Judas Priest.........The Greatest Heavy Metal Band Of All Time?

[OB1]

Believe it or not, Hedfield and Ulrich live quite near me (albeit in just a BIT of a higher rent district), and Hedfield's kids went to my kids' school until last year. He was on campus all the time (he drove his kids to school nearly every day he was in town -- and has quite collection of fine autos). He and his wife were very generous to the school and he is a really nice fellow (I didn't know her, but other folks told me she's great) -- I met him a number of times as I am pretty involved in fundraising at our school, though his kids are a few years older. At our fundraiser a few years back he auctioned off two guitars signed by the band, and he sang and played an acoustic version of "In My Life" by The Beatles with a montage of pictures of the graduating 8th graders on a movie screen behind him (a tearjerking tradition at our fundraiser) which was really quite touching.

I'm glad for his family's sake that he's clean, and for all his fame and money, I can report he's pretty much just a regular guy in all respects.

Just got back from a holiday in California and going north over the Bridge was one of the thrills of the road trip. You are a lucky boy if you live in Marin County. Anyway, in L.A., we stayed with a friend who works in the movie business and she worked on something with Metallica recently and said that they were very professional and nice guys with it too.

Yesterday, we went to Reading Festival, where Metallica were headlining. Hadn't seen them in the flesh for about 20 years and must say that they were excellent. They seem to have got to a place where they are really comfortable with themselves and JH, in particular, looked like he was having a ball despite it not being a Metallica crowd. Not my favourite band but they are great metal band. One had some of the most stunning visuals I've seen, including more lasers than a Star Wars trilogy.

 

[OB1]

Mahogany Rush! Lol, remember seeing them play the Free Trade Hall (supported by Lone Star) .... top gig.

Was at the Holocaust meself, but got pissed and missed Motorhead ... another gig from that era worth a mention, was Donnington in 84 ..... AC/DC, Van Halen, Ozzy Osbourne, Gary Moore, Y&T and openers, Motley Crue .... us and half the field left for the pub after Van Halen ripped the place apart ... Happy daze ...

Didn't go to Port Vale but did go to Donnington in '84 to see Diamond Dave and Co. Also saw Mahogany Rush at FTH, where Frank Marino had more pedals than the Tour de France.

 

[East Level 2]

Think Sabbath may be the better option if only for Paranoid and this, the original lyrics for Sabbath Bloody Sabbath:
Nobody will ever let you know
Why your team is utter shite
They just talk about long ball philosophy
Fill your head up full of lies

RAG BASTARDS!!

 

[Wretched Vengeance]

Metallica, baby.

Buzzed off them as a teen and even bought reload & s&m. Sold my ticket to the big day out in 1998 because i was 14 and korn cancelled. Regret that decision. Dry spell during which we had the likes of kill em all, black album and master of puppets to sustain us. Since death magnetic they tour with what the crowd loves, and they love playing.

Saw them eventually for the very first time at sonisphere in Knebworth on the last day of the 3 day festival in 2014. Lost my voice again (after losing it on the first night of limp bizkit/prodigy) got back to the tent and one guy was chatting on about how great it was. Told him it was the first time I'd seen Metallica before. "No shit really" this Scottish bloke goes "what a first time, I've seen them over 20 and that was the best I've ever seen them just now"

Sounds not the best but you can hear the crowd getting into it, they played almost two hours, it went from sunlight to darkness while they played. Mosh pit was mental and even stepping out was cool, coz you're still watching Metallica baby! Truly mint;

Grew up on Metallica. Absolutely loved them, and in particular And Justice For all - great album. Loved Black too.

Of course it all started with Master and Ride The Lighting, but it all went a bit down hill in between St Anger and any offering thereafter.

Obviously they became known as 'Alcoholica' and that saddened me. Good to hear they're clean now.

At that time I also became interested in the likes of Slayer, Anthrax and Testament. I have steadily looked for harder more aggressive music since.

Once upon a time I thought Napalm Death/Bolt Thrower/ Carcass was as heavy as it gets.... I am still learning. Dawn of Demise is probably my current go to music when in the gym.

Still love all the aforementioned though.

 

[chappy190]

correct me if i'm wrong but aren't sabbath the originators of heavy metal and Halfords favourite band, He's song for them in A couple of gigs between lead singers.Saxon Priest and maiden are from the genre New wave of british Heavy metal , and all are great bands I love motorhead too A Speed metal band with A punk edge ,also like magnum from the same era ,there a bit more sword and sorcere but great all the same .

 

[Bewar3them00n]

Got to be Sabbath as best metal band, seeing as they invented it!
Still listen to the classic Sabbath stuff, even though I listen to everything these days ( everything good!)
The heavy blues riffing from Iommi influenced all metal, Nirvana, spawned doom metal and even bands like Sunn O))) who play drone metal.
I do have a few Preist albums though and I always loved the album covers!

 

[MCFCTrick]

correct me if i'm wrong but aren't sabbath the originators of heavy metal and Halfords favourite band, He's song for them in A couple of gigs between lead singers.Saxon Priest and maiden are from the genre New wave of british Heavy metal , and all are great bands I love motorhead too A Speed metal band with A punk edge ,also like magnum from the same era ,there a bit more sword and sorcere but great all the same .

Saxon, Maiden and the whole NWOBHM (copyright Geoff Barton, Sounds then Kerrang! and now Classic Rock) started around 79/80 ... Priest released their first album, the tragically named Rocka Rolla in 1974 ... they got a boost by the NWOBHM, but were never really part of it all, though clearly a big influence on many of those bands ...

 

[OB1]

Saxon, Maiden and the whole NWOBHM (copyright Geoff Barton, Sounds then Kerrang! and now Classic Rock) started around 79/80 ... Priest released their first album, the tragically named Rocka Rolla in 1974 ... they got a boost by the NWOBHM, but were never really part of it all, though clearly a big influence on many of those bands ...

Yup. Priest pre-dated NOWBHM. Geoff Barton actually wrote the lyrics for one of my best friends' band's songs.

 

[chesterbells]

Saxon, Maiden and the whole NWOBHM (copyright Geoff Barton, Sounds then Kerrang! and now Classic Rock) started around 79/80 ... Priest released their first album, the tragically named Rocka Rolla in 1974 ... they got a boost by the NWOBHM, but were never really part of it all, though clearly a big influence on many of those bands ...

Yep.
A lot of absolutist comments on here about who the best metal band are/were, but all the bands named have had some excellent moments - and they've all been round long enough to write a few turkeys too.
Sabbath's Die Young, Children of the Sea, Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, Snowblind, and Heaven & Hell on Live Evil is an absolute gem. For Metallica I still cant get past Master of Puppets as their ultimate album. Saxon so many classics - 747, Wheels, Princess of the Night. As for Maiden, they've kept the quality going so long, and give you so much at their live shows - in fact saw a bit of the 666 doc on telly last night, and really looking forward to the new album out Sept 4th.

 

[Yaya_Tony]

@OB1 master of puppets is the ultimate good call mate, orion, leper messiah

You'll enjoy this, the entire album, live;