Heavy Duty: Days and Nights in Judas Priest

It’s rare to read a musician’s autobiography and not feel like the author is trying to reinforce (or manufacture) some grand illusion of himself, his role in the band, and his role in musical history. When it comes to heavy metal bands, this is doubly true.

So Heavy Duty: Days and Nights in Judas Priest was a breath of fresh air. Downing is an engaging, believable narrator, happy to take the reader through the highs and lows of his career. Whether he’s exploring the idiocy of the “backwards messages in music” panic or sharing road stories where egos clashed like cymbals, it feels like Downing is calling things right down the middle, not selling you a story.

Whether you’re on the road with the band during the best times or in the trenches with them during the worst, the book is loaded to the brim with fascinating details on the band’s history, the interactions of the band members, and the general state of the industry at the time.

And yet, it’s an incredibly personal tale as well, as Downing recounts failed relationships, strained friendships, and personal creative frustrations. You really get the full experience with this one.