Judas Priest is one of the most influential heavy metal bands of all time. Formed in 1970 in Birmingham, England, they helped define the genre with their twin guitar attack and Rob Halford’s powerful vocals. After going through some lineup changes in the early years, the “classic” Judas Priest lineup solidified in the late 1970s with Rob Halford on vocals, Glenn Tipton and K.K. Downing on guitars, Ian Hill on bass, and Dave Holland on drums. This lineup would go on to record many of the band’s seminal albums like ‘Sad Wings of Destiny,’ ‘Sin After Sin,’ ‘Stained Class,’ and ‘Screaming for Vengeance.’
Judas Priest Lineup History
Here is a brief overview of the different lineups Judas Priest has had over their long career:
- Early Years (1969-1974) – The original Judas Priest lineup consisted of Al Atkins on vocals, Ernie Chataway on guitar, Bruno Stapenhill on bass, and John Partridge on drums. They recorded a demo called ‘The Rocka Rolla Sessions’ but didn’t release a proper album. Atkins and Stapenhill left in 1973.
- Rocka Rolla era (1974-1976) – Rob Halford joined on vocals, Glenn Tipton joined on guitar, Ian Hill switched to bass, and John Hinch joined on drums for their debut album ‘Rocka Rolla.’ K.K. Downing joined on guitar after the album’s release, solidifying the twin guitar attack.
- Sad Wings of Destiny era (1976-1977) – This lineup of Halford, Tipton, Downing, Hill, and Hinch recorded ‘Sad Wings of Destiny,’ considered one of Judas Priest’s best albums. Hinch left after the album and was replaced by Les Binks.
- Mid 70s era (1977-1979) – The addition of Binks on drums completed the lineup that would record ‘Sin After Sin’ and ‘Stained Class.’ These albums showed Judas Priest transitioning to a heavier, more metal sound.
- Hell Bent for Leather era (1979-1982) – Binks left after the ‘Stained Class’ tour and was replaced by Dave Holland. This lineup of Halford, Tipton, Downing, Hill, and Holland recorded ‘Hell Bent for Leather’ and ‘British Steel,’ two hugely influential metal albums.
- 1980s era (1982-1991) – The successful ‘British Steel’ lineup remained stable throughout the 1980s. They recorded albums like ‘Screaming for Vengeance,’ ‘Defenders of the Faith,’ and ‘Turbo’ during this period.
- Ripper Owens era (1996-2003) – After Rob Halford left to pursue other projects, Judas Priest brought in Tim “Ripper” Owens on vocals. He fronted the band for two studio albums, ‘Jugulator’ and ‘Demolition.’
- Reunion era (2003-2011) – Halford returned to the band in 2003 alongside Downing, Tipton, Hill, and a returning Les Binks on drums. Binks was later replaced by Scott Travis. This was the classic Judas Priest lineup finally back together.
- Epitaph era (2011-2018) – Judas Priest embarked on what was billed as a farewell tour called the ‘Epitaph World Tour’ with Halford, Tipton, Hill, and Richie Faulkner on guitar along with Scott Travis on drums. It turned out not to be their final tour after all.
- Current Lineup (2018-present) – After the Epitaph tour, guitarist K.K. Downing retired from the band. He was replaced by Faulkner who had previously stood in for Downing during the Epitaph dates. The current lineup is Halford, Faulkner, Tipton, Hill, and Travis.
Judas Priest 2023 Tour
Judas Priest is embarking on what is being billed as their final large-scale world tour in 2023. Called the ’50 Heavy Metal Years Tour,’ it will commemorate their 50th anniversary as a band. Here is an overview of the tour:
- The tour will kick off in March 2023 in Atlantic City, NJ and run through December.
- It will hit major cities across the United States and Canada before heading to Europe in May 2023.
- The current leg of the tour wraps up in Denmark in early October.
- After a month-long break, the tour picks back up in Finland in November and runs through mid December.
- There are a total of 58 scheduled shows on the tour currently.
Judas Priest will be supported by a rotating cast of openers throughout the tour including Queensryche, Sabaton, Uriah Heep, and Foreigner on select dates.
North America Openers
For the North American leg of the tour, here are some of the supporting bands joining Judas Priest on select dates:
Supporting Act | Tour Dates |
---|---|
Queensryche | March 3-April 17, 2023 |
Sabaton | April 21-May 17, 2023 |
Uriah Heep | August 7-September 16, 2023 |
Foreigner | October 5-27, 2023 |
Some shows such as the April 25th show at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids will feature both Queensryche and Sabaton on the bill.
Europe Openers
In Europe, Judas Priest will be supported by some more heavy hitting bands at various points along the tour including:
Supporting Act | Tour Dates |
---|---|
Uriah Heep | May 30-June 5, 2023 |
Foreigner | June 9-July 16, 2023 |
Sabaton | November 1-10, 2023 |
There will also be some dates without a support act or with more local openers on the bill.
Setlist Predictions
With such an extensive catalog of metal classics to choose from, coming up with the perfect career spanning setlist will be no easy task for Judas Priest and their fans. Here are some predictions of what we might expect to hear on the 50 Heavy Metal Years Tour:
- “Painkiller” – The opening track from 1990’s ‘Painkiller’ seems like a sure bet to kick things off in powerful fashion.
- “Hell Bent for Leather” – The title track of their 1978 album quickly got fans banging their heads back in the day and will likely have the same effect today.
- “Breaking the Law” – Their signature song will almost certainly make the setlist even if it’s a cliche at this point.
- “You’ve Got Another Thing Coming” – Arguably their most recognizable hit, expect concert goers to scream along to this 1982 classic.
- “Living After Midnight” – Another vintage radio staple that is guaranteed to show up and get the crowd pumped up.
- “Victim of Changes” – Die-hard fans will want to hear this early epic from 1976’s ‘Sad Wings of Destiny’ album.
- “Screaming for Vengeance” – The title track of their commercially successful 1982 album should be performed.
- “Turbo Lover” – A more recent cut from their ‘Turbo’ album that showcases their arena metal sound of the 80s.
We can also expect to hear some deeper cuts like “The Ripper,” “The Sentinel,” and “Bloodstone” to represent their vast catalog. And knowing their penchant for theatrics, an operatic “Victim of Changes” or the motorcycle themed “Hell Bent for Leather” would make for an unforgettable live moment.
The Legacy of Judas Priest
Whenever they do finally call it a career, Judas Priest will go down as one of the most essential and influential heavy metal bands of all time. They took raw, gritty hard rock and helped transform it into a faster, more aggressive genre that came to be known as metal. With their leather and studs look, they also epitomized the rebellious image of metal musicians. Rob Halford’s nearly unmatched vocal range has inspired countless singers over the last five decades.
Beyond the sound and style, Judas Priest wrote some of the most memorable riffs and songs in metal history. Tracks like “Breaking the Law,” “Living After Midnight,” and “You’ve Got Another Thing Coming” are as ubiquitous as any songs in the genre. They paved the way for many of the biggest bands that followed like Iron Maiden, Megadeth, and Metallica, who all owe a debt of gratitude to Priest.
As the band prepares to wind down following its 50th anniversary tour in 2023, the next generation of metal musicians can look back at Judas Priest’s catalog for inspiration. They can strive to achieve the same brilliant twin guitar harmonies, the complex yet catchy song structures, Rob Halford’s operatic vocals, and ultimately the ability to write powerful heavy metal that stands the test of time. Even as musical trends change, Judas Priest proved there will always be an audience ready to throw the horns up for some epic, face melting heavy metal. That is the lasting legacy of these metal gods.