The Best of Judas Priest

The Best of Judas Priest
Greatest hits album by Judas Priest
Released	1978
Recorded	1974–1975
Genre	Heavy metal
Length	34:57
Label	Gull
Producer	Jeffery Calvert, Geraint Hughes & Judas Priest
Judas Priest chronology
Sin After Sin (1977) The Best of Judas Priest (1977) Stained Class (1978)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]

The Best of Judas Priest is a collection of a few select songs from Judas Priest's first two albums, and was released under Gull, the band's former record label. It was the first of many reissues of the band's earlier material produced in an effort to "capitalize on Judas Priest's popularity" and was released without any consent from the band.^[2][3]

Track listing

Original LP Release

Side one
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Dying to Meet You"	Rob Halford, K.K. Downing	6:11
2.	"Never Satisfied"	Al Atkins, Downing	4:46
3.	"Rocka Rolla"	Halford, Downing, Glenn Tipton	3:02
4.	"Diamonds and Rust" (original version of a Joan Baez cover)	Joan Baez	3:15

All songs originally from Rocka Rolla (1974), except Diamonds & Rust which was an earlier recording made for Gull Records and was included to generate more interest on the compilation.

Side two
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Victim of Changes"	Atkins, Halford, Downing, Tipton	7:43
2.	"Island of Domination"	Halford, Downing, Tipton	4:15
3.	"The Ripper"	Tipton	2:46
4.	"Deceiver"	Halford, Downing, Tipton	2:44

All songs originally released on Sad Wings of Destiny (1976)

1987 CD Release

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Original album	Length
1.	"Dying to Meet You"	Halford, Downing	Rocka Rolla (1974)	6:11
2.	"Never Satisfied"	Atkins, Downing	Rocka Rolla (1974)	4:46
3.	"Rocka Rolla"	Halford, Downing, Tipton	Rocka Rolla (1974)	3:02
4.	"Diamonds and Rust" (original version of a Joan Baez cover)	Baez	Demo track recorded for Sad Wings of Destiny (1976), later found on many Rocka Rolla reissues	3:13
5.	"Victim of Changes"	Atkins, Halford, Downing, Tipton	Sad Wings of Destiny (1976)	7:43
6.	"Island of Domination"	Halford, Downing, Tipton	Sad Wings of Destiny (1976)	4:15
7.	"The Ripper"	Tipton	Sad Wings of Destiny (1976)	2:46
8.	"Deceiver"	Halford, Downing, Tipton	Sad Wings of Destiny (1976)	2:44
9.	"Epitaph"	Tipton	Sad Wings of Destiny (1976)	3:08
10.	"One for the Road"	Halford, Downing	Rocka Rolla (1974)	4:34

2001 CD Release

This release contains, according to Glenn Tipton, a "mindless interview" from former drummer John Hinch, who was let go from the band because he was "musically inadequate". Tipton has described it as "not only misleading but full of rubbish and false information". In a 1998 interview with Goldmine Magazine, Tipton commented on the reason the company bothered to release the album:

"We believe that they're abusing the kids with...The Best Of Judas Priest and the re-packaging. It's not fair for us to condone them, because it's ripping the kids off. On the "Insight Series" CD, they include bullshit interviews with our first drummer John Hinch, who couldn't even play the drums, believe you me. But it's tracked to look like new songs. We don't get royalties off it, but the kids think we do."^[4]

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Original album	Length
1.	"Dying to Meet You"	Halford, Downing	Rocka Rolla (1974)	6:11
2.	"Never Satisfied"	Atkins, Downing	Rocka Rolla (1974)	4:46
3.	"Rocka Rolla"	Halford, Downing, Tipton	Rocka Rolla (1974)	3:02
4.	"Diamonds and Rust" (original version of a Joan Baez cover)	Baez	Demo track recorded for Sad Wings of Destiny (1976), later found on many Rocka Rolla reissues	4:13
5.	"Victim of Changes"	Atkins, Halford, Downing, Tipton	Sad Wings of Destiny (1976)	7:43
6.	"Island of Domination"	Halford, Downing, Tipton	Sad Wings of Destiny (1976)	4:15
7.	"The Ripper"	Tipton	Sad Wings of Destiny (1976)	2:46
8.	"Deceiver"	Halford, Downing, Tipton	Sad Wings of Destiny (1976)	2:44
9.	"Epitaph"	Tipton	Sad Wings of Destiny (1976)	3:08
10.	"One for the Road"	Halford, Downing	Rocka Rolla (1974)	4:34
11.	"Halford Finds Priest"		Interview with John Hinch (1995)	5:31
12.	"Priest Finds Audience"		Interview with John Hinch (1995)	3:31
13.	"Dual Guitars"		Interview with John Hinch (1995)	1:07
14.	"Songwriting"		Interview with John Hinch (1995)	3:00
15.	"What's in a Name"		Interview with John Hinch (1995)	0:40
16.	"Gull Records"		Interview with John Hinch (1995)	2:01
17.	"Whiskey Woman/Victim of Changes"		Interview with John Hinch (1995)	1:09
18.	"Rob Halford"		Interview with John Hinch (1995)	1:02

Personnel

• Rob Halford – lead vocals, harmonica
• K.K. Downing – guitar
• Glenn Tipton – guitar, backing vocals
• Ian Hill – bass
• John Hinch – drums
• Alan Moore – drums

References

1. Allmusic review
2. "Judas Priest Discography". Judas Priest Official Website. Retrieved 11 April 2011.
3. "The Best of Judas Priest". The Judas Priest Info Pages. Retrieved 11 April 2011.
4. "JUDAS PRIEST INFO PAGES - THE BEST OF JUDAS PRIEST". thexquorum.com. 20 May 2014. Retrieved 20 May 2014.