JUDAS PRIEST - Stained Class
In 1978 when the music population was fixated on Disco or Punk an album was unleashed that would lay the blueprint for metal as we know it today...
Where politically charged teen angst, crash & burn punk rock like Sex Pistols or the Clash or Disco like Saturday night Fever today sounds 'of' its time Staind Class sounds timeless, so far ahead of its time when it was released many people did not appreciate it or take it seriously and laughed. Not to worry - Slayer, Iron Maiden, Metallica etc were yet to release any albums, but class was in - Priest layed down the curriculum and these young guys listening were taking notes..
When all the plebs at my school were listening to middle of the road Dire Straits and INXS, someone gave me a cassette, it looked kind of evil and twisted.. into the Walkman it went... Exciter.. Beyond the Realms of Death, Better By You, Better Than Me.. Saints In Hell this was like surgical precision with the rock n roll hand brake hacked right off, attitude, musicality & power, master craftmanship, something to be appreciated - this was the music that was forever.. the line was drawn in the sand that day and a lifelong metalhead was born.