2025 Hall Of Fame Nominee: Judas Priest
To Vote for Judas Priest or Another Nominee Go To RockinTown.com Hall of Fame.
After Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin and especially Alice Cooper, it seemed as though Rock had gone as far as it could.
Wrong! Heavy Metal went further, faster and harder, often with violent or satanic imagery.
Beginning in ’73 Judas Priest featured the twin guitar attack of Glenn Tipton and K.K. Downing and along the way they found Rob Halford’s roaring vocals.
Over their career they had five drummers before Scott Travis joined in ’89. Ian Hill handled bass. Their first release was on the Gull label in ’74 but it wasn’t until ’77 that they had their first major label release “Sin After Sin” which was produced by former Deep Purple bassist, Roger Glover.
Throughout the late ’70s and early ’80s, Judas Priest released approximately an album a year including “Unleashed In The East” in ’79. “British Steel” with “Breaking The Law” and “Screaming For Vengeance,” featuring the title track and “You’ve Got Another Thing Coming.” in ’82.
The latter perfectly illustrated why they were the premier Heavy Metal group. Tipton, Downing and Halford composed most of the songs. Critics dismissed them as nothing more than a grunting, churning band specializing in recycled Zeppelin riffs. However, despite the critics, and perhaps because of them, Judas Priest became both a major act recording and concert draw.
In ’93, a disillusioned Halford left Judas Priest to briefly front Black Sabbath and work with Pantera before launching Fight and later, Two. He also sang the national anthem on opening day of the Arizona Diamondback’s ‘ 98 season.
Judas Priest continued by hiring Tim “Ripper” Owens as lead singer. Owens, an Ohio native, was a massive Judas Priest fan and had worked in a tribute band. He did a competent job as the group resumed their recording career. But when push came to shove, Owens was unceremoniously dumped as Judas Priest reformed, with Halford, for an ’04 world tour that included an Ozzfest stint. As this was going on, the group went into the studio to record “Angel Of Retribution.”
With a handful of landmark albums released from over twenty, Judas Priest was the best full-on Heavy Metal band. To prove the point, they released the four-disc career retrospective “Metalogy” with a live version of “The Hellion” and “Electric Eye.”
Judas Priest unleashed “Nostradamus” in June, ’08. The limited edition deluxe double album was housed in a 48-page hardbound book package with an insert containing an exclusive code for one free general admission ticket to see Judas Priest on the summer’s Metal Masters Tour.
“Nostradamus” became the group’s highest charting effort on the Billboard 200 album chart selling about 42,000 units in its first week of release to land at #11. ‘05’s “Angel Of Retribution” only made it to #13.
“The Hellion” (the opening track on “Screaming For Vengeance”) was used in a ’10 commercial for the Honda Odyssey van. If a classic Judas Priest song had to be played in a car commercial most fans thought the track would be better used promoting a faster, sleeker car – not a van. But obviously that was the point.
Downing’s retirement was announced in April, ’11. Differences with the band, management and a breakdown in their relationship led to the decision. Guitarist Richie Faulkner was named Downing’s replacement.
But just a year later, Priest was ready to park it (sort of). They played the final show of their “Epitaph” tour to a sold-out audience at the Hammersmith Apollo in London. According to Priest, the “farewell” tour was their last extensive world tour – but not their last shows.
To prove there was still life in the beast, Judas Priest’s 17th studio album, “Redeemer Of Souls,” arrived in ‘14. “From start to finish, ‘Redeemer Of Souls’ is 18 songs of pure classic Priest Metal,” claimed Tipton.
Sadly, Tipton’s days were numbered. Priest announced, via Facebook in ‘18, that Tipton would be absent from their upcoming tour due to Parkinson’s disease. Tipton was diagnosed with the early onset of Parkinson’s ten years earlier.
“Firepower,” the group’s 18th studio album was the first since ‘88’s “Ram It Down” to be produced by Tom Allom and the first with Andy Sneap as co-producer.
Sneap was also the subject of a controversy when Downing insinuated that Sneap played Tipton’s guitar parts during the making of the album. Tipton was also “shocked” that he wasn’t invited for Priest’s tour. Halford said the statement was “a thousand percent false.” Downing later disavowed the claim.
With that minor controversary settled, there were more important issues at hand… namely the worldwide Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Advised to maintain social distance and told to shelter-in-place (their homes) people hit the stores to stock up – and often over stock on “vitally important” items. This trend led Halford to post a video PSA asking fans to the do the right thing. “If you go out, don’t buy everything. Don’t be a toilet paper hoarder. Don’t be a kitchen roll hoarder. Don’t be a hoarder of any sort, because we’re all in this together,” stated Halford.
As the pandemic subsided, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has inducted Judas Priest… after the band had been eligible for 23-years.
With Alice Cooper handling the honors, Rob Halford (vocals), Ian Hill (bass), Glenn Tipton (guitar) and Scott Travis (drums), along with Downing, Binks and late drummer Dave Holland were officially inducted.
Cooper called Priest the “the definitive Metal band.”
, Priest performed a Three song medley of “You’ve Got Another Thing Coming,” “Breaking The Law” and “Living After Midnight” during the Hall of Fame ceremony (11/5/22) at the Microsoft Theater in L.A.
Priest kept rolling with their ’24 release “Invincible Sheild.” The album’s lead single was “Panic Attack” followed by “Trial By Fire,” “Crown Of Horns” and “The Serpent And The King.” “It sounds like a young bunch of metal heads banging it out,” stated Halford.
“This (album) has got probably some more progressive elements that we’ve never really delved into before,” added guitarist Richie Faulkner. “And that’s exciting, because, again, it gives us and our fans another opportunity to see a different side of Priest.”
The album was produced by the band’s touring guitarist Andy Sneap, who also produced ’18’s “Firepower.”
To Vote for Judas Priest or Another Nominee Go To RockinTown.com Hall of Fame.
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