Judas Priest

Judas Priest is a British traditional heavy metal band founded in 1968. It was the friendship between Kenneth Downing and Ian Hill that gave rise to the band. The two men have known each other almost since birth, attended the same nursery and school in West Bromwich. As teenagers, they showed a shared interest in music and in particular Jimi Hendrix. It was then that they decided to learn music: Downing chose the guitar, while Hill opted for the bass. In 1970, a barely known local band called Judas Priest broke up. Alan Atkins, the singer of that outfit, contacted Hill and Downing in the hope of joining their band; they agreed and even adopted the name "Judas Priest". Under Downing's influence, the band evolved from their blues influences to play what would come to be called heavy metal.