Judas Priest (Official Thread)

[Matt]

... And one more (final!) post on that video. It has pissed me off a bit. It's your typical 'OMG I love Judas Priest, Painkiller da best!' musing. Priest have done some truly amazing songs over the years, some of which the video recognises, like BTROD and Victim of Changes and, to be fair, Painkiller, but they totally disregard the likes of Sinner, Exciter, Devil's Child (how Take These Chains is more worthy of a mention than that God only knows), Angel, Judas Rising, Run of the Mill, Dreamer Deceiver, Diamonds and Rust, Evening Star and Tyrant, all of which are genuinely brilliant songs with a lot more to them than Living After Midnight. Even if you do want to go down the line of radio-friendly stuff, what on earth happened to Heading Out to the Highway, probably their best song of that ilk?

 

[Soot and Stars]

I tend to enjoy hearing or seeing lists that have a bit less of the typical fan favourites to be honest.

Agreed. If you took into account musical composition, complexity and skill above listenability then it would be a much better list. How on earth do you justify putting Living After Midnight above Victim of Changes and Beyond the Realms of Death?!

Hang on, according to that video Living After Midnight is one of Glenn's best solos. That is a grave dishonour to, for starters, BTROD, Painkiller, Electric Eye and Dreamer Deceiver. Living After Midnight's solo is average at best.

By all means, I'm not a Judas Priest fan among the likes of any of you but if the overall fan demographic likes certain songs by a band to the point it influences their live shows which is where I gather they get these picks then how much more right can you get? I don't know about the technical prowess of any player but as discussed in other threads technical playing or proficiency is not the end all be all in any best of list. Likability is the defining measure as varied as that can be in definition. Not to say that any list will define everybody, but majority rules usually in a best off otherwise you'd never have a best of. You'd just have everybody's individual picks which can't be defined.

 

[Slip'nn2Darkness]

^^^^^I'm no Judas Priest expert but "Point of Entry' Had 3 hits off that album IMO

Heading out to the Highway
Hot Rockin
Troubleshooter

Maybe during the rain of that LP Hot Rockin had more airtime than HOTTH.
I just spun it yesterday.. Great LP!!

 

[Riff Raff]

The two fan favourites I understand being so frequent on lists would have to be Painkiller and Victim of Changes.

 

[Soot and Stars]

The two fan favourites I understand being so frequent on lists would have to be Painkiller and Victim of Changes.

So "Breaking The Law' and "You've Got Another Thing Coming" are unfairly popular?

 

[Riff Raff]

So "Breaking The Law' and "You've Got Another Thing Coming" are unfairly popular?

Not necessarily saying that because I like those songs too but Painkiller and Victim of Changes are more defining for them in terms of the complex skills both songs showed.

 

[Slip'nn2Darkness]

Last week Rob and the boy's did a cameo appearence on "Count Customs".
First thing out of Robs mouth when he greeted Danny was. "Are you Hell Bent For Leather"??

But they showed up with the new guitarist Ritchie Faulkner and Count Customs did a really cool Les Paul guitar airbrushed for him.

Looking forward to hearing the new LP Redeemer Of Souls..

 

[Riff Raff]

Agreed. If you took into account musical composition, complexity and skill above listenability then it would be a much better list. How on earth do you justify putting Living After Midnight above Victim of Changes and Beyond the Realms of Death?!

In terms of popularity I guess some enjoy a much simpler groove and rhythm to them hence songs like Living After Midnight. For me though songs like Victim of Changes, Painkiller, Heading Out To The Highway are better.

 

[Soot and Stars]

Not necessarily saying that because I like those songs too but Painkiller and Victim of Changes are more defining for them in terms of the complex skills both songs showed.

Yeah, that's cool! I just don't give points for complexity! Music is for reaching the listener and complexity doesn't necessarily do that. If you have to put in too much effort to appreciate one song over another that craft superseding art. I think the popular songs reach singers for a more important reason than the more technically sound ones.

 

[Riff Raff]

Yeah, that's cool! I just don't give points for complexity! Music is for reaching the listener and complexity doesn't necessarily do that. If you have to put in too much effort to appreciate one song over another that craft superseding art. I think the popular songs reach singers for a more important reason than the more technically sound ones.

Music reaches the listener in different ways. Some enjoy it more simplistic, some enjoy a bit of each and some enjoy complex. For me good music is good regardless but imo it so happens the more complex JP tunes are the ones that stand out a bit more. Certainly wouldn't say JP put too much effort regarding some songs over others, just a matter of what musical evolution they decide to undertake in. So I do agree with what you say in terms of just simply giving points to complexity but for some bands it adds a bit more to their arsenal to be able to not just make simplistic tunes. I certainly don't give points just for simplicity either.