TurboOK..in 1986, I liked Judas Priest. I had Hell Bent through Defenders, and I liked them well enough. They weren't a favorite band, but whatever. When Turbo came out, I borrowed a copy of it from a friend of mine. It was a significant step down from anything else they did. My memory was that the songs were way too simple, and they tried to be a hair metal band. There was simply no metal.
Oddly, my ears almost fell off of my head when I heard the first few notes of Caught Somewhere In Time, but thankfully Maiden still made a good album., but let's face it..both bands introduced synthesizers in the same year.
I saw Judas Priest, with Dokken opening, on June 4, 1986 at the Providence Civic Center. It was a few days after my high school graduation.
I remember really liking the show. I wasn't keen on the new tracks, but we had good seats by the side of the stage on KK's side, and I got down to the floor towards the end of the show.
Anyway, yesterday, I listened to Turbo in its entirety for the first time in literally almost 35 years.
I actually think Turbo Lover is a great tune...but this studio version simply does not do it justice. The Priest Live version is so much better, but the 2012 live version is amazing. But back to the studio version..the song has a great build and rhythm to it. But the breakdown at 3:24, which is so incredible on the 2012 show, sounds like Duran Duran on the studio version. But that's a nice solo that brings us out of it. Even though the album blows, I've always respected the title track.
I must say, I do find the lyrics to Locked In a bit icky. I remember this as the single. I barely remember the video. I don't love the song at all, but the solos are nice. I like the rising rhythm under the solo at the 2:50 mark.
For some reason, I think I kind of liked Private Property. I remember having a band with my friends and I thought that would be a great name. Listening again..the song is extremely meh by any measurement, but for Priest, it's pretty low. When that solo begins at 2:54, I immediately think of Tommy McClendon on UFO's Misdemeanor which was released a few months earlier.
Parental Guidance..the song blows, the lyrics are fucking childish. Give me a break. You're Judas fucking Priest. You don't need songs with lyrics this shitty.
Rock You All Around The World is pretty cheesy and cliché ridden. not a good track.
I think Out In The Cold is a pretty decent tune on its own. The Turbo production really kills it though, and the Priest Live version doesn't really do the song, the actual song, justice. And it was obviously a terrible opener. I found a 2019 live video of it, and it's really freaking cool. Sometimes when judging an album like Turbo, sometimes you have to look through all sorts of distractions (Productions, etc.._) to get to the root of the song. And this is a good one.
I have zero memory of these last three songs...
Wild Nights, Hot & Crazy Days seems to be Judas Priest's answer to Summertime Girls. Except Y&T's song seemed a little more sincere, if that's possible. This song is embarrassing for a band like Judas Priest.
And speaking of embarrassing, Hot For Love? Are you fucking kidding me??
OK, but then comes Reckless. How did this awesome tune make the album. It doesn't even sound like the same sessions. Now THIS is Judas Priest. The bridge is a little cheesy, but that's OK. The melodic solo that follows it makes me forget all about it. Nice solid track.
Apparently there's a bonus track All Fired Up. I have no idea how it didn't make the album. There's 5 or 6 songs that totally suck on this album, and this would've been better than all of them. And honestly, it's not even that great. That solo certainly needed some more work.
Oh, and we cannot talk about the Turbo Era without mentioning
Heavy Metal Parking Lot
Topic: THE Judas Priest thread - v. new album and tour in 2024 (Read 220285 times)
