British Steel (album)

British Steel
Studio album by Judas Priest
Released	14 April 1980 11 May 2010 (30th Anniversary Edition)
Recorded	January–February 1980 at Startling Studios, Ascot, England
Genre	Heavy metal
Length	36:10
Label	Columbia
Producer	Tom Allom
Judas Priest chronology
Killing Machine (1978) British Steel (1980) Point of Entry (1981)
Alternative cover
30th Anniversary CD-Release.

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic
Rolling Stone	favorable
ultimate-guitar
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British Steel is the sixth album by the British heavy metal band Judas Priest, released on 14 April 1980. It saw the band reprise the commercial sound they had established on Killing Machine however; this time, they abandoned many of the dark lyrical themes which had been prominent on their previous releases. British Steel was recorded at Tittenhurst Park, home of former Beatle Ringo Starr, after a false start at Startling Studios, a recording studio located on Tittenhurst's grounds. Digital sampling was not yet widely available at the time of recording, so the band used analog recording of smashing milk bottles to be included in "Breaking the Law", as well as various sounds in "Metal Gods" produced by billiard cues and trays of cutlery. It was released in the UK at a discount price of £3.99, with the advertisements in the music press bearing the legend "British Steal". Songs "Breaking the Law", "United", and "Living After Midnight" were released as singles, while the track "Metal Gods" earned the band members their moniker.

British Steel is also Judas Priest's first album to feature songwriting for all songs by only current members of the band at the time. Rocka Rolla and Sad Wings of Destiny featured songwriting by Al Atkins. Sin After Sin inclues a cover of Joan Baez's Diamonds & Rust. Stained Class has a cover of Spooky Tooth's Better By You, Better Than Me. Killing Machine features a cover of Fleetwood Mac's The Green Manalishi.

The album was remastered in 2001, with two bonus tracks added. Bonus track "Red, White, and Blue" was written in the earlier years of Priest's career. It was recorded at Compass Point Studios in Nassau in July 1985. The second bonus track, a live performance of "Grinder", was recorded on 5 May 1984, in Los Angeles during the Defenders of the Faith tour. The first album to feature drummer Dave Holland.

In 2009 Judas Priest kicked off their 30th anniversary tour in the US by playing the entire album live for the first time. The only other Judas Priest albums of which all the songs have been performed live are Defenders of the Faith and Rocka Rolla, but neither of them were played in the original LP running order or during the same tour.

Anthrax guitar player Scott Ian said in an interview in the documentary Heavy Metal: Louder than Life that British Steel was probably the album that really defined heavy metal, because, according to him, it did away with the "last shards of blues" that had otherwise been characteristic of the genre. He said, "Even the title... how does it get more metal than that?"

The 30th anniversary release of the album came with a DVD and CD of a live show recorded on 17 August 2009 at the Seminole Hard Rock Arena in Hollywood, Florida as part of the British Steel 30th Anniversary tour. The live versions of all the British Steel tracks from this release were also made available as downloadable content for the Rock Band video game series beginning 11 May 2010.

Track listing

Original vinyl and remastered CD

All songs written and composed by Glenn Tipton, Rob Halford and K.K. Downing. 

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Rapid Fire"	4:08
2.	"Metal Gods"	4:00
3.	"Breaking the Law"	2:35
4.	"Grinder"	3:58
5.	"United"	3:35
6.	"You Don't Have to Be Old to Be Wise"	5:04
7.	"Living After Midnight"	3:31
8.	"The Rage"	4:44
9.	"Steeler"	4:30

2001 bonus tracks
No.	Title	Length
10.	"Red, White & Blue" (Recorded during the 1985 Turbo sessions)	3:42
11.	"Grinder" (Live at Long Beach Arena, Long Beach, California; 5 May 1984)	4:49

Original US vinyl and original US CD issues

All songs written and composed by Glenn Tipton, Rob Halford and K.K. Downing. 

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Breaking the Law"	2:35
2.	"Rapid Fire"	4:08
3.	"Metal Gods"	4:00
4.	"Grinder"	3:58
5.	"United"	3:35
6.	"Living After Midnight"	3:31
7.	"You Don't Have to Be Old to Be Wise"	5:04
8.	"The Rage"	4:44
9.	"Steeler"	4:30

2010 Bonus Live DVD/Special Edition CD

All songs written and composed by Glenn Tipton, Rob Halford and K.K. Downing except where noted.. 

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Rapid Fire"	4:18
2.	"Metal Gods"	4:34
3.	"Breaking the Law"	2:43
4.	"Grinder"	4:06
5.	"United"	3:45
6.	"You Don't Have to Be Old to Be Wise"	5:24
7.	"Living After Midnight"	4:53
8.	"The Rage"	5:04
9.	"Steeler"	5:23
10.	"The Ripper" (Tipton)	3:09
11.	"Prophecy" (DVD & iTunes version only)	6:12
12.	"Hell Patrol"	3:57
13.	"Victim of Changes" (Al Atkins, Downing, Halford, Tipton)	9:29
14.	"Freewheel Burning"	5:49
15.	"Diamonds & Rust" (Joan Baez)	4:07
16.	"You've Got Another Thing Comin'"	8:58

Personnel

Judas Priest

• Rob Halford: Lead Vocals
• Glenn Tipton: Lead Guitars
• K.K. Downing: Lead Guitars
• Ian Hill: Bass Guitar
• Dave Holland: Drums

Additional Musicians

• Scott Travis: Drums (For 2009 Live Tour DVD/CD)

Charts

Chart (1980)	Peak position
UK Albums Chart	4
US Billboard Pop Albums	34

Singles - BPI (UK)

Year	Chart	Name	Position
1980	BPI Top 40	Breaking The Law	12
1980	BPI Top 40	Living After Midnight	12
1980	BPI Top 40	United	26