Rocka Rolla

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Rocka Rolla

Studio album by Judas Priest
Released	September 6, 1974
Recorded	June-July 1974
Genre	Heavy metal
Length	42:04
Label	Gull Records
Producer(s)	Rodger Bain
All Music Guide link
Judas Priest chronology
	Rocka Rolla (1974)	Sad Wings of Destiny (1976)
Original Cover

Rocka Rolla is the debut album by the British heavy metal group Judas Priest, released in 1974. It was produced by Rodger Bain, who had made a name for himself as the producer of Black Sabbath's first three albums.

This album was played entirely "live" (i.e. all musicians playing simultaneously as in a concert, vs. the more popular method of each musician's parts being recorded separately and then mixing them).

According to the band there were technical problems in the studio, resulting in poor sound quality and a hiss through the album. The band further claims that the producer had too much control over track selection, and omitted their more popular stage classics. These songs were eventually included on their next album. Many of the songs were written before Rob Halford joined the band. The track "Caviar and Meths" was originally a 14-minute epic penned by Halford's predecessor, Al Atkins, but due to time constraints, only the intro is recorded for the album.

At this point of the band's career, they had not yet developed their signature look of leather and studs. They had appeared on a British television program called The Old Grey Whistle Test in 1975, and their wardrobe was very "hippified" as journalist Malcolm Dome put it. In addition, the album has some slight progressive rock influences that would be abandoned in later releases.

1 Track listing
2 Personnel
3 Notes
4 External links

[edit] Track listing

"One for the Road" (Downing, Halford) – 4:40
"Rocka Rolla" (Downing, Halford, Tipton) – 3:05
"Winter" (Downing, Hill, Atkins) – 3:03
"Deep Freeze" (Downing) – 1:56
"Winter Retreat" (Downing, Halford) – 1:31
"Cheater" (Downing, Halford) – 2:57
"Never Satisfied" (Atkins, Downing) – 4:50
"Run of the Mill" (Downing, Halford, Tipton) – 8:33
"Dying to Meet You" (Downing, Halford) – 6:16
"Caviar and Meths" (Atkins, Downing, Hill) – 2:00
"Diamonds and Rust" [*] – 3:12 (Remaster Bonus Track)

[edit] Personnel

Rob Halford: Vocals, Harmonica
K.K. Downing: Guitars
Glenn Tipton: Guitars
Ian Hill: Bass Guitar
John Hinch: Drums

[edit] Notes

Rocka Rolla was reissued in 1987 with a different cover. Reportedly the band was unhappy with the original cover art and logo, as it didn't fit with their image as a heavy metal band. There are also rumors that the Coca Cola Company brought legal pressure because the original album art too closely resembled their most famous brand. Drummer John Hinch would be dismissed in 1975, before the next record was to begin being recorded, for what Glenn Tipton would later call him being "musically inadequate".

The re-issue cover art was used for the US cover of Ballistix for the Turbo Grafx 16.