In a new interview with U.K.’s Planet Rock, Rob Halford spoke about Judas Priest‘s upcoming appearance at the 2026’s Bloodstock Open Air. The band’s performance at the event will coincide with the 40th anniversary of the group’s controversial Turbo album, and the 50th anniversary of their second LP, Sad Wings Of Destiny.
Discussing Turbo, The Metal God said (as per blabbermouth.net), “You’ve got 30,000 metal maniacs singing ‘I’m your turbo lover’ [at Priest shows now], but when that album came out, everybody wanted to throw it in the bin. ‘What is this?’ ‘This ain’t metal.’
You know how a lot of bands — we go through different moods, different textures, different feelings as you progress. And what I love about Priest is we can be a Painkiller, be a Turbo Lover, be your Invincible Shield. So, the fact that Priest is able to kind of create all this kind of music, but still put the heavy metal label on to it is important.
But I am happy that Turbo is embraced. I listened to it for the first time in years just a few days ago, and I look at the videos that we made, and we all had hair. My hair went south; it went into the Gandalf region. But it’s a good album. It was really well made. Yours truly was going through some difficult moments in life, but here I am by the grace of God and so on and so forth. But it’s a good album…”
Back in 2017, Halford told The Rock Brigade (as per blabbermouth.net), “…There was a period in the early ’80s when PRIEST was literally banging out a record every year and a world tour every year. How did we do that, I don’t know. It was just that we were running on fire, we were having the times of our lives, we had deadlines to meet, we had an incredible thing going with the label.
So here’s the deal. Turbo, the middle of the 1980s, right? We had a little bit of time to kind of pull back and take our time to make this record. So we were in a different place. I mean, I was in a different place, because I had so much coke up my nose, I don’t know how I got through every day of the week, because I was raging at that point, personally. What I’m trying to say is, America in 1986 and the mid-’80s was… wherever you went, there was incredible things happening in rock and metal. I always kind of reflect as the ’80s, particularly in America, as being one of the greatest decades for our kind of music. So we were wrapped up in all that, we were wrapped up in all that excitement and good times and party-party-party. And I think that we were just… we were making the record. The bulk of the record was made in America. Going down to Whisky, hanging out on the [Sunset] Strip, in Miami… Man, it was an absolute blast. And I think we were just… We were loving that moment, you know. The band was having a great time, and there was a lot of that in the music on Turbo.
28 Responses
Count me in, as one those, who wanted to trash it-LOL! 😉
I’ve never, ever had a problem with this album.
Sure, it wasn’t what you’d expect from Priest; but the way I look at it, it shows a band that wasn’t afraid to try something new. Did it work? Well, I believe that it did sell over a million copies; thus making it Platinum (back when that meant something).
Over all, it maybe wasn’t something that went down well with fans or indeed members of the band at that time, given that Ram it Down was a more traditional sounding record (Although clearly NOT one of their best) and after that came the mighty Painkiller which I absolutely love.
There is nothing wrong with trying something new and seeing where it goes. If it doesn’t work out – never mind, go back to what you know.
Hello my BP,
I completely agree, Priest were never boring, they were always evolving and changing. Also, I give them lots of credit for coloring outside the lines.
The band isn’t the issue, I am. When I find a sound, that I love, I just prefer that the band stays in, or does not deviate, too far from that lane. You know the old philosophy, “if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.”
It’s clear that Priest subscribes more to The Beatles philosophy rather than the AC/DC. While I ❤️ both bands very much, I attend the Angus Young school of thought. So, I guess that is why, Turbo, seemed to blasphemous to me, especially at the time.
On the positive side, I think, overall, it is a far better record than Ram It Down. However, I saw that tour and it was AMAZING.
It was different, of course, different sound then what we were all used to, but it was still Judas Priest! And it still is! The 80’s were absolutely the best decade!
Doug, I agree with you, the 80s were the best, but I also happen to agree with Simmons about this song.
Well I guess the other reason (other than just loving the song) I always loved rock and disco (amongst other genres) so for me it was like combining the best of both worlds! Queen – “Another One Bites The Dust,” another example of a rock band experimenting out of their comfort zone and it worked! Another great song! Queen got some backlash as well for it although not as much as KI⚡️⚡️, but NOBODY expected a heavy metal band to cross over into a danceable almost electronica song like “Turbo Lover!” Despite all the bitchin’ and backlash, most fans got over it and now embrace the song! And the album! 🙂
I also crapped all over this album, and never picked up Ram it Down until after Painkiller was released because I didn’t think they could write a decent album after hearing Turbo. That said, I now find myself listening to this album more and more. It’s not as bad as I used to think, and really if you take two songs off of it, it’s a great album. I appreciate them way more for albums like Turbo because like the article says, they can give you so much more to listen to and they really change things up from album to album sometimes, but you still know it’s a JP album.
I get it, after all of these decades, I have made peace with Turbo. However, it is not one, that I tend to listen to often.
To me, the one album that got lost in the shuffle, and is under appreciated is, Point Of Entry. Sadly it is overlooked, because it is sandwiched between two of Judas Priest‘s greatest albums, British Steel and Screaming For Vengeance. Of which, SFV, happens to be both my all time favorite Priest album and record of all time.
Reverting back to a Turbo comparison, going from Bloodstone to Parental Guidance is quite the…change, and I will leave it at that 🙂
Well I also like Nostradamus, so I guess I’m more forgiving than a lot of people when it comes to a JP record lol Point of Entry is a great album, but will admit, probably one of the least played by me. And yes, Parental Guidance is a terrible song, by far my least favorite from them. Automatic skip when it comes on.
Please go give POE some love. Great songs on that one: Heading Out To The Highway, Desert Plains, Turning Circles, Don’t Go and Eddie’s favorite, Solar Angels.
As for Parental Guidance, you don’t like that little tribute to You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’ at the end of the song? That’s the best part, and it is at the end. 😉
Not really lol I think it’s too little too late to save that dreadful song.
LOL! I was half joking.
Point Of Entry is a great album! I’ve said the same thing many, many times! It gets lost in the shuffle between British Steel and SFV, which of course were JP’s biggest commercial successes.
I actually liked “Turbo” as an album. I found the songs catchy. Priest’s image for that album and tour….I hated it! Color and designs in the leather, big hair, ugh! But it was a reflection of 80s metal at the time. Saw the tour when it came to San Diego.
The Priest album I didn’t like was Point of Entry, although I do love the song “Solar Angels”. I didn’t like the album cuz it was Priest’s attempt at releasing a commercial sounding album. Maybe I would have liked it if it was released after “Turbo”? But to release a commercial sounding album after “British Steel”? Nah, that wasn’t my Priest at the time…
Gotcha, but at least it didn’t have dance beats and electronica…sheesh.