Original JUDAS PRIEST Frontman AL ATKINS - "I Had The Idea For Writing 'Victim Of Changes' While Listening To LED ZEPPELIN's 'Black Dog'"
April 27, 2019, 5 years ago
Speaking with MusicRealms.com, original Judas Priest vocalist Al Atkins looked back on the band's formative years. Following is an excerpt from the interview.
Music Realms: You started the band Judas Priest in 1969, and this being 2019, makes it the Golden Anniversary of 50 years since its inception. The seminal song "Victim of Changes" which you co-wrote, remains a classic, and is still in the repertoire of Judas Priest. What was going on with you at that time, to come up with that theatrical direction the song took, and the powerful lyrics?
Al Atkins: "I had the idea for writing 'Victim Of Changes' while listening to Led Zeppelin's 'Black Dog' with the vocals on their own in between a heavy riff, and it was originally called 'Whiskey Woman', about an alcoholic woman. When Rob Halford joined, he brought some of his lyrics and songs with him, and one was a slow song also about a woman of the night and a fallen lady called 'Red Light Lady', which he added to the end of mine. In came Glenn Tipton on guitar and beefed it up a bit and added the intro, and they re-titled it to 'Victim Of Changes'... Classic!"
Read the complete interview here.
Atkins launched Judas Priest in 1969 with guitarist Ernest Chataway, bassist Bruno Stapenhill and John Partridge on drums. He left the band in 1973. he is credited with co-writing the songs "Winter", "Never Satisfied" and "Caviar And Meths" from Judas Priest's classic Rocka Rolla album from 1974 a,d "Victim Of Changes" and "Dreamer Deceiver" on Sad Wings of Destiny, released in 1976.
