Away Team

WTF is going on in the world of JUDAS PRIEST?

First we have this diatribe (that I had to go find on a Polish website because Metal Gods et al had taken it down already):

Dear Visitors of RH.com:
Metal God Entertainment, Metal God Records and its affiliated companies and web properties will begin removing Judas Priest related topics from its web sites in protest of Glenn Tipton (decision maker), Jayne Andrews (amateur thug for Glenn, can’t trust, leach), Bill Curbishley (apathetic leach) and John McBride (Unlicensed, Unregistered Accountant, leach) for lack of Professional and Ethical conduct as it relates to Rob Halford‘s business matters for much of the last six (6) years.
Rob will publicly deny the above, so we will take a seat next to K.K. Downing and watch how the Glenn and Jayne show plays out.
I’m sure you’ll read about the details of this matter more in future.
Regards,
John Baxter

For those that don’t know, John Baxter is Rob Halford‘s Manager. And SUPPOSEDLY this missive came straight from him, and was at one time posted on some of Rob Halford‘s websites.

So, in response to the above message, we get this from JudasPriest.com:
There has recently been some nonsense and propaganda posted on the internet including on Rob‘s website, regarding the band and management. (Rob currently is not controlling his website and absolutely does not agree with the comments)
We refuse to get drawn into any public arguments – it is below us and will be dealt with legally. The band have always jointly made any major decisions and have been with the same management team for over 25 years. Everyone knows and respects them in the music business and we have ultimate faith and trust in the way they have always guided us.
We are totally focused now on the Epitaph tour and the reactions every night have been incredible. The shows have been amazing and we’re having the time of our lives! Our intention now is to travel the world one last time and perform Judas Priest style Heavy Metal for all the fans out there. The mood and atmosphere in the band has never been better!
We have just completed the European/UK first leg of our world tour and now after a short break are going to South America and then the States – come along – join in and keep the Faith !!
ROB, GLENN, IAN, SCOTT & RICHIE

Let’s not forget K.K. Downing‘s post about his departure from Judas Priest:
“There has been an ongoing breakdown in [the] working relationship between myself, elements of the band, and the band’s management for some time. Therefore I have decided to step down rather than to tour with negative sentiments as I feel that this would be a deception to you, our cherished fans.”

Ok, so apparently Rob‘s personal manager has beef with K.K. and the Management team of Judas Priest. (Jayne works for Bill who is listed as their manager).

I’ve heard stories about her for years, none I can print, but trust they are pretty good, and do not paint fair Jayne in a good light.

But, don’t take my word for it. Read the press releases she puts out herself. They are HILARIOUS…

You can scour the Judaspriest.com news for her posts. Which I’ve always found a little odd, is their manager running their website? Is Judas Priest‘s manager K.K. Downing’s personal manager too? Is that not some kind of conflict of interest?

You don’t see Q-Prime running Metallica‘s website, or posting on Queensryche‘s website about quashing rumors or ‘setting the record‘ straight. Every second post by Jayne, and every press release we ever get from her is ‘setting the record straight‘ on something. Most press releases are about positive things, new single/album/video/show date, etc. But not hers, they are ensuring that everyone knows who she is, and that she is ‘currently with the band‘ at such and such a place, and oh, while I’m writing this, let me spew some negative crap, and ‘quash‘ this rumor.

Most bands, and most certainly their managers simply don’t dignify the rumors with a response. If there is no fuel, the fire dies. But not Jayne, she’s online ASAP running roughshod over everything to make sure no one has the wrong idea about her, or ‘the band‘.

Looking forward to how this plays out… and I’m hoping John Baxter is wrong and it isn’t all done behind closed lawyer doors.

For more JUDAS PRIEST (and more Jayne Andrews than you probably care for) click here.

ACCEPT
Blood Of The Nations
Nuclear Blast
8 out of 10

1968. How many of you can say you were alive then? How many of you knew that Accept has been around for the last 42 years? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller? I didn’t think so. Sure today’s Accept bears no resemblance to the original band, but that’s not to say that it doesn’t carry the name proudly, or properly.
Accept has been off the radar for the past few years. In fact Blood Of The Nations is their first album in 10 years. And other than having a new singer front the band, there is little changed in the band over the last decade. They sound a little tighter, a little edgier, a little rejuvenated, and a whole lot like the Accept of old.
The opening track ‘Beat The Bastards‘ reveals the traditional Accept riffs and while the vocals may not be familiar to most, it fits the Accept sound better than any singer since Udo Dirkschneider. Vocalist Mark Tornillo deftly handles his duties, singing, growling, and screaming, with deft aplomb. There are times where you forget that it isn’t Udo; the growling vocals are that similar. But it isn’t like the band is attempting to get an Udo clone. Mark’s voice is similar in many ways, but it is also distinctly his own.
The guitars are what make Accept…. Accept. The traditional twin guitar attack of Wolf Hoffmann and Herman Frank has been what has always set Accept apart from other European Metal bands. Guitar Duos like K.K. Downing and Glenn Tipton from Judas Priest, Dave Murray and Adrian Smith from Iron Maiden set the bar for the twin guitar sound. Hoffmann and Frank are probably more underrated than they should be. Trading leads and rhythms deftly, with that distinct Accept melodic crunch, as soon as any of the 14 tracks of Blood Of The Nations begins you know who you are listening to immediately.
The anthemic lyrics and subject matter haven’t changed either. The title track ‘Blood Of The Nations‘ is pure sing along metal anthem fodder that Accept has been known for. From 1982’s Restless And Wild, 1983’s Balls To The Wall, 1985’s Metal Heart, and almost every subsequent album, Accept’s twin guitar sound and anthemic lyrics are what defined them and set them above and apart from most bands of their day.
They haven’t forgotten this fact on Blood Of The Nations. Massive riffs fill this album from beginning to end. Sing along anthems like ‘Blood Of The Nations’, ‘Teutonic Terror’, and even ‘The Abyss’ keep the listener involved in the music, not to mention at shows it must lead to massive sing alongs.
If you are a fan of the Accept ‘of old’, then Blood Of The Nations is for you. If you haven’t been much of a fan of Accept, then Blood Of The Nations is for you. If you have never heard Accept, or heard OF them, then Blood Of The Nations is for you. If you are a fan of Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, etc, then Blood Of The Nations is for you. In short, if you are a fan of Metal, then Blood Of The Nations is for you.

You can pick up your copy of Blood Of The Nations right here.
For more Accept click here.