High priests on the heavy metal altar of molten British steel they may have been, Judas Priest had an inauspicious beginning. An early version of the band started out as Periwinkle who provided the music to the understandably short-lived childrens’ television program, “There Goes Mingy Stingy,” a show that featured an overly parsimonious vagina as well as other claymation body parts with different disagreeable personality traits. The British public had no patience for this sort of show, despite its good intentions—to teach children about manners and anatomy in an arguably humorous way. Although the program was of dubious quality, the music showed promise, and following the cancellation, Periwinkle was offered the opportunity to add the score to a far more popular childrens show, “The Magic Maypole,” as the show’s original music makers, the Moody Blues had gone on an extended hiatus. It was here that the band was introduced to its future frontman, Rob Halford, who was the show’s presenter at the time. Playing embryonic versions of future standards like Hell Bent For Leather, Ram It Down and The Ripper, the band enjoyed a modicum of success over the next two years as Periwinkle released two relatively fast selling albums of music from the show.
Ambition began to raise its head, however, and like many performers of children’s programs such as Miley Cyrus and James Mason, they wanted to court a more adult audience. They recorded an album’s worth of Led Zeppelin-style songs, and shopped it around, with no takers until Gull records took pity on them and released it as “Unicorns and Rainbows.” It failed to sell, so the label changed the band to the heavier sounding Judas Priest and the title to the hilarious pun, Rockarolla complete with a picture of a bottlecap with the title spelled out in the style of Coke products.
The band toured hard playing student unions and carnivals and released their second album, made up of re-recorded Periwinkle songs as Sad Wings of Destiny, considered by some as the first modern metal album. It borrowed heavily from Queen and had some blues changes in it, so I would say their next album earns that distinction. This album, on the strength of their touring which now included sci-fi conventions, helped them earn the attention of CBS records who signed them at the end of 1976. It had been a short four years since the cancellation of “Mingy Stingy,” and the band had made it.
The band’s popularity increased with each album, and from 1977-79 they were the standard-bearers of metal playing in a progressive blues free style that showed them as metal’s next step after Black Sabbath. As they became more famous, an image change became necessary. As they sported this look in 1977
, they decided that Halford should return to his look as “The Magic Maypole’s” presenter, and so he was now dressing like this.
In 1980, they finally cracked the US market in a big way with British Steel and it’s huge hit, “Washin’ the Dog.” The albums were much less progressive and more good-time party rock., and the hits kept on coming. They remained huge in the US, though the quality of their albums suffered until their 1990 comeback Painkiller. It is here that we leave the band as this was the last album of their I bought. Fortunately, the reissue label, Wounded Bird has released a compilation of their Periwinkle material so we can see where the band came from. It’s interesting to see how fully formed they sounded
Beyond the BCB 130 Judas Priest
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Re: Beyond the BCB 130 Judas Priest
Those bootleg Mingy Stingy dvd's must cost a mint.
Where would rock 'n' roll be without feedback?
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Re: Beyond the BCB 130 Judas Priest
Just a penitent man
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Re: Beyond the BCB 130 Judas Priest
This differs from the other bios on the band I've read.
But it sounds good.
But it sounds good.
Don't fake the funk on a nasty dunk!
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Re: Beyond the BCB 130 Judas Priest
Lucky, really.
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Re: Beyond the BCB 130 Judas Priest
Interesting to see the re emerged Al Aktins (influenced by Halford, but missing Halford's range)
Al Atkins - Caviar And Meths (Judas Priest)
Al Atkins OFFICIAL Dreamer Deceiver
Al Atkins - Caviar And Meths (Judas Priest)
Al Atkins OFFICIAL Dreamer Deceiver
It's kinda depressing for a music forum to be proud of not knowing musicians.
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Re: Beyond the BCB 130 Judas Priest
bump
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Re: Beyond the BCB 130 Judas Priest
I'd say I like them, but a little goes a long way. Take the best songs from Sad Wings of Destiny, British Steel, Hell Bent for Leather, and Screaming for Vengeance, and I could make a pretty good comp. I guess I'd need "Painkiller" too.
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Re: Beyond the BCB 130 Judas Priest
I saw Led Zeppelin in Oakland in '77. Rick Derringer opened, who was really good and then this weird leather group came out and the singer rolled up to the stage in a very gay leather outfit, much like leather guys in San Francisco dressed, riding out on a Harley. I was very dubious.
Then they jumped into it. I loved it that they covered Green Manalishi.
They made a fan out of me and I had never heard of them. Priest was never played on FM Radio. I bought Unleashed in the East the very next day and have been a fan ever since.
Then they jumped into it. I loved it that they covered Green Manalishi.
They made a fan out of me and I had never heard of them. Priest was never played on FM Radio. I bought Unleashed in the East the very next day and have been a fan ever since.
Don't fake the funk on a nasty dunk!
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Re: Beyond the BCB 130 Judas Priest
sloopjohnc wrote: Priest was never played on FM Radio. I bought Unleashed in the East the very next day and have been a fan ever since.
Really? Maybe in San Francisco, but I distinctly remember that live "Manalishi" and "Breakin' the Law" being played on the radio in San Diego. Some cuts from Screaming for Vengeance were played later as well.
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Re: Beyond the BCB 130 Judas Priest
They were by far the best of their peers
Classic songwriters.
Listen to Sad Wings and Sin after Sin - they sound like Queen around the same era
Classic songwriters.
Listen to Sad Wings and Sin after Sin - they sound like Queen around the same era
Complete Ramones Mp3 set on its way
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Re: Beyond the BCB 130 Judas Priest
Matt Wilson wrote:sloopjohnc wrote: Priest was never played on FM Radio. I bought Unleashed in the East the very next day and have been a fan ever since.
Really? Maybe in San Francisco, but I distinctly remember that live "Manalishi" and "Breakin' the Law" being played on the radio in San Diego. Some cuts from Screaming for Vengeance were played later as well.
Breakin' the Law was, but that was a few years later than '77. Up here, they'd play the Fleetwood Mac version of Manalishi.
Don't fake the funk on a nasty dunk!