There is also a strange Microsoft-esque angle to the Judas Priest 1980 transition. Myself and others often tried to find out what happened during those years, without computers or an internet and it was difficult to find any facts in those days. And Judas Priest has once of the worst management operations going, from publicity to liner notes they sucked at information.
So Priest had been playing for like 7 years by 1980, the last 5 of those were heavy metal and those last couple 1977-1979 with Les Binks were pretty much unprecedented. It was proto-Maiden, Metallica, Anthrax, Slayer all rolled into one. Aggressive and biblical. The sudden change was like Windows 8. From a thundering drummer to a drum machine and from heavy metal with fantasy lyrics to pop garbage overnight. Tipton was heard in videos ( they had these things called VCRs ...
) saying they wanted to make more radio-friendly stuff ( aiming Windows at the MetroTards ). And get this, Tipton was heard many times saying that the drums ( Les Binks ) was too much double-bass with big fills and the like. It was distracting ( dated and cheesy? ) so they got someone with a simple, steady beat. Never had anyone ever misunderstood their fan base the way that Tipton did ( or Ballmer ).
So about 10 years of Dave Holland doing drum machine style tracks and the tamped down lyrics inspired by it gave us "Breakin the Law" and "Living After Midnight" and "You got Another Thing Coming" and "Turbo". Now, don't get me wrong, there is potential in some of them ( hence the point to the above video ). But the contrast to "Exciter" and "Beyond The Realms of Death" and "Delivering The Goods" and "Evil Fantasies" is like night and day. I should point out that when "British Steel" and then "Point Of Entry" was released it was a huge downgrade, but as is often the case they began to look better over time, especially by "Turbo".
Eventually Holland exits and Scott Travis enters, "Painkiller" is released, and wham, all in one shot every single word that Tipton said is contradicted in a huge way. So Tipton should phone up Les Binks ( still playing local gigs around Birmingham in small bars where average guitar players jam with him ) and apologize. He should have been invited to some of the final shows also.
I shall call him MicroTipton. The Steven Sinofsky of Heavy Metal!
P.S. if you just learned about Judas Priest it is pretty cool for you. Get the albums in order to experience what we all did. Note that they really break into groups of three, it is a stunning coincidence ...
--- proto-PriestRocka Rolla
Sad Wings Of Destiny
Sin After Sin
--- BinksStained Class
Hell Bent For Leather ( aka "Killing Machine" )
Unleashed In The East
--- Holland (weak)British Steel
Point Of Entry
Screaming For Vengeance
--- Holland (weaker)Defenders Of The Faith
Turbo
Ram It Down
--- TravisPainkiller
Jugulator ( no Halford )
Demolition ( no Halford )
--- Halford returnsAngel Of Retribution
Nostradamus
( pending )
Skip the mixed box sets ( at least at first ) because they are being too clever by half by mixing the chronology up. This is one case where it really matters!
