Judas Priest’s Unleashed In The East was the first-ever Priest album I bought sometime in early 1980. Live Live Live so they said but others called it Unleashed In The Studio. Who friggin cares man!
I love this album and so should you. Nine songs. Two of which are covers but Priest, Cheap Trick with the Budokan and KISS with Alive are the three bands I had purchased that the first albums I ever owned of them are live.
Kinda cool.
1980 I was 13 and talk about a back cover Impact Shot. Fin Costello captures Priest’s live in the act. Rob Halford on his Harley while the twin ax duo of Glenn Tipton and KK Downing have the rock pose down while Bassist Ian Hill was the first Metal Dude I ever saw sporting a beard.
How about the er…drummer? How come no picture of Les Binks who totally demolished his drums on this recording and is I think the best drummer Priest ever had is not shown?
Simple answer really folks as Binks was out of the band at that point. Priest was drummerless when this picture was taken in a studio (not a live shot..fooled you’s!).
What Priest did was set the drums up and pump up the fog machine. Kind of a brilliant sneaky move if you ask me as Judas Priest was starting to make inroads in the North American market so they had to look like a unit!
So with the front and back cover shots taken in a studio and supposedly the album recorded in the studio with an audience added does it matter in my world?
Nope couldn’t care less as this album is stellar I mean look at those song titles. Ripper/Sinner/Genocide/Tyrant. Those alone will kick your ass!
I like this one through I’ve had my suspicions about just how live it is. Anyhoo, that’s a great back cover… even if it is a snap taken in a rehearsal room.
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It is a great back cover shot. What an impact photo if anything to get me onto the Priest Train back in 1979-80!
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Well said, Deke – before even listening to the actual songs, the names are kicking arse!
I’m trying to think of an artist in my collection where the live album was the first recording I got by the group. The only one instantly jumping to mind is Vanilla Ice’s extremely live cassette (also the only Vanilla Ice in my collection, so far), slightly different sound from the Judas Priest/Kiss/Cheap Trick trio!
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Ice Ice Ice Baby! Hey man you gotta somehere and thanks for being honest around here!! lol
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The Kiss cover is not during a live performance either, but not in a studio. It was before the show even started and they lit off every piece of pyro at once which means it wouldn’t have looked like that during the show. All staged. Yes, don’t believe the covers…but they can still be cool. Nice one hear Deke!
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Cool staged covers. Live albums recorded in the studio! Sign me up!
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Amen!!
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Everything about this is Spinal Tappish but I love it
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Blew my mind at 13. It was like these 5 guys are cool. Than realizing there’s only 4 guys in the picture! haha
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If not live, an excellent compilation album for sure!
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Nailed it! The sound is heavy. So good So Metal. So Priest!
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\\m//
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OK, we agree on this one, Priest kicks ass!
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This is a great album Jeff. From the opening tune Exciter Priest gets down to business!
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Ha, nice one Deke – possibly the least live album ever!
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True Joe. But what a fantstic release.
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Just as cool as the front cover
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Yes Indeed.
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