Why Judas Priest Is So Damn Important

My love for music extends to all sorts of different places. Like many people I claim to have pretty eclectic tastes, but I can't say with a straight face that I love all genres even remotely equally. So let's get one thing straight: heavy metal is my favorite genre. No matter for how long, or how many times I leave it, heavy metal welcomes me back with open arms every single time I stray. One of the reasons this is true, is Judas Priest. This band is the starting point of my musical journey; they were the catalyst to me forming a more refined taste in what I listened to.

I was first introduced to their music through a friend back in high-school; a time when most people were beginning to make real, independent opinions about music. I had heard the name many, many times but was too busy listening to shitty music to care. We were exchanging music, and I handed him a Cradle of Filth CD or something, at which he recoiled and said, "My god. Let me help you," and handed me a copy of Screaming For Vengeance. Things quickly began to change.

I could not remember a time where my mind was as sufficiently blown. It was so good I was fucking angry. I ran out as fast as I could and bought Painkiller. Blown away again; it was like beating somebody to death, getting beaten to death, and getting laid all at once. I had jumped right into the metal of the time, most of which was decent but I didn't know where it came from. It opened up the door to Megadeth, Iron Maiden, Jag Panzer, Queensryche, Manowar, Dio, Motorhead and, of course, Black Sabbath.

However, most Priest fans know that they aren't always as frantic as they are in the aforementioned albums and as a result, I grew into genres other than heavy metal. After listening to songs from Rocka Rolla I had a new appreciation for rock groups like Thin Lizzy, AC\DC and Hendrix. Obviously, there are major differences but it kind of put them in a new context, and I began to like them a whole hell of a lot more.

If music be the food of fuzz, play on

Hell, I probably wouldn't even like Bach, Vivaldi or Paganini as much as I do now were it not for the scales torn up by the classically influenced Glenn Tipton. I owe nearly everything to this band, maybe even right down to my attitude in life. Although heavy metal is usually a pretty silly, tongue-in-cheek genre, it's no wonder it's fans take it so goddamn seriously.


Wouldn't you? I mean, seriously.