Hell Bent For Leather

The macho look of S&M with its emphasis on industrial spiked and studded leather has been the definitive fashion statement of heavy metal music for more than three decades now.

This is a tribute to the gentlemen renown for their contribution in introducing this iconic imagery into the genre.

 

Judas Priest have been influencing metal music since the mid 70s, either directly or indirectly. Their presence has been so important that MTV.com named them the second most important band in heavy metal, second only to Black Sabbath (both from Birmingham, England). Their popularity and status as one of the definitive heavy metal groups has earned them the nickname "Metal Gods," after one of their song titles off their 1980's platinum album, British Steel. Judas Priest's Grammy award winning line-up consists of lead vocalist Rob Halford, drummer Scott Travis, guitarist Glenn Tipton, (and founding members) K.K. Downing (lead guitar) and bassist Ian Hill, with their music being most notable for Tipton and Downing's twin lead guitar styling as well as Halford's wide operatic vocal range. He is considered one of the most consistently powerful singers in all of rock music, having possessed an incredible six-octave range during his prime (and currently possessing a near four-octave range) and is particularly known for his high-pitched, soaring operatic vocals. The band has sold over 45 million albums worldwide, and were named the 78th greatest artist of all time by VH1 in 2010 and 2nd Greatest Metal Band (behind Black Sabbath) by MTV. Its only a matter of time before they will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland for their contributions in launching the whole metal genre and all its offspring (subgenres).

But perhaps Judas Priest will be remembered more for their other contribution that goes beyond their sound -- their "look." They are widely regarded as being the revolutionaries that changed the direction of heavy metal fashion as they set the bar for everything that has come since. The Priest's frontman is considered the early practitioner of this look in a heavy metal context, but there are numerous popular images of Elvis from the 1960s fully clothed in black leather and 1970s rock acts such as Kiss, Black Sabbath and Alice Cooper also wore an abundance of black leather garments. That set the stage (pun intended) for Rob Halford, (who is himself openly gay) regularly wore his studded leather costumes on stage in 1978, to coincide with the release of their album Killing Machine (renamed Hell Bent For Leather for release in the US). The imagery was an instant success with fans and the rest of the band quickly followed Halford's lead.

This macho style of dress that was gaining popularity among heavy metal fans worldwide had been widely associated with gay men's leather culture since the late 1940s, when it grew out of post-WWII biker culture on both coasts of the United States. Early gay leather bars were subcultural versions of the motorcycle club with pioneering gay motorcycle clubs including the Satyrs, established in Los Angeles in 1954; Oedipus, also established in Los Angeles in 1958; and the New York Motorbike Club. Early San Francisco clubs included the Warlocks and the California Motor Club. 

 

 Halford outwardly described the look he helped initiate as originating in the gay leather subculture. The subsequent influence of his iconic style can be seen in many metal bands, particularly in the widespread and creative appropriation of the codpiece (which we will address in its own entry) in metal rockers' costumes. 

 

In the 1980s, Canadian metal band Anvil was known to appear onstage in leather bondage harnesses and other leather and latex gear. This look was more widely popularized when it was appropriated by internationally successful LA "Big Hair" metal band, Mötley Crüe.

 

 

 

 

The S&M leather look has become a mainstay in heavy metal; bands like Motörhead, Iron Maiden, Slayer, Pantera, Megadeth, Cannibal Corpse and Slipknot have all incorporated Halford's fashion sense into their look throughout the years. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Subsequently, Judas Priest has been catapulted to international fame, in both the mainstream and underground. Even today it is not uncommon to find metal artists around the world sporting such a look at concerts. So thank you to Mr. Rod Halford and Judas Priest for opening those doors of this vast landscape to the world.