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AL ATKINS "HEAVY THOUGHTS" Release date: 13 October 2003 Cat. No. MSMCD120 Market Square Records Genre: Heavy/Hard Rock
First UK release for solo from former Judas Priest front man After a 12 year absence, Rob Halford's return to the ranks of metal legends, Judas Priest in readiness for a 2004 World Tour inevitably focuses attention on this acclaimed act and its extraordinary story. It's timely then to see the first UK release of former front man Al Atkins' third solo album HEAVY THOUGHTS, recorded in 1995 for Priest's former record company, Gull, and out October 2003 on the Market Square label (MSMCD120). As booklet notes writer Garry Sharpe-Young relates, mentor and vocalist, Al forged the nucleus of Judas Priest in the late sixties together with former Earth (later Black Sabbath) guitarist Ernie Chataway and rhythm section of bass player Bruno Stapenhill and drummer John Partridge. Many trademark songs that built the foundations for latter day line ups of Judas Priest to propel themselves to international success were born in Al's time. Quitting the band in May 1973, by which time familiar faces of Downing & Hill had entered the fold, Al's next venture - Lion -saw Al once more reuniting with erstwhile colleague Stapenhill together with former Budgie drummer Pete Boot and noted guitarist Harry Tonks. Narrowly missing a major record deal, Lion in common with many bands of the time fell foul of punk, despite tour support of newcomers such as the Stranglers and even the Sex Pistols. Al gave the music business a rest, returning in 1989 with a debut solo effort in "Judgement Day", proving that the writer of the gargantuan Priest tour de force "Victim of Changes" retained his enormous songwriting ability. Atkins assembled a band comprising of guitarist Paul May and bassist Pete Emms, both experienced hands when it came to European touring. The album garnered sufficient interest to enable the recording of follow up "Dreams of Avalon" which demonstrated the consistency of Al's vocal delivery and songwriting. "Heavy Thoughts" capitalises on its predecessors' success with another consistently strong clutch of great rock songs, from doom laden steamrollers such as the title track and "When Love Steals The Night" right through the spectrum to an upbeat, radio-friendly interpretation of the Everly Brothers standard "The Price of Love". The songs on offer here could quite easily vie as stand out tracks on many albums by today's rock giants. This album also encapsulates the force that comes from musicians having worked with one another over a period of time as Paul May and Pete Emms are utilised once more to full effect. The sheer strength of the material is bolstered by Al's bluesy emotion soaked vocals and a series of titanic riffs courtesy of Paul May that many major acts would kill for. Trivia fans will be drawn to the track "Caviar and Meths" which harks back to the murky beginnings of Judas Priest and remained a live favourite and encore coup de grace until culled on their album debut, "Rocka Rolla" in 1974. An eight minute epic, "Caviar and Meths" was cut down to a short instrumental interlude for the album. Here, after 20 years, the song is restored to it¹s former glory. This new release include unreleased extra tracks from recent recordings with Pete Emms, Mick Hales and Budgie's new guitarist, the excellent Simon Lees. Al Atkins writes on HEAVY THOUGHTS "The year was 1973. The band was Judas Priest. It was my last tour with them as vocalist and we called it The Heavy Thoughts Tour. One of the reasons for my leaving the band was that we still had not got an album to promote. I was doing all the songwriting and was asked by our management IMA, run by Norman Hood and Tommy Iommi of Black Sabbath, to write songs for the tour, just in case we did get that elusive record deal (which we didn't). The key song was to be called "Heavy Thoughts" - but half-finished, it was put to one side. That song never saw the light of day again until 1995 when, going through a box of memorabilia of my old band, I found it. I decided to complete it for Gull Records, ironically, the company that had signed the band for its first two albums, 'Rock Rolla' and 'Sad Wings Of Destiny'. Both of these albums featured my songs, including the classic "Victims Of Changes". It was this bridge to the past that prompted me to call this album, "Heavy Thoughts". I had a great time making this album and it's good to see it again! I never stopped writing and recording as these extra tracks - with a great line-up including Simon Lees (the only man to be snatched away by a Budgie!) - reveal. I hear that more of my back catalogue is being reissued and I am presently working on new material with a new line-up. I know there of the rumour that guitarist KK Dowling played on some of the 'Heavy Thoughts' tracks. It is untrue, but he was in the studio giving a helping hand. I would like to thank all the musicians and friends that helped me make this album: Paul May (guitars), Pete Emms (bass), Paul Hodson (keyboards), Gerwin Morris (slide guitar), Debbie Hunt and Karen Blaylock (backing vocals). Thanks too, to Dave Holland, KK Dowling, Dave and Irene Howells at Gull, John Emms, Michael Ljilihammer and Kaz." AL ATKINS ON THE WEB AT: JUDAS PRIEST ON THE WEB AT JUDAS PRIEST - Al Atkins reflects on his early career … "In September 1969, Bruno Stapenhill and myself, who were close friends and musicians, lived in West Bromwich and were auditioning guitarists to replace another of our friends John Perry who had been tragically killed in a road accident. The line up was Bruno, bass guitar, John Partridge, drums, and myself, vocals. One young guitarist who turned up was KK Downing, but he lacked the experience at the time to come up to scratch. The guy who got the job was 17 year old Earnest Chataway, who was a natural musician who could play guitar, keyboards, harmonica, and who hailed from Birmingham. He had previously been playing with a band called EARTH, later to become BLACK SABBATH, also from Birmingham. We liked their name and so searched for something in the same vein. Bruno came up with JUDAS PRIEST (taken from a Bob Dylan song). We started rehearsing and writing some of our own songs, classing ourselves as a progressive rock band. We also played covers of bands like SPIRIT and QUICK SILVER MESSENGER SERVICE. We advertised for work in a local newspaper, and a guy called Alan Eade from Ace Management came to our rescue. He put some gigs our way and took us into the studios to record some of my songs. We recorded two songs, "Good Time Woman" and "We'll Stay Together" and sent them off to several record companies. We had interest from Harvest and Immediate Records and did a live showcase for them at a local venue in Walsall, The George Hotel. Among the audience that night was another singer called Robert Plant, later to be with LED ZEPPELIN, who we were introduced to. Immediate Records liked the sound of us and gave us a deal. We signed a three year contract and starting putting songs together for the first album. Two months later the bubble burst when the record company had folded. We carried on touring into 1970, but started to drift apart musically as I wanted to explore the rock side and break away from the bluesy feel the band had developed. Towards the end of 1970, I started looking for a new band. One night at a local rehearsal room called Holy Joe's in Wednesbury, I heard a band I liked the sound of. I put my head round the door to see three young head banging crazy long haired guys, amps full up. Great' I thought. One was KK Downing who I'd auditioned a year earlier. The two other guys were Ian 'Skull' Hill on bass and John Ellis on drums. I asked them if they needed a vocalist, and they said yes, so we teamed up together and started rehearsing. I suggested we use my old band's name JUDAS PRIEST. We were writing some of our songs and opening for bands like SLADE, BUDGIE, WARHORSE and GARY MOORE. One of my earliest songs was "Mind Conception" and our friend and manager David Corke decided it was time to go into the studios and cut a demo. We recorded two songs at Zella Records, "Holy Is The Man" and "Mind Conception" in July 1971, but never listened to the advice of sound engineers, recording them live with no overdubs and loads of overspill. Having a sore throat and being stoned out of my head didn't help either. We kept gigging until the end of 1971 when we saw the departure of drummer John Ellis and the arrival of replacement Alan Moore. During 1972 we wrote tracks which feature on PRIEST's early album "Rock Rolla" on Gull Records and included "Winter, Never Satisfied" and "Caviar & Meths" . The latter was our big finale when we played live, but was a cut short on the album, so only a small section was ever heard until now. We continued to tour up and down the country. Alan Moore left us and later rejoined to play on PRIEST's second album "Sad Wings Of Destiny" also on Gull Records. In the meantime, his replacement was Chris 'Congo' Campbell, also from Birmingham. We were now opening for many top bands like STATUS QUO, UFO, FAMILY and THIN LIZZY and also topping the bill ourselves over up-and-coming bands like MAGNUM We were working for an agency and management company, I.M.A. from Birmingham, run by Norman Hood and Tony Iommi of SABBATH. David Corke also worked there. Although there was plenty of work, the bigger we got the more overheads there were, and we were still without that exclusive record deal. Soon the financial situation became a problem - I had a baby daughter to support - so I said goodbye to PRIEST in 1973 and took a normal 9-to-5 job. Before leaving I wrote "Whiskey Woman", which became a PRIEST Classic. "Congo" also left the band at this time and everyone thought this was the end of the band, but KK and Ian decided to carry on with new members. The guy who replaced me, Rob Halford wrote a song called "Red Light Lady" and the band put the two songs together and titled it "Victim Of Changes". KK and Ian teamed up with Rob Halford and his drummer John Hinch from HIROSHIMAand Glenn Tipton from the FLYING HAT BAND and turned PRIEST into a five piece band. I have watched them from the sidelines for the rest of my musical career with great interest and kept in touch with them. I have the utmost respect for a band that has worked so hard to become one of the BEST, rock metal acts in the world."
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