073 - Judas Priest - Turbo (1986) (with Ryan Davison)

Jukebox Zeroes

For the first decade of their career, Judas Priest was best known as a prototypical innovator of the then fledgling genre of heavy metal, heralded as pioneers by those in the scene, but largely unknown to wider audiences. That all changed by the 1980s, when the band shot to major commercial success on the backs of songs like "You've Got Another Thing Comin'", "Breaking The Law", and "Living After Midnight." Over time the band would go down in metal history as one of the all-time greatest, with a legacy of millions of records sold.
This legacy was not always secure however; after the comparatively lesser success of their 1984 record Defenders Of The Faith, the band decided they needed to lean in a more commercial direction. Taking cues from the popular if widely mocked glam metal movement of the era, Judas Priest traded their humble New Wave of British Metal sound in for one decked out with synths, drum machines, and more simplistic songs about partying and romance. This record was 1986's Turbo, which while not a commercial flop disappeared from the charts as quickly as it arrived, while leaving a sour taste in the mouths of their fanbase.
On a new episode of Jukebox Zeroes, Lilz and Patrick are joined by Ryan Davison of Froggy & The Friendship (The composer of our theme music!) and Judas Priest mega-fan. Join the three of them as they dig into Turbo and decide for themselves whether it was deserving of the scorn it received from 80s metalheads.
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