<P> The band's membership has seen much turnover, including a revolving cast of drummers in the 1970s, and the temporary departure of singer Rob Halford in the early 1990s . The current line - up consists of Halford, guitarists Glenn Tipton and Richie Faulkner, bassist Ian Hill, and drummer Scott Travis . The band's best - selling album is 1982's Screaming for Vengeance with their most commercially successful line - up, featuring Halford, Tipton, Hill, guitarist K.K. Downing, and drummer Dave Holland . Tipton and Hill are the only two members of the band to appear on every album . </P> <P> Halford's operatic vocal style and the twin guitar sound of Downing and Tipton have been a major influence on metal and have been adopted by many bands . Their image of leather, spikes, and other taboo articles of clothing were widely influential during the glam metal era of the 1980s . The Guardian referred to British Steel as the record that defines heavy metal . Despite a decline in exposure during the mid 1990s, the band has once again seen a resurgence, including worldwide tours, being inaugural inductees into the VH1 Rock Honors in 2006, receiving a Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance in 2010, and their songs featured in video games such as Guitar Hero and the Rock Band series . </P> <P> Judas Priest were formed in 1969 in industrial West Bromwich, in the Black Country, by vocalist Al Atkins and bassist Brian "Bruno" Stapenhill, with John Perry on guitar and John "Fezza" Partridge on drums . Perry soon died in a road accident, and amongst the replacements the band auditioned were future Judas Priest guitarist Kenny "K.K." Downing; at the time, they turned him down in favour of 17 - year - old multi-instrumentalist Ernest Chataway, who had played with Birmingham band Black Sabbath when they were still called Earth . Stapenhill came up with the name Judas Priest from Bob Dylan's song "The Ballad of Frankie Lee and Judas Priest" on the album John Wesley Harding . No member of that early lineup lasted long enough to play on the band's recordings, though several songs co-written by Atkins appeared on their first two albums . </P> <P> The band gained a three - album recording contract with the label Immediate in late 1969 after a gig in Walsall, but the label went out of business before an album could be recorded, and the band split in 1970 . Late in the year, Atkins found a heavy rock band rehearsing without a singer called Freight, made up of K.K. Downing on guitar, his childhood friend Ian "Skull" Hill on bass, and drummer John Ellis . He joined them, and they took on Atkins' defunct band's name . Their first gig was on 6 March 1971 . Ellis quit later that year and was replaced with Alan Moore . Early shows included Hendrix and Quatermass covers, and in 1972 the set list included the originals "Never Satisfied", "Winter", and the show - closer "Caviar and Meths". </P>

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