Stolen tapes. Smashed milk bottles. Flying cutlery. Police automobiles. All of them performed an element within the story of how Judas Priest’s British Metal grew to become probably the most important UK steel albums of all time. In 2020, Metallic Hammer spoke to Priest singer Rob Halford, guitarist Glenn Tipton and ex-guitarist KK Downing, plus producer Tom Allom, to have a good time the fortieth anniversary of an album whose influence can nonetheless be felt right now.
By the point Judas Priest recorded British Metal in early 1980, they’d already launched 5 studio albums and one stay document, and had been steadily constructing momentum. Earlier studio LP Killing Machine, launched in 1978, had peaked at No.32 within the UK and have become the band’s highest-charting document within the US the place (underneath the title Hell Bent For Leather-based) it reached No.128. The next yr, stay album Unleashed In The East ramped issues up commercially, because it hit No.10 in Britain and No.70 within the States. Judas Priest had been poised for a significant breakthrough.
The band (vocalist Rob Halford, guitarists Glenn Tipton and Okay.Okay. Downing, bassist Ian Hill and new drummer Dave Holland, who had changed Les Binks) convened with producer Tom Allom at Startling Studios. It was primarily based at Tittenhurst Park, a 72-acre property in Ascot, Berkshire, and had as soon as been owned by former Beatle John Lennon however now belonged to his ex-bandmate Ringo Starr. Given how vital this album would show to be, it’s astonishing that Priest hadn’t completed writing the songs after they went in.
Glenn Tipton: “I can’t bear in mind why we selected to do it this fashion. We had by no means achieved that previously, and by no means labored like that once more. We had about 60% of the songs written and able to go. I do know The Rage was written within the studio, and so was Residing After Midnight.”
Okay.Okay. Downing: “We had been all the time assured that we might get the stuff written in time, and typically being spontaneous like this may work to your benefit.”
Tom Allom: “I recall that they’d plenty of concepts and riffs, however not many songs really prepared. The band had been consistently touring, so by no means had the time to get the fabric written. There was additionally no time for any pre-production. I had solely simply completed producing Def Leppard’s first album, On By The Night time, on the identical studio, so just about went straight again in there with Priest.”
Okay.Okay. Downing: “[Ringo] wasn’t there on the time. However he took all the property out, and in addition set down guidelines for us to comply with. There was to be no driving of motorbikes on the grounds – so we did that. There was additionally to be no fishing within the lake – so we did that as properly! What do you count on from a Brummie heavy steel band? He additionally had two papier-mâché dinosaurs hidden within the grounds – they had been huge. And once you got here again pissed from the pub up the highway, they might actually scare you!”
Work began on February 1, 1980, and was accomplished by the top of that month. This was the primary studio album Priest did with Tom Allom, though he had been on the helm for Unleashed In The East. He then collaborated with the band on their subsequent 5 studio albums and one stay launch throughout the 80s (and subsequently returned to co-produce 2018’s Firepower). The band recorded in numerous rooms all through the home, not simply within the studio, experimenting to get the very best sound for every instrument.
Okay.Okay. Downing: “Tom was nice. He was a superb musician as properly – a significantly better piano participant than any of us. He additionally got here up with plenty of concepts. He was an incredible addition to the workforce.”
Tom Allom: “Everybody needed a extremely stay sound for the album. So, it made sense to make use of rooms everywhere in the home to get the proper atmosphere for every instrument. I do know we bought Dave a large drum sound within the hallway. I’d in all probability have gone down the identical route with Leppard, however as a result of they had been so younger and inexperienced it was vital to have all the pieces in a extra managed setting. However Priest had been older and used to going into studios, so we might unfold ourselves out extra. Apart from, the band already knew the format at Tittenhurst Park, as a result of that’s the place we’d combined Unleashed In The East.”
Okay.Okay. Downing: “You understand the well-known room at Tittenhurst Park the place John Lennon did the video for Girl? We took out the TV and pool desk that had been in there and used it to rehearse. I did my guitar elements within the library. We used anyplace accessible to get the absolute best sounds.”
The band put plenty of creativeness into creating explicit sounds on the album, utilizing cutlery, milk bottles and a billiard cue. They even used a kettle to imitate an impact, all within the unholy title of steel. Within the Eighties, bands needed to get artistic, as a result of the benefits provided by fashionable expertise had been nonetheless within the realms of science fantasy… and none of them knew Physician Who properly sufficient to blag a visit within the TARDIS.
Tom Allom: “There have been no such factor as samples in these days. So bands needed to be much more ingenious. I usually really feel sorry for younger musicians now, as a result of they’ve bought all the pieces at their fingertips. That’s the kind of factor that may stunt creativity.”
Glenn Tipton: “What we did for Metallic Gods was load up a drawer with cutlery. Then we shook it, and took out spoons and knives till we bought it excellent. It was trial and error, however value it in the long run. Breaking The Regulation options the sound of milk bottles. We simply bought a load of them, smashed them on the bottom and recorded these. It had the specified influence. However the sound of the sirens on that observe is actual. We went exterior and recorded a passing police automotive – or not less than that’s my recollection of occasions!”
Okay.Okay. Downing: “We’d give you loopy concepts in these days. And who wouldn’t wish to take part with smashing bottles behind the home? It was enjoyable. We even tried stuff like placing mild bulbs within the microwave, to listen to if the noises they made when heated up could possibly be used someplace. Something was doable; nothing was off limits.”
Tom Allom: “We needed to get the sound of a laser beam slicing by way of at one level [for Rapid Fire]. So, we bought a billiard cue and waved it by way of the air, with microphones above and beneath. After which I recall we slowed the tape down, to get the sound you hear on the observe. And the cowbell on Breaking The Regulation? We used a kettle to get that sound. It was so badly overwhelmed up that I doubt it was ever boiled once more!”
Previous to the discharge, a narrative appeared within the media claiming that the grasp tapes for the album had been stolen by a gang in New York (the place it was being mastered) and held to ransom for £50,000. This was all nonsense and had been dreamt up by Tony Brainsby, Priest’s publicist on the time, who was notorious for concocting wild tales to get his purchasers consideration. It didn’t go down in any respect properly with Priest, however it actually labored, because the band acquired protection within the kind of nationwide papers who would often ignore them.
Okay.Okay. Downing: “If we’d have gotten wind of what Tony was planning, then we’d have instructed him to not do it. Judas Priest don’t want such low cost publicity. Our music is what makes us stand or fall. Not low cost photographs like this.”
British Metal was launched by Columbia in April 1980, and lived as much as expectations on each degree. Rolling Stone journal mentioned on the time: ‘It rocks with a basic heavy steel vengeance, fuelled by the machine-gun rhythms and crackling guitar assault of punk offspring just like the Ramones and The Damned. The result’s a set of killer cuts.’ The album stormed to No.4 within the British chart – nonetheless their highest place – and smashed by way of to No.34 within the US. Regardless of British Metal’s success, the origin of the title was shrouded in thriller.
Okay.Okay. Downing: “My recollection is that we noticed the duvet art work [done by Rosław Szaybo] earlier than we had the title. It could have been Ian Hill who advised the title and it might have additionally been the truth that Glenn used to work for the British Metal Company. However the thought of calling it British Metal undoubtedly made sense.”
Tom Allom: “Who would have believed there can be so many definitive Priest songs on this one album? The entire recording course of was very business-like, and searching again now all of it went like a dream. We had been underneath somewhat stress, as a result of the label needed it out in April, so we needed to have it wrapped up by the top of February. However there have been no crises or fall-outs. We simply bought on with issues.”
Glenn Tipton: “On the time, we knew it was good, simply not how particular it might end up. You simply don’t realise once you’re in the course of the method what you’ve gotten is a basic. Solely afterward, when everybody tells you… that’s when it actually hits dwelling.”
There have been three hit singles from the album within the UK. Each Breaking The Regulation and Residing After Midnight reached No.12, whereas United peaked at 26. The movies for the primary two had been directed by Julien Temple, who says of the band: “There’s a particular comedic component to Judas Priest, as I’m certain they know. We had plenty of enjoyable doing these shoots”.
By the point British Metal was launched, Priest had simply accomplished 21 dates in Britain supported by Iron Maiden – one of many all-time nice steel excursions. They subsequently went to the US, taking part in a profitable mixture of headline and help dates. Priest had been additionally second on the invoice on the inaugural Monsters Of Rock pageant at Donington in August 1980 (headlined by Rainbow), with the ultimate present of the world tour taking place on August 23 on the Golden Summernight pageant in Nuremberg, Germany.
There have been an entire raft of basic albums put out that yr, together with releases from Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Saxon, Ozzy, Motörhead and AC/DC. And British Metal is among the many most interesting. So, how do the band fee it?
Rob Halford: “It’s proper up with our greatest. I believe with each nice album, there’s a timeless really feel. You hearken to the primary Sabbath album, Led Zeppelin II or any of the fantastic Pink Floyd data and so they don’t simply belong to an period. If I had a time machine proper now, I might take British Metal again or forwards, play it to individuals and they’d really feel it belonged to them. That’s the explanation so many huge names in steel say they had been influenced by it. I believe that is the place we discovered our route. Up till that time, though we’d achieved properly, there was a sense within the band that we actually didn’t have a correct focus.”
Okay.Okay. Downing: “For me, it’s crucial album we ever did. All the things got here collectively so properly. We had been all in an incredible state of mind, and the outcomes had been pretty much as good as everybody hoped. It elevated the band to the following degree and eventually put us on the trail to the place we needed to be. We not solely discovered our sound, but additionally our picture with the leather-based and studs. I additionally imagine that with British Metal we opened up a brand new period for heavy steel basically. Bands like Iron Maiden and Saxon, who supported us at numerous levels on the 1980 tour, went on to be very profitable in their very own proper and benefited from what we did on this album. It was an thrilling time, and British Metal actually was the beginning of all of it.”
Initially printed in Metallic Hammer subject 334, March 2020