Judas Priest are one of the most influential and long-running Heavy Metal bands to grace stages around the world, leaving an undeniable impact on Metal as we know it. However, while other Metal pioneers such as Black Sabbath¹ and Led Zeppelin tried to distance themselves from the tag, Judas Priest have worn it like a badge of honour, leading to Ozzy Osbourne to dub them "the last of the Mohicans" and their fans to call them the Metal Gods.

The twin lead guitars of Glen Tipton and K.K. Downing have influenced a large number of Heavy and Power Metal bands, most noteably Iron Maiden, while vocalist Rob Halford's falsetto style and leather'n'studs attire effectively set the trend for what Metal fans would wear and how a Metal frontman should sing from the 1980s onwards. Their catalogue has seen a range of styles and changes in direction, yet has always been rooted in traditional Heavy Metal.

This entry looks at Judas Priest as a band alone. The discography and tours will be covered in a seperate entry

Band members past and present

As of July 11th 2003 the band comprised of:

Rob Halford: vocals, harmonica on first album (1973 - 1993, 2003 - )

Something of a veteran singer already before he joined Judas Priest in 1973, Rob's vocals are synonymous with the band. He is said to have hit 1610 Hz in a 1975 performance of the song Dreamer Deceiver. Along with his voice, he also later brought leather and motorbikes to the band!

K.K. Downing: lead & rhythm guitar (1968 - )

Founding member of the band along with bassist Ian Hill, and the wild, tremolo-bar abusing guitarist of the band².

Glenn Tipton: lead & rhthym guitar, synthesizers and backing vocals on first album, piano on second album (1974 - )

Ex-Flying Hat Band, originally planned to only spend a few months in Priest! A more relaxed, blues-orientated player than his counterpart. These three form the Halford/Tipton/Downing songwriting trio that wrote every Judas Priest song from 1980 - '90, except the covers.

Ian Hill: bass guitar (1968 - )

The other founding member of the band.

Scott Travis: drums (1989 - )

Ex-Racer's X.

Previous members

Tim 'Ripper' Owens: vocals (1996 - 2003)

Ex-Winter's Bane singer Tim 'Ripper' Owens, who had fronted a Judas Priest tribute band, and got the job in Priest through a video of one of their gigs. Sacked amicably to allow a reunion with Rob Halford, now in Iced Earth.

Don Airey: keyboards (session musician on 1990's Painkiller)
A veteran of the Heavy Metal scene, having played with Rainbow, Michael Schenker Group, Whitesnake, Black Sabbath and currently Deep Purple amongst others in a highly prolific career!

Dave Holland: drums (1979 - '89)

Ex-Trapeze drummer who had played along future Whitesnake member Mel Galley, and future Deep Purple and Black Sabbath member Glen Hughes. At the time he was the longest serving Priest drummer despite comparitevly unremarkable skills. Quit in 1989, unable to cope with touring pressures and the stress of the 1989 court case against the band. Later joined original singer Al Atkins' band. Convicted of sexual assault in 2003.

Les Binks: drums (1977 - '79)

Jazz drummer who set a precedent on double-bass drumming with his intro for Exciter on 1978's Stained Class. Later played in Tytan with ex-Angel Witch rhythm section Dave Dufort and Kevin Riddles, also briefly featured ex-A II Z guitarist Gary Owens, and replaced ex-Def Leppard drummer Frank Noon in Lionheart with ex-Iron Maiden guitarist Dennis Stratton, the band also included ex-Tygers Of Pan Tang singer Jess Cox for one gig.

Simon Phillips: drums (session drummer on 1977's Sin After Sin)

Brought in by producer Roger Glover (ex-Deep Purple), later played in the Michael Schenker Group and Deep Purple singer Ian Gillan's solo band.

Alan 'Skip' Moore: drums (1971 - '72, '75 - '77)

A veteran of the Birmingham pub scene at the time.

John Hinch: drums (1973 - '75)

Bandmate of Rob Halford in previous band Hiroshima. Fired for 'musical incompetence'.

Al Atkins: vocals (1967 - '73)

Read on for his biography!

Chris 'Congo' Campbell: drums (1972 - '73)

Quit at the same time as Al Atkins due to the lacklustre financial situation of the band at the time.

John Ellis: drums (1969 - '71)

At the time when the members of the band had to choose between keeping their day jobs or staying in the band, John chose to keep his day job.

The early years of Judas Priest

Judas Priest 1967 - '70

The beginning of Judas Priest, however, actually lies with a completely different band. Around 1967 a band called Sugarstack, comprised of singer Al Atkins, bassist Bruno Stapenhill and drummer John Partridge lost their two guitarists. Sugarstack renamed itself Judas Priest, after the Bob Dylan song The Ballad Of Frankie Lee & Judas Priest, and drafted in guitarist John Perry. The music of this version of Judas Priest was rooted firmly in the blues, and would have been very far removed from anything that came later. Sadly, only days after joining Perry was killed in a suicide-related car accident. The band set about auditioning a replacement. One hopeful was a young K.K. Downing, who was deemed too heavy and passed in favour of Ernie Chataway.

After prolonged gigging the band got a management deal in 1970 and recorded a two song demo. The tape aroused the interest of Immediate Records, and the band played a showcase gig for them at a Walsall hotel. A certain Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin fame was in the audience. A three year deal was signed, but Immediate Records went bust before any product could be released. Judas Priest split up in the summer of 1970.

Judas Priest 1970 - '73

Meanwhile, around 1968/'69 the aforementioned K.K. Downing had teamed up with his schoolmate bassist Ian Hill and drummer John Ellis and formed an outfit called Freight. Al Atkins was recruited as a singer soon after the demise of Judas Priest. As Freight was something of a feeble name, Atkins suggested they use the now free name of his old band instead.

With Downing acting as bandleader, Judas Priest began playing heavier music than it's predecessor, mixing originals with covers by the likes of Quartermass and Jimi Hendrix (whom Downing was greatly influenced by). The band began gigging and were regulars on the support slot circuit, opening for the likes of Budgie and Slade. John Ellis quit after a gig supporting the latter in 1971, setting into motion a revolving door of drummers that is almost certain to have inspired Spinal Tap's 'exploding drummer' gag.

Ellis was replaced with Alan 'Skip' Moore, who lasted barely a year before being replaced by Chris 'Congo' Campbell. Moore would join Sundance, performing on two of their albums. Judas Priest had further established themselves by supporting bands like Status Quo, Family and Thin Lizzy.

The band signed a management deal with IMA. Included in their roster were Bullion (Bruno Stapenhill's new band), and the Flying Hat Band, who featured future guitarist Glenn Tipton in their ranks. The gigs and management did not appear to be good enough for Al Atkins, who quite in May 1973. Chris Campball followed him, believing the band had no future having lost its singer. Atkins would reunite with Stapenhill and form Lion with ex-Budgie drummer Pete Boot.

Image

Around 1977 Rob Halford had been shopping for leather in gay and S&M shops in San Fransisco, and used this for his onstage performances. The colourful hippy garb that the band had worn a few years earlier was phased out by large amounts of leather. To begin with this style was used only by Halford, who complimented it with a peaked leather cap and a bull whip. As the years went by leather would become more and more predominant in Priest's image (and the Metal scene as a whole), peaking in 1990, where promo photos for Painkiller showed a band literally covered from head to toe in studded leather.

Halford also took to riding motorbikes onstage, favouring a Harley Davidson for American tours and a Triumph for Britain and Europe. Halford easily summed up the love affair between Heavy Metal and motorbikes:

"They're loud, smelly, they piss people off!"