ITP V.025 ONLY ONE PER COFFIN: R.I.P. LES BINKS (FORMER DRUMMER JUDAS PRIEST)

 

 

 

British New Wave of Heavy metal pioneers JUDAS PRIEST have announced former drummer LES BINKS has died at 73, no cause of death has been given.

 

 

  JUDAS PRIEST have announced MORE SUMMER 2025 EUROPEAN TOUR DATES.     

JUDAS PRIEST have posted a video for  "PANIC ATTACK" (,RECORDED LIVE DURING THE INVINCIBLE SHIELD TOUR - SUMMER 2024) a track from the bands anticipated new release "INVINCIBLE SHIELD",   unleashed 3/8/2024 via SONY MUSIC. 

  The ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME have "Another thing coming" as British New Wave of Heavy metal pioneers JUDAS PRIEST have been inducted into the ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME.

 JUDAS PRIEST unleashed "FIREPOWER", 3/9/2018 via COLUMBIA RECORDS.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FROM JUDAS PRIEST:

 

MESSAGE FROM THE BAND RE LES BINKS:

We are deeply saddened about the passing of Les and send our love to his family, friends and fans.

The acclaimed drumming he provided was first class - demonstrating his unique techniques, flair, style and precision -

Thank you Les - your acclaim will live on.....

 

 FROM DAVID ELLEFSON: 

It’s with great sadness that I learned of the passing of the beloved Les Binks. I had the incredible honor of meeting and performing with him, along with K.K. Downing and Tim Ripper Owens "Official Page" from the mighty Judas Priest legacy, during the unforgettable show at KK’s Steel Mill back in 2019.

Playing alongside Les was truly a dream come true. His powerful and groundbreaking drumming helped shape the very foundation of speed metal, with iconic performances on tracks like “Exciter” and so many others that set the standard for generations to come.

My deepest condolences to his fans, friends, and family. You will be missed, my friend.

FROM MIKAEL ARKENFELDT OF OPETH: 

”Sadly we have lost yet another rock icon! The devastating news of the passing of drummer Les Binks reached us the other day. Out of all the drummers in our much beloved Judas Priest, Les would rank at the very top, in my opinion. He had a swing that was unique in the camp of Judas Priest drummers. Les Binks did 2 studio albums with Priest, namely ”Stained class” and ”Killing machine” (better known in North America as ”Hell bent for leather”). I seem to recall Les also penned parts of their incredible ballad ”Beyond the realms of death”. One of my favorite songs of all time! On top of this he appeared on their ”Unleashed in the east” live record from 1979. Now this record is a beast! His drumming here is out of this world! His normally withdrawn and classy type of playing gives way to super extravagant rolls and downright craziness. I confess I have ”borrowed" a lot of ideas from Les. His backwards starting tom-roll in ”Better by you, better than me” comes back every now and then in our music. In some way, shape or form. He was incredible! I have obsessed over Les Binks to the point where I’ve bought records just because he’s on it. Fancy” was a pop rock band that came and went without much notice. ”Rough justice” by Tytan! Not bad! Not bad! I will miss Les a lot personally. I think he’s one of a kind. His drumming was a voice. Personal and unique. You could hear it’s him in the same sense as you can hear when it’s Neil Peart playing. Or Mike Portnoy, Ian Paice, Lars Ulrich.. Drummers that are hard, or impossible to copy, if you know what I mean!? You want their sound? Then you need that specific guy behind the kit. Plain and simple!

Our deepest condolences to Les family and friends and fans!

Rest in peace, you awesome dude!!

Mikael Åkerfeldt, on behalf of Opeth. April 2025"

Thanks-Stay Metal, Stay Brutal-\m/ -l-