The band "Freight" was formed by schoolmates Kenneth "K.K." Downing and Ian Hill in 1969. They quickly found drummer John Ellis, and decided that they needed a vocalist. In 1970, a band called Judas Priest had broken up, and Al Atkins was out of a job. He was quickly hired by Ian and K.K., who then renamed their band Judas Priest since the name was available. A demo was recorded in July, 1971, and the band opened for acts like Budgie and Slade.
In 1971, drummer Alan "Skip" Moore came in for a brief while, and was then replaced by Chris "Congo" Campbell. Al Atkins left in early 1973. Campbell thought the band had little future and left too. The band nearly broke up, before Ian Hill's girlfriend Sue suggested her brother Rob for a vocalist. He arrived in May 1973, bringing his Hiroshima bandmate, drummer John Hinch with him.
In April, 1974, Glenn Tipton of the Flying Hat Band came in as second guitarist, and an album, Rocka Rolla, was recorded for Gull Records. Gull wanted the band to add a horn section, but mercifully they refused, honing their guitar driven attack instead. In the fall of 1975, Hinch was fired for incompetence, and "Skip" Moore returned. The band recorded the legendary "Sad Wings of Destiny" album, and were signed by CBS records. Moore left, and session drummer Simon Phillips appeared on the Sin After Sin album.
A US tour, opening for REO Speedwagon, was booked, and drummer Les Binks was found in June, 1977. This lineup would record two studio albums and a legendary live release, Priest in the East. Then, Les Binks left - he disappeared for many years after an appeareance in Tytan in 1981, possibly killed in a bizarre gardening accident, before surfacing in the Fainting Goats with former Iron Maiden guitarist Dennis Stratton in 1999.
Dave Holland was brought in, and six studio albums and a live album were recorded with this lineup before Holland left, sick of the rock and roll lifestyle, in 1989. Scott Travis of Racer X was found as a replacement and the album "Painkiller" was recorded, being released in 1990.
As the band was preparing to record "Painkiller", a lawsuit was filed against them by the parents of two young men that had ostensibly attempted suicide (one succeeded, one failed and was left disfigured, dying some time later of health complications) after allegedly listening to "Stained Class", backwards, in 1985 during a night of excessive alcohol and drug use. The parents alleged that hidden messages in the recordings had encouraged the teenagers to kill themselves. The lawsuit ran from July to August 1990 before ultimately being thrown out.
In July of 1991, Halford announced his departure (via fax!) effective the end of the tour. August 17th, 1991 was his last gig with Priest. He went on to form more modern-minded bands in Fight and Two, before returning to more familiar climes with the eponymous Halford project. Judas Priest stagnated for several years, before finding vocalist Tim "Ripper" Owens of Winters Bane, who also played in a Priest tribute band. He was hired in 1996, and two studio albums and two live albums were recorded by this lineup. Constant rumours of a Halford reunion over the six-year tenure of Owens heated up around 2002, and ended up being confirmed in July 2003.
This line-up first began in 1967, but changed their name to Judas Priest in 1969, bassist Bruno Stapenhill taking the name from the Bob Dylan song "The Ballad of Frankie Lee and Judas Priest". Guitarist John Perry had at this point died and was replaced with Ernest Chataway, chosen over KK Downing who also applied for the spot.
In late 1970 Al joined K.K. and Ian's band and brought the name with him, but the two were completely different entities (so DO NOT add the members of the 'other' Judas Priest to the former members box!). The two guitarists were not in the band at the same time.
Judas Priest announced on December 7th, 2010 that their Epitaph World Tour would be the band's farewell tour. It should run up until 2012.
K.K. Downing retired from the band as of April 20th, 2011.
[metal-archives]
Judas Priest – 01 - Rapid Fire.mp3 (9.41 MB)
Judas Priest – 02 - Metal Gods.mp3 (9.08 MB)
Judas Priest – 03 - Breaking The Law.mp3 (5.86 MB)
Judas Priest – 04 - Grinder.mp3 (9.07 MB)
Judas Priest – 05 - United.mp3 (8.05 MB)
Judas Priest – 06 - You Don't Have to Be Old to Be Wise.mp3 (11.54 MB)
Judas Priest – 07 - Living After Midnight.mp3 (7.99 MB)
Judas Priest – 08 - The Rage.mp3 (10.84 MB)
Judas Priest – 09 - Steeler.mp3 (10.26 MB)
Judas Priest – 10 - Red, White & Blue.mp3 (8.45 MB)
Judas Priest – 11 - Grinder (LIVE).mp3 (10.92 MB)
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