As I may have mentioned in this post, I have a couple of friends who have a hard time reconciling how I can appreciate canonically cool bands like, say, The Feelies, Television and The Velvet Underground and still heartily espouse comparatively populist, arguably slack-jawed heavy metal. This is a post that is invariably going to piss those people off.
Earlier this week, my college classmate Jill posted on her Facebook page the video for “Hot Rockin’” by Judas Priest, a clip rife with so much endearingly ludicrous excellence that it never fails to make my goddamn day. From the footage of the brazenly bare-chested (and decidedly un-toned) lads lifting weights, to the truly special flicking-glitter-at-the-camera-in-slo-mo-whilst-striking-a-power-chord bits to the point where they set all their gear on fire – as one does -- while an enthusiastic gaggle of bedenimed cretins gathers to furiously headbang, it’s really a delightful document on so many levels. In fact, fuck it, let’s go there now…
I know different people like different things and taste is all relative and we’re all cool, ironic and indie and whatnot, but c’mon … if you can’t appreciate Judas Priest, I’m afraid I really have absolutely zero respect for you. Should the video above not convince you of their brilliance, I would also present their unassailable 1982 single, “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’.” Yes, it’s by-the-books heavy metal to its very core (no accident, that), but it’s also a rock-solid pop tune AND you can fucking damn well dance to it. Here’s a refresher. If this doesn’t get you moving in some capacity, check your damn pulse.
The band’s catalog is pretty immense, and no – it’s not all gold, but I’d emphatically assert that Screaming for Vengeance and British Steel are nigh on perfect records. I mean, if you can seriously listen to tracks like “Breakin’ the Law” or “Hell Bent for Leather” and not, at least, fuckin’ smile, I’d suggest there’s a more than sizable likelihood that you’re a complete jackass and no one likes you.
Then, of course, there’s the great story of Rob Halford, and the seriously worst-kept-secret in heavy metal. And when he finally came out in the 90’s, it only made him more heroic and endearing. He’s also incredibly hilarious. God bless’im.
Anyway, … whatever. Judas Priest don’t need me to defend them. The only reason I thought of posting about them here, though, is because of the photos below. Again courtesy of rock photographer par excellance Michal Putland (the man responsible for those fetching shots of Japan), here we see the Judas Priest gents in our very own Central Park circa 1981. By the looks of it, I’d confidently suggest they are depicted in the environs of Sheep’s Meadow (not to be confused with the Great Lawn to its north). And, yes … they’re on goddamn roller skates.
They were probably in town for this show at the Palladium (now an NYU dormitory with a Trader Joe's in its ground floor)...
Recent Comments