Judas Priest are celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of their debut album Rocka Rolla with a newly remixed and remastered version.
With contemporary mixing work from longtime Priest producer Tom Allom (British Metal, Screaming for Vengeance), the reissue is ready to launch digitally on September thirteenth and on vinyl and CD on November twenty second.
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Launched in 1974, Rocka Rolla pre-dated Judas Priest’s heavy metallic sound and noticed the younger British band taking part in a model of bluesy laborious rock with components of psych and prog. It was recorded on a small finances throughout low cost in a single day studio periods by the group’s then-lineup of singer Rob Halford, guitarist Glenn Tipton, bassist Ian Hill, guitarist KK Downing, and drummer John Hinch.
As Halford defined within the press launch for the brand new reissue, the members of Priest have been largely glad with their work within the studio, however upon receiving the primary urgent of Rocka Rolla, the ultimate sound of the document left them dissatisfied.
“I took the document… and I put the needle onto the groove and I sat again. And I simply slowly began to deflate, deflate,” Halford recalled. “I used to be so dissatisfied with the best way it was sounding… All of us have been — we’d all labored so laborious to get to this place. And now this music that we all know after we play stay is roaring — the heavy metallic is roaring even in these early primitive days — none of that was popping out of the audio system.”
Within the passing a long time, Rocka Rolla was reissued in its unique kind — with out the band’s enter — till a enterprise trade for the masters and publishing rights occurred in 2022. Rocka Rolla and its follow-up, Unhappy Wings of Future, have been acquired by Glenn Tipton’s music writer, Attain Music Publishing, from Gull Information proprietor David Howells.
Fortunately the unique grasp tapes for Rocka Rolla have been saved safely, and Allom was capable of start the method of remixing the album and giving it “the manufacturing it deserved,” within the phrases of Ian Hill.
“What we did with the multitracks is sort of uncommon, to utterly remix an album from that period, from scratch,” Allom elaborated within the press launch. “So to make clear what we’re doing, we’re not including something musically. We’re not re-recording any of the musical elements… We’re remixing them, rebalancing them utilizing the know-how we now have, the fashionable instruments we now have now, to sonically improve them, and make them sound extra highly effective.”
Halford was overjoyed with the outcomes.
“I’m simply thrilled… as a result of it simply goes to point out you if you get an knowledgeable concerned in a challenge, it’s probably that you’ve got a second likelihood,” Halford stated. “And I believe that Tom Allom is giving us a second likelihood right here with the best way that a number of the weather have been misplaced in Rocka Rolla. And it’s additionally good, like a very nice feeling, particularly to connect it to what will probably be a fiftieth anniversary second. It’s only a stunning feeling.”
Added KK Downing (who’s now not within the band): “Eventually! This! The primary Judas Priest album could be listened to and loved in the best way it was at all times supposed to be!”
Fifty years later and Judas Priest are nonetheless “rolling,” because the Steel God put it in a current interview during which he reassured followers he has no plans to retire anytime quickly. The band is ready to proceed its tour supporting Invincible Defend on Friday (September thirteenth) in Montreal (get tickets right here).
You may pre-save the fiftieth anniversary reissue of Rocka Rolla digitally by way of this location. Take a look at the paintings and tracklist beneath.
Rocka Rolla (fiftieth Anniversary Remixed & Remastered) Art work:
Rocka Rolla (fiftieth Anniversary Remixed & Remastered) Tracklist:
01. One For The Highway
02. Rocka Rolla
03. Winter
04. Deep Freeze
05. Winter Retreat
06. Cheater
07. By no means Happy
08. Run Of The Mill
09. Dying To Meet You
10. Caviar And Meths