. So they brought
in Jaffe Holland, who used to be in Trapeze.
He stayed for 10 years. A good, solid run. That
stability must have helped during their biggest
ascent. And boy, did they ascend. 1980, British
Steel. Ah, yes. British Steel. Often called the
record that codified heavy metal. shorter songs,
catchier, more radio -friendly stuff like United,
Breaking the Law, Living After Midnight. Anthems.
Absolute anthems. But still undeniably heavy.
That balance is incredible. It's a masterclass,
really. Making it accessible for mainstream radio
without selling out their core sound. They adapted
brilliantly while staying true. British Steel
created these huge hooks that everyone knew,
but it was still pure priest. And 81's point
of entry kind of followed that path too, right?
More anthems like Solar Angels, heading out to
the highway. Yeah, similar formula. They were
just on an unstoppable roll, building incredible
momentum. Then came 1982, screaming for vengeance.
This was the one that really blew the doors open
in the US, wasn't it? Absolutely. You've got
another thing coming. It was huge on US radio.
propelled the album to double platinum. Double
platinum. For a heavy metal band back then, that
was massive. Unprecedented almost. And tracks
like Electric Eye, Riding on the Wind were everywhere
too. Livescapel. This was them reaching genuine
global domination arena headliners. Totally.
And their performance at the U .S. Festival in
83 on Heavy Metal Day, playing alongside Ozzy
Van Halen. That just cemented it, commanding
these enormous crowds. Defenders of the Faith
came out the next year, 84. kept the street going.
Some critics called it Screaming for Vengeance
2, though. Yeah, a bit cheeky. But there were
similarities musically. Still, Freewheel Burning
was another big radio track. They were just consistently
delivering the goods. Then Live Aid in 85, playing
JFK Stadium, sharing the stage with absolute
megastars. Their visibility was peaking. But
then, 1986, Turbo. This one caused a bit of a
stir. Ah, Turbo, yeah. More colorful stage look.
And the big one, guitar synthesizers. Controversial.
Going for a more mainstream, hard rock sound.
Definitely controversial for some of the old
school fans. But you know what, it still went
platinum. And the tour was enormous, hugely successful.
So that experimentation, even if divisive, it
shows they weren't afraid to change, right, to
try new things, even if it risked alienating
some people. Exactly. It was a bold move, embracing
the sense that polished, layered sound. Lots
of big metal bands were flirting with more commercial
sounds in the mid -80s, trying to stay huge.
And you have to mention Heavy Metal Parking Lot.
Oh, yeah. Capturing the fans outside a pre -show
in 86. It perfectly sums up the vibe, the culture
of that whole era. Brilliant snapshot. After
the turbo tour, they put out the live album Priest
Live in 87, then Ram It Down in 88. Ram It Down.
used some leftover songs from the Turbo Sessions,
plus new stuff. It was meant to be a return to
more traditional metal after the synths. But
some critics felt they were kind of falling behind
the thrash bands they'd influenced. Yeah, thrash
was exploding then. Priest was trying to get
heavy again, but maybe sounded a bit dated to
some compared to Metallica or Slayer at that
point. And here's a crazy fact. Yeah. They actually
recorded three tracks with Stock Aiken Waterman.
The pop producers. Seriously. Seriously. Say
Dobby. Management nixed it, kept them off the
album. But imagine that version of Priest. Wow.
That's a definite what if. Shows the pressures
they were under, weighing creative choices versus,
well, bop potential. Exactly, glimpses behind
the curtain. Anyway, 1989, Dave Holland leaves
after 10 years. Another shift. And his replacement
was a monster, ushered in a whole new level of
aggression. Oh yeah, Scott Travis. From RacerX.
September 1990, painkiller drogs. Travis's drumming
is insane. Heavy double bass, way more technical.
Total game changer. That album was a massive
comeback. Ditched pretty much all the 80s synths
except a bit on a touch of evil. Just pure, fast,
aggressive, heavy metal. Back to the roots, but
heavier. The tour was huge too, right? With bands
like Pantera, Megadeth opening. Huge. Culminated
at rock and Rio, playing to over 100 ,000 people.
Painkiller was a statement. Creased was back
and heavier than ever. Scott Travis was crucial
to that sound. Ferocious drumming. And the image
was still key. Halford riding the Harley on stage.
Iconic. Full leathers, sunglasses, the ultimate
metal rebel thimble. Speaking of the bike, that
accident in Toronto, August 91, colliding with
the drum riser hidden by dry ice, breaking his
nose. Nasty incident. Must have been agony. But
he finished the show before going to the hospital.
That's dedication. Total metal god move. He later
said it wasn't why he left the band soon after,
but still harrowing. Yeah. But just as they're
hitting these heights again, they get pulled
into something completely different and much
darker. The subliminal message trial. We have
to talk about this before we get to Halford leaving.
Right. This is a really serious, chilling chapter.
It raises huge questions about art, responsibility,
interpretation. In 1990, Priest ended up in court
in the U .S. facing these incredibly serious
accusations. They were accused of being responsible
for a suicide pact back in 85. James Vance, who
was 20, and Raymond Belknap, 18, in Sparks, Nevada.
The details are grim. December 23rd, 1985. Vance
and Belknap went to a church playground with
a shotgun. They'd been drinking, smoking pot.
And listening to Judas Priest, specifically the
Stain Class album from 78. Right. Belknap shot
himself and died instantly. Vance shot himself
too, but survived, horribly disfigured. He died
three years later. Suspected drug overdose related
to the injury. And the family sued the band.
Yeah. The lawsuit claimed priests deliberately
put subliminal messages, stuff like, try suicide,
do it, let's be dead, into their cover of the
Spooky Tooth song. Better by you, better than
me. Which was a song the label made them add
to the album later, wasn't it? Exactly. It wasn't
even one of their core tracks from the main sessions.
But the plaintiffs argued these hidden messages
triggered the boys' actions. Vance's parents
said he'd been troubled but was getting better,
finding religion again, than this garbage music,
as they put it, let him astray. This whole idea
of backmasking hidden evil messages in rock music,
it was a huge moral panic. back then, especially
driven by the religious right. This trial really
put it center stage. Fans protested outside the
court, right, defending the band. They did. Inside,
during the trial, July to August 1990, the plaintiffs
played the song backwards to forward, slowed
down, trying to prove the messages were there
and intentional. But the judge didn't buy it.
No. Ultimately dismissed the lawsuit. The judge
ruled the alleged message was just a coincidental
convergence of a guitar chord with an exhalation
pattern. Basically, random sounds, not a command.
A landmark ruling for artistic freedom, really,
against that kind of moral panic. Absolutely
critical precedent. How far can you blame art
for tragedy? The whole thing was documented in
that film, Dream Deceivers, the story behind
James Vansvise's Judas Priest from 91. Cripping
Stuff. Three, The Ripper Years, Halford's Journey.
and Grand Reunion, 1991 -2010. Wow. That trial,
it's just a stark reminder of the kind of intense
pressure and scrutiny bans like Priest faced,
makes you appreciate their resilience even more.
Okay, let's shift gears now. From the courtroom
back to Rob Halford's journey after he left Priest.
Right. So after that huge painkiller tour ended
in August 91, there were signs of tension in
the band. And Halford decided he wanted to explore
totally different sounds. He formed Fight, this
kind of street level thrash metal band. Scott
Travis actually played drums on their recordings
initially. Oh, interesting. So Travis stayed
connected for a bit. Yeah. Howford officially
left Priest in May 92. Apparently it was down
to miscommunication more than him just quitting
outright, which is complex. Shows how things
can break down even in massive bands. But Howford's
drive is amazing, right? After all that success,
he immediately wants to do something new. Totally
relentless. These were just side projects. They
were serious artistic explorations. Fight's first
album, War of Words in 93, got pretty good reviews.
Aggressive. Modern Thrash. Okay. The second one,
A Small Deadly Space in 95, went grungier, more
alternative metal. Didn't connect quite as well
with some fans. The band split after label issues
with Epic, but Alfred even thought about reforming
them later. After Fight, he went even further
afield with 2 -0, right? Industrial. Yeah, 1997.
A collaboration with guitarist John Lowry. Their
album Voyeurs came out in 98. produced by Dave
Ogilvie, released on Trent Reznor's Nothing Records
label. So proper industrial connections there,
a real departure. Definitely deliberate, challenging
expectations. It really shows his versatility,
his refusal to be stuck in one box. He wasn't
just going to coast on being the metal god. But
he did come back to metal eventually. Almost
inevitably, yeah. Formed his solo band, Halfood,
in 99. The first album, Resurrection in 2000,
was hailed as this big return to classic metal,
then Crucible in 2002. clear that his passion
for pure heavy metal was still burning strong.
Meanwhile, Judas Priest, they had the almost
impossible job of replacing him. Daunting task.
Finding someone to fill those boots. They spent
years searching. Auditioned some big names, Steve
Grimmett, Ralph Sheepers, Whitfield Crane, even
Devin Townsend, who was unknown then. Wow, shows
how tough it was finding someone with that range,
that power. Exactly. Highlights just how unique
Halford's voice really is. They finally found
someone in 96, Tim Ripper Owens. singer in a
priest tribute band, British Steel. The ultimate
tribute band fantasy, right? Getting the call
up to the real thing. His story was loosely the
basis for that movie, Rockstar. Right. So this
new lineup with Ripper released two studio albums,
Jugulator in 97. Which actually got a Grammy
nomination for the track Bullet Train. And Demolition
in 2001. What was the sound like in this era?
It was definitely a conscious shift to sound
more contemporary for the time. Jugulator leaned
into groove metal, think mid -tempo, rhythmic
heavy riffs, kind of swaggering. They had like
Pantera -ish. A bit, yeah. And Demolition brought
in some new metal elements that blend of metal
with hip -hop, industrial, alternative rock vibes,
rap -style vocals sometimes, breakdowns, electronic
textures. So big stylistic changes, trying to
stay current. Yeah, showing they were still willing
to adapt and experiment, even without Halford.
Not all the old fans loved it, but it showed
their resilience, their commitment to keep making
music. While all this was going on with the band,
Rob Halford made a huge personal announcement.
February 1998 on MTV, he publicly came out as
gay. A massive groundbreaking moment, not just
for him, but for the whole metal scene. He called
it a wonderful moment of liberation. But he was
worried about the reaction, right? Leasing fans,
discrimination. He was. And this is where it
gets really significant. His coming out challenged
so many stereotypes about masculinity and sexuality
and metal. He was incredibly brave, talking openly
about the depression, the substance abuse that
came from hiding his identity for so long. He
mentioned going into rehab back in 86 after a
painkiller overdose. and being sober ever since.
Yeah, calling sobriety the greatest gift. That
kind of honesty was incredibly powerful. He also
mentioned that song Raw Deal from way back in
77 on Sin After Sin, talking about Fire Island.
Right. He said, looking back, it felt like almost
a coming out experience for him then, even if
nobody, maybe not even him, fully recognized
it at the time. That's fascinating. Art carrying
hidden meanings that only become clear later.
Totally. shows the connection between his life
and his early work. And there was that anecdote
about his George Michael moment in 92. The arrest
in Venice Beach. Yeah, for public indecency.
And the arresting officer was a huge priest fan
and helped keep it quiet, just underscores the
risks and pressures he was navigating. Thankfully,
he said the metal community has been largely
accepting since he came out. Which is a great
message about diversity in a genre often seen
as very traditional, very macho. Yeah. Though
he did note society itself maybe hadn't changed
as much as he hoped. regarding equality. So after
11 years apart, with fans clamoring for it and
Helford's solo band sounding, well, very Priest
-like. Maybe more Priest -like than Priest did
at that point, some argue. Right. The reunion
finally happened July 2003. Rob Helford, back
in Judas Priest, timed with the mythology box
set release. And they hit the road straight away.
Co -headlined Ausfest in 2004, got named the
Premier Act, and credit to Ripper Owens and the
band. They parted ways amicably. which is pretty
rare in rock. Definitely a classy move. And this
reunion wasn't just nostalgia, was it? They came
back strong creatively. Absolutely. Their new
album, Angel of Retribution, March 2005, huge
success, critically and commercially. Won a Metal
Hammer Golden Gods Award for best album. Proved
the classic lineup still had serious firepower.
Their induction into the VH1 Rock honors in 2006
seemed to seal that legendary status too. Godsmack
covering them, Halford riding the Harley on stage.
Classic Priest underscored their undeniable place
in rock history. Then in 2008 they did something
really ambitious. Nostradamus. A huge concept
album. Sprawling. About the 16th century French
seer. It had symphonic bits, choirs, more keyboards.
Surprised a lot of fans with its scope. Another
bold experiment, even after reuniting, shows
they weren't just gonna play the hits. Exactly.
A concept album like that, it challenged expectations
again. Showed they were still willing to take
big artistic risks even deep into their career.
They followed that with big tours. The Priest
Feast Tour with Megadeth and Testament in 09.
The British Steel 30th Anniversary Tour playing
the whole album. Fans loved that. Oh yeah. And
they won a Grammy in 2010. Best metal performance
for Dissident Aggressor from the live album A
Touch of Evil. Live! Finally got that Grammy
win. They were even offered a star on the Hollywood
Walk of Fame around then. Yeah. But scheduling
conflicts got in the way, unfortunately. Couldn't
make the ceremony. Still, the recognition was
there. Four, shifting lineups, enduring firepower,
and future horizons. 2010 present. OK, moving
into the 2010s. December 2010, Priest makes an
announcement that causes a bit of a stir. The
epitaph world tour was going to be their farewell
tour Yeah, that set ripples of concern through
the fan base for sure planned to run till 2012
But they clarified pretty quickly didn't they
it wasn't the end and right They emphasized it
was their last major world tour, not the end
of the band itself, which was a crucial distinction.
So they were still committed to making music,
just maybe shifting the touring intensity, acknowledging
the realities of decades on the road. But then
just a few months later, April 2011, another
big change, K .K. Downing retires. Huge moment.
Citing differences with the band and management,
that Downing -Tipton twin guitar partnership
had been the core for so long, felt like an era
ending for many. Who replaced him? Richie Faulkner.
Really talented guitarist. He was playing with
Lauren Harris, Steve Harris' daughter. Ah, okay.
And their first gig without KK was on American
Idol. Yeah. With James Durbin, Season 10 finale.
A bit unexpected, but massive exposure. So Downing
leaving was major, but Faulkner stepping in?
How did that work out? Amazingly well, actually.
Faulkner had enormous shoes to fill, obviously.
But he brought incredible skill, new energy.
He maintained that signature sound, but added
his own flair, too. Showed the band could adapt,
find fresh talent, keep things vibrant. And left
Ian Hill as the only original member still standing,
and that link back to the very start. Despite
the farewell talk and losing KK, they were still
writing. Oh, yeah. Alfred and Tipton said they
had like 12 or 14 tracks mapped out. The creative
fire was definitely still burning. And that led
to Redeemer of Souls released July 2014. And
this was a big one chart wise, right? Massive.
Their first ever top 10 album in the U .S. Hit
number six on Billboard. Incredible. After all
those years. This proves their enduring appeal
and that fans were absolutely hungry for new
Priest music. And yeah, Halford had confirmed
back in 2013 that the Epitaph tour wasn't their
last tour after all. Big relief for everyone.
They also put out the Battlecry live album from
Wacken 2015 during this period, showing off that
renewed live energy. Then they started work on
album number 18, Firepower, began in 2016. Yeah.
And they brought back an old friend for producing.
Glenn Malam, yeah, who had produced their classic
80s albums, but they teamed them up with Andy
Sneep. Respected modern metal producer who'd
end up playing with them later. Exactly, and
Mike Exeter too. It felt like a really smart
move blending that classic sound knowledge with
modern production muscle. Honoring the past,
but keeping it fresh. Precisely. And Firepower,
released March 2018, was widely hailed as a killer
album. Great tour followed, too. Powerful stuff.
But this era also brought some really tough news
personally for the band. Glenn Tipton's Parkinson's
diagnosis? Yeah. Heartbreaking. He revealed it
in February 2018, said it would limit his touring.
So Andy Sneep, who'd co -produced the album,
stepped in to handle most of the guitar duties
live. Huge task filling Glenn Tipton's role on
stage. Monumental. But Tipton... incredibly,
still made appearances. He'd come out for the
encore sometimes, just showed his incredible
spirit, refusing to let it beat him. That determination
through such adversity. Yeah. It really is inspiring,
shows the band's solidarity. Absolutely. And
even with Glenn's health challenges, the band
kept creating. He still contributed to writing
new material. Halford and Hill were talking up
new ideas. Then COVID hit, obviously messing
up tour plans. The 50 Heavy Metal Years tour
got postponed multiple times. Yeah, tough times
for all touring bands. and sadly they lost former
drummers John Hinch in 2021 and then Les Binks
just recently in March 2025. And Richie Faulkner
had that major heart scare too September 2021,
an aortic aneurysm on stage. Terrifying. Had
to postpone the U .S. tour again. Just an unbelievable
run of challenges, deaths of former members,
serious health issues, a pandemic. Even that
brief moment, Andy Sneap stepped away as touring
guitarist in early 2022 before quickly coming
back. They just kept pushing through it all.
It's almost superhuman resolve. Speaks volumes
about their passion, their commitment. They just
have to make music, it seems. So the next album...
Faulkner and Halford hinted it might be more
progressive than Firepower. Yeah, intriguing
hint. Though tipped and reassured everyone, it
would be what every Priest fan will want. A balance,
maybe. And the album, Invincible Shield, was
announced at the Power Trip Festival, came out
March 2024. Singles like Panic Attack, Trial
by Fire, Crown of Horns, The Serpent, and The
King. And it proved, yet again, they've still
got it. That creative well is far from dry. Speaking
of legacy, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. They
finally got in May 2022 after being nominated
before but passed over. Yep, though it was via
the award for musical excellence, not the main
performer category. Which caused some debate,
right? What is the difference? And did Priest
deserve the performer slot? Exactly. The band
was thrilled, obviously, but Halford and others
were a bit critical of the distinction. felt
their live legacy absolutely qualified them as
performers, highlights those ongoing debates
about these institutions and their categories.
But the induction itself was special because
K .K. Downing and Les Binks joined them on stage.
They played a three -song set together. A rare
historic reunion. really powerful moment, transcended
any category arguments. Looking ahead, even after
pouring everything into Invincible Shield, Ritchie
Faulkner said new ideas always emerge. Yeah,
like magic, he said. And Halfords basically said
another album is inevitable. Faulkner mentioned
in late 2024 that 2025 would involve touring
and pooling ideas, hoping to start work on album
number 20 in 2026. 20 studio albums. The Fire
truly endures its incredible V artistry, influence,
and legacy. So when you look back at this whole
massive journey, five decades, what really defines
Judas Priest's artistry, it's always been heavy
metal at its core, right? But so much variety.
Absolutely. Rooted in metal, but they've touched
on so many things. Think back to rock -a -rolla.
Mostly heavy blues rock, like a lot of bands
started. But those early albums weren't just
one thing. You had straight -up rockers, sure,
but also acoustic ballads, those quirky covers,
and yeah, those ambitious multi -part epics.
Almost queen -like in their theatricality, mixed
with Sabbath's power. That early eclectic phase
before they became the pure metal gods. It's
important context. Totally. They were explorers.
And that progressive edge, especially from sad
wings through stained -class complex guitars,
poetic lyrics, big dynamic shifts that was really
adventurous stuff back then, laid the groundwork
for everything. And we talked about sin after
sin and the double bass drumming innovation.
How huge was that for the genre overall? Monumental.
Often understated, but truly pivotal. That specific
style, the rapid sixteenth notes on the bass
drums, locked with the guitars, it wasn't just
to flourish. It created this relentless forward
momentum, this wall of sound. To find a new level
of aggression. Exactly. It directly influenced
speed metal thrash. power metal. It changed the
rhythmic DNA of heavy music, a crucial contribution.
Then from killing machine hell bent for leather
and British steel, they shifted, bringing in
more commercial radio -friendly elements. Right.
Simpler lyrics, catchier hooks. That phase went
through point of entry. Then screaming for vengeance
and defenders found that amazing balance accessibility
and pure metal power perfectly blended. Their
whole evolution shows this willingness to adapt.
to experiment, doesn't it? Even when it wasn't
universally loved. Definitely. From the turbo
synths, which were controversial. The regressive
comeback of Ram It Down and Painkiller. Even
the groove and new metal stuff in the ripper
years. And then back to a more classic but still
evolving sound post reunion. That constant change,
while maybe dividing fans sometimes, kept them
relevant, kept them fresh, kept them influential
across generations. And holding it all together
was Rob Halford's voice, the metal god voice.
Extraordinary instrument that ranged from the
throaty growls up to those ear -splitting falsettos
with that powerful vibrato. Just incredible control.
Set the benchmark, really. Completely. Almost
impossible standard for metal vocalists. So many
tried to emulate it. He himself said he was influenced
by legends like Lil Richard, Elvis, Yanis Joplin,
Robert Plant. Diverse influences. Yeah. Pushed
his own limits, trying to match them. And he
called Freddie Mercury his ultimate hero. Wish
he'd known him. shows the broad musicality feeding
into his unique style. Beyond the sound, the
fashion, Priest basically invented the heavy
metal look. Revolutionary. From the 70s hippie
stuff to Halford stepping out in full leather
and studs for the 79 tour. The band followed
and boom, a visual identity was born. How much
does image define a genre? For Priest, it seems
like it was crucial. Absolutely. Inspired by
punk, by leather culture, that look became the
blueprint. influenced 80s glam, surprisingly
even early black metal's aesthetic. KK said something
was missing until he had that look. It felt inevitable.
It's interesting though, Halford later said he
wasn't personally into the S &M or queer subculture
aspects of leather, just saw it as a powerful
look. Yeah, he clarified his personal intent
as a vanilla gay man, he put it. Fans at the
time likely didn't read a kink subtext into it
either. But now, especially after he came out,
people do see queer themes, or at least themes
of non -conformity and empowerment in the look
and lyrics. And that's fascinating, right? How
art takes on new meanings over time, reflects
cultural shifts, increased awareness, the symbols
evolve. What was just rebellion might now also
resonate as personal freedom. identity adds another
layer to their legacy. And that legacy is just
colossal. Metal Gods, the nickname says it all.
Ranked number two metal band ever by MTV after
Sabbath. VH1 put them in their top 100 greatest
artists. Inaugural VH1 Rock Honors inductees.
That Grammy win Hall of Heavy Metal History.
Right. And the Rock Hall induction, finally.
Yeah, the sheer weight of recognition, despite
early skepticism from some critics, it's undeniable.
They're foundational. And the sales back it up
over 50 million albums. sold 11 top 30 albums
in the UK that incredible streak of 11 gold or
platinum albums in the US starting with sin after
sin just amazing consistency genre influence
where do you live and start pioneers of the new
wave of British heavy metal injecting that precision
and energy formative for speed thrash power metal
80s hard rock glam the lineage is huge so many
bands name themselves after pre -songs or albums
sinner exciter tyrant talk about respect and
the bands they inspired. Metallica, Maiden, Slayer,
Pantera, Queen's Rach. The list is endless. Their
DNA is just woven through metal. It's almost
impossible to talk about modern metal without
acknowledging priests' role, isn't it? They're
completely pervasive. Their imprint is everywhere.
And their cultural reach goes beyond music, too.
Rob Reiner is studying them for This Is Spinal
Tap. Hilarious. The rock star movie based on
Ripper's story, even The Simpsons having to apologize
for calling them death metal, shows how specific
their brand is in the public mind. Halford doing
voice work for the game Brutal Legend. They're
part of the culture. What an absolutely mind
-blowing journey for a band from Birmingham.
Truly incredible. It's a testament to their talent,
sure, but also that astounding resilience through
lineup changes, lawsuits, health scares, their
constant innovation, the iconic image, Halford's
personal story, and they're still going. still
touring and recording in their OAP heavy metal
years as Halford jokes. Old age pensioner heavy
metal. Love it. That resilience, that refusal
to quit. It's rare. It really is special. Which
leads to maybe a final thought for you to chew
on. K .K. Downing himself once said the band
had a bit of an identity crisis from the beginning.
So how did a band that started with that kind
of uncertainty end up forging one of the most
powerful, recognizable, enduring identities in
all of music, an identity that's still evolving
today? What does that tell us about real lasting
artistry, about facing change, discovering yourself
under the relentless pressure of the global spotlight?
Something to definitely think about. Well, that's
all the time we have for this deep dive into
the monumental world of Judas Priest. Thanks
so much for joining us. It's been great talking
Priest. We'll see you next time on the deep dive.