Editing Judas Priest (section)

=== Mainstream success years (1979–1991) ===
[[File:Judas Priest dal viṿ a Cardiff in dal 1981.jpg|thumb|upright=0.75|Judas Priest performing in 1981, during their [[World Wide Blitz Tour]]]]
Following the release of ''[[Killing Machine]]'' (1978) was the live release from the supporting tour, ''[[Unleashed in the East]]'' (1979). It was the first of many Judas Priest albums to go platinum. There was some criticism of the band's use of studio enhancements and [[overdubbing]] in what was marketed as a live album.<ref>{{cite web |url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=r10662|pure_url=yes}}| title= Unleashed in the East > Overview' |website=[[AllMusic]] |access-date =23 April 2007}}</ref>{{Better source needed|date=March 2021}} By this point the playing style of the band had grown progressively heavier, with live versions of songs such as "Exciter", "Tyrant" and "Diamonds and Rust" sounding much heavier and faster than their studio counterparts.{{citation needed|date=June 2023}}

Les Binks quit in late 1979, as he was unhappy with the band's manager Mike Dolan's decision not to pay him for his performance on the live album,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://kkdowning.net/steelmill/Interviews/beyond-realms-les-binks/|title=Beyond The Realms of Les Binks|website=Kkdowning.net|date=28 March 2017 |language=en-US|access-date=2019-06-06}}</ref> so they replaced him with [[Dave Holland (drummer)|Dave Holland]], formerly of the band [[Trapeze (band)|Trapeze]]. With this line-up, Judas Priest recorded six studio and one live album, which garnered different degrees of critical and financial success.

In 1980, the band released ''[[British Steel (album)|British Steel]]''. The songs were shorter and had more mainstream radio hooks, but retained the familiar heavy metal feel. Tracks such as "[[United (Judas Priest song)|United]]", "[[Breaking the Law]]", and "[[Living After Midnight]]" were frequently played on the radio. The next release, 1981's ''[[Point of Entry]]'', followed the same formula, and [[British Steel Tour|the tour in support]] of the album featured new songs such as "Solar Angels" and "[[Heading Out to the Highway]]".

The 1982 album ''[[Screaming for Vengeance]]'' featured "[[You've Got Another Thing Comin']]", which became a major radio hit in the US. Songs such as "[[Electric Eye (song)|Electric Eye]]" and "Riding on the Wind" also appeared on this album, and proved to be popular live. "(Take These) Chains" (by [[Bob Halligan Jr.]]) was released as a single. This album went Double Platinum.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://members.firstinter.net/markster/SCREAMINGFORVENGEANCE.html| title=Screaming for Vengeance Info Page |publisher=Judas Priest Info Pages}}</ref>

On 29 May 1983, the band played on Heavy Metal Day of the [[US Festival]], a music festival in [[San Bernardino, California]] sponsored by [[Steve Wozniak]]. The band was fourth in the line-up that also included [[Quiet Riot]], [[Mötley Crüe]], [[Ozzy Osbourne]], [[Triumph (band)|Triumph]], [[Scorpions (band)|Scorpions]], and [[Van Halen]].

[[File:Judas Priest K.K. Downing Glenn Tipton, 1984.jpg|thumb|left|Downing and Tipton performing in [[San Sebastián]], Spain, during their Metal Conqueror Tour of 1984]]
Priest continued their success through the mid-1980s. "[[Freewheel Burning]]", released in 1983, was a regular on rock radio. Its album ''[[Defenders of the Faith]]'' was released the following year. Some critics dubbed it "Screaming for Vengeance II", due to its musical similarity to the previous album.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://members.firstinter.net/markster/DEFENDERSOFTHEFAITH.html| title=Defenders of the Faith Info Page| publisher=Judas Priest Info Pages| url-status=dead| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070205180937/http://members.firstinter.net/markster/DEFENDERSOFTHEFAITH.html| archive-date=5 February 2007}}</ref>

On 13 July 1985, Judas Priest, along with [[Black Sabbath]] and other performers, played [[Live Aid]] at [[JFK Stadium]] in [[Philadelphia]]. Their setlist included "Living After Midnight", "[[The Green Manalishi (With the Two-Pronged Crown)#Judas Priest version|The Green Manalishi (With the Two-Pronged Crown)]]" and "(You've Got) Another Thing Comin'".

''[[Turbo (Judas Priest album)|Turbo]]'' was released in April 1986. The band adopted a more colourful stage look and gave their music a more mainstream feel by adding [[guitar synthesizer]]s. The album also went Platinum and had a successful arena tour in support, with 100 concerts in North America, Europe and Japan in 1986. A live album recorded on the tour, titled ''[[Priest...Live!]]'', was released the next year, offering live tracks from the era. The video documentary ''[[Heavy Metal Parking Lot]]'' was created by [[Jeff Krulik]] and John Heyn in 1986. It documents the [[heavy metal music|heavy metal]] fans waiting on 31 May 1986 for Priest's concert (with special guests [[Dokken]]) at the Capital Center (later renamed [[US Airways Arena (Washington, D.C.)|US Airways Arena]]) in [[Landover, Maryland]].

[[File:Rob Halford Motorbike 1988.jpg|thumb|right|Rob Halford in 1988. One of Priest's trademark stage stunts was to have Halford ride a motorbike on stage.]]
In May 1988, ''[[Ram It Down]]'' was released, featuring several reworked songs left over from ''Turbo'', in addition to new songs. The band recorded three tracks with pop producers [[Stock Aitken Waterman|Stock-Aitken-Waterman]]: two originals, "Runaround"<ref>{{cite web|title=Songs&nbsp;- RUNAROUND – BY STOCK / AITKEN / WATERMAN |publisher=Mike Stock Publishing |website=Mikestockmusic.com |url=http://www.mikestockmusic.com/songDisplay.php?id=49 |access-date=22 January 2018|year=1988|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151126055817/http://www.mikestockmusic.com/songDisplay.php?id=49 |archive-date=26 November 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> and "I Will Return",<ref>{{cite web |title=Songs&nbsp;- I WILL RETURN – BY STOCK / AITKEN / WATERMAN |publisher=Mike Stock Publishing |website=Mikestockmusic.com |url=http://www.mikestockmusic.com/songDisplay.php?id=48 |access-date=22 January 2018 |year=1988|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151126051713/http://www.mikestockmusic.com/songDisplay.php?id=48 |archive-date=26 November 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> and a cover of The Stylistics' hit "[[You Are Everything]]". Producer [[Matt Aitken]] said of the sessions, "I think it was ill-conceived, it was unlikely it was going to work. But we went into it with the spirit of optimism, and we did the best with them, within the parameters within which we would be prepared to work. We weren't going to use live drum kits and stuff, and that probably made it a no go from the start. I have no idea why we were working with Judas Priest really, but I think we made a good fist of a heavy metal song. I think it sounded alright."<ref>{{Cite web |title=A Journey Through Stock Aitken Waterman: Ep 41: Looking Back with Matt Aitken on Apple Podcasts |url=https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/ep-41-looking-back-with-matt-aitken/id1565879477?i=1000583585235 |access-date=2022-10-24 |website=Apple Podcasts |language=en-AU}}</ref> The tracks were ultimately not included on this album due to a management decision.

A reviewer has called ''Ram It Down'' a "stylistic evolution" that resulted from the band's "attempt to rid themselves of the tech synthesiser approach&nbsp;... and return to the traditional metal of their fading glory days". The reviewer argued the album showed "how far behind they were lagging&nbsp;... the [[thrash metal|thrashers]] they helped influence" in earlier years.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kickedintheface.com/reviews/Judas_Priest-Ram_It_Down.htm |title= Judas Priest – Ram It Down |website=Kickedintheface.com |access-date=10 August 2014 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091206174526/http://www.kickedintheface.com/reviews/Judas_Priest-Ram_It_Down.htm |archive-date=6 December 2009}}</ref> In 1989, longtime drummer Dave Holland left the band.

In September 1990, the ''[[Painkiller (Judas Priest album)|Painkiller]]'' album used a new drummer, [[Scott Travis]] (formerly from [[Racer X (band)|Racer X]]), who gave the band an edgier sound thanks to his heavy use of double pedals. This comeback album also dropped the 1980s-style synthesisers for all songs except "[[A Touch of Evil]]". The tour used bands such as [[Annihilator (band)|Annihilator]], [[Megadeth]], [[Pantera]], [[Sepultura]] and [[Testament (band)|Testament]] as opening bands, and culminated in the [[Rock in Rio]] performance in Brazil in front of 100,000+ fans.

Part of the Judas Priest stage show often featured Halford riding onstage on a [[Harley-Davidson]] motorbike, dressed in motorcycle leathers and sunglasses. During a Toronto show in August 1991, Halford was seriously injured as he rode on stage, when he collided with a drum riser hidden behind clouds of dry ice mist. Though the show was delayed, he performed the set before going to a hospital. Hill later noted "he must have been in agony". In a 2007 interview, Halford claimed the accident had nothing to do with his departure from the band.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/spotlights/story.html?id=b78b4958-bf9c-4d93-85b8-16ed6546e29d|title=Q&A; with Rob Halford |date=17 January 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080117224416/http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/spotlights/story.html?id=b78b4958-bf9c-4d93-85b8-16ed6546e29d|access-date=30 April 2021|archive-date=17 January 2008}}</ref>

==== Subliminal message trial ====
In 1990, Judas Priest was the subject of civil action in the United States which alleged that the band was responsible for an incident in [[Sparks, Nevada]], in 1985 in which 20-year-old James Vance and 18-year-old Raymond Belknap shot themselves.<ref name="trial">{{cite news |last=Moore |first=Timothy |date=November–December 1996 |url=https://skepticalinquirer.org/1996/11/scientific-consensus-and-expert-testimony-lessons-from-the-judas-priest-trial/ |title=Scientific Consensus and Expert Testimony: Lessons from the Judas Priest Trial |publisher=[[Skeptical Inquirer]] |access-date =18 November 2006}}</ref> On the evening of 23 December 1985, Vance and Belknap went to a church playground with a [[12-gauge]] shotgun with the purpose of committing suicide. They had consumed [[Alcohol (drug)|alcohol]] and [[Cannabis|marijuana]] earlier that evening. The lawsuit alleged that the pair had been listening to Judas Priest's 1978 album ''[[Stained Class]]'' that night. Belknap was the first to place the shotgun under his chin, and died instantly after pulling the trigger. Some time later, Vance also shot himself, but succeeded only in disfiguring himself by blowing away the lower half of his face. Vance died three years later of a suspected drug overdose.<ref name="LATimes">{{Cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-12-01-mn-828-story.html|title=Man Who Sued Rock Group Over Suicide Attempt Dies|date=1 December 1988|newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]}}</ref>

The Belknap and Vance families sued Judas Priest and its members, alleging that the band had embedded [[subliminal message]]s such as "try suicide", "do it" and "let's be dead" in the band's cover of the 1969 [[Spooky Tooth]] song "[[Better by You, Better than Me]]". Judas Priest had recorded the cover at the urging of their record company after the rest of ''Stained Class'' had been completed. The plaintiffs alleged that this subliminal command was the trigger which led directly to the pair deciding to shoot themselves.<ref name="trial" /> Vance's parents claimed that their son had been troubled for a long time prior to the suicide pact, but had recently "changed for the better" and had re-embraced his family's [[Christianity|Christian faith]] before the "garbage music" of Judas Priest had again led him astray.<ref name="trial" />

Local fans of heavy metal protested during the trial, calling for Judas Priest to be exonerated. The plaintiffs played the song at various speeds and backward, alleging the use of [[backmasking]].<ref>{{cite magazine |magazine=Rolling Stone |title=Judas Priest's Subliminal Message Trial: Rob Halford Looks Back |date=August 24, 2015 |first=Kory |last=Grow |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/judas-priests-subliminal-message-trial-rob-halford-looks-back-57552/}}</ref> The trial lasted from 16 July to 24 August 1990, when the judge dismissed the lawsuit on the basis that the so-called subliminal message "was a coincidental convergence of a guitar chord with an exhalation pattern".<ref name="trial" /> One of the defense witnesses, Dr. Timothy E. Moore, wrote an article for ''[[Skeptical Inquirer]]'' chronicling the trial.<ref name="trial" /> The trial was covered in a 1991 documentary film, ''Dream Deceivers: The Story Behind James Vance Vs. Judas Priest''.<ref>{{cite news |last=Brennan|first=Patricia |date=August 2, 1992|title='DREAM DECEIVERS': THE STORY BEHIND THE LAWSUIT AGAINST JUDAS PRIEST |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/tv/1992/08/02/dream-deceivers-the-story-behind-the-lawsuit-against-judas-priest/e23d38ba-dd74-4da8-9d4c-ce829488824d/}}</ref>