Ian Hill Names His Favorite Judas Priest Song – ‘It’s Just So Raw’
What is bassist Ian Hill's favorite Judas Priest song? He revealed which classic track tops his list during a recent appearance on The Break Down With Nath and Johnny.
Hill's comments come with some weight behind them as he stands as the lone remaining original member of the band. With the longest tenure, he's quite knowledgable when it comes to the group's catalog. According to the bassist, he's got one song that definitely stands out to him.
The bassist's selection came in the midst of a conversation on the Judas Priest setlist, with the musician talking about songs that he loves to play live. He explained, "There's one that we have played live that we haven't played for a while and that's 'Dissident Aggressor.' I still say that's probably my all-time favorite song."
Why Does Ian Hill Love "Dissident Aggressor"?
Sharing what he loves about the Sin After Sin album closer, Hill offered, "It's just so raw — it's just pure rock, really. It's one of those songs that, even in the studio, I can remember it being — it's two guitars, bass, drums and vocals. And I think there might be one extra guitar on there through the lead break. Other than that, it's totally raw. It's exactly as it would be on stage. And I love that song, apart from it being a great song."
Judas Priest, "Dissident Aggressor"
What Else Would Ian Hill Like to See Part of Judas Priest's Live Sets?
Returning the discussion about Judas Priest's setlists, Hill also served up two more songs that are currently out of rotation that he'd like to see played.
"We've never really done 'Before the Dawn' — from the other point of view, the other end of the spectrum, if there's a quiet part in [the show]. These days people tend to prefer the more upbeat stuff rather than the quieter pieces. But that would be cool to do as well. It's only about two and a half, three minutes long anyway, so it wouldn't take much time," says the bassist.
He also shouted out "Sinner" as a song they haven't done for a while that would be great to do again. It appears he got his wish as the song returned to the set for the first time since 2019 on March 15.
Where You Can See Judas Priest?
Judas Priest recently issued their nineteenth studio album, Invincible Shield. The band is currently back on the road in the U.K., playing Birmingham tomorrow (March 19) and London on Thursday (March 21). European shows are currently booked through April 8 in Paris.
READ MORE: Rob Halford Picks His 10 Favorite Metal Albums
The group will then travel to the U.S. for a tour kicking off April 18 in Wallingford, Ct., that includes a number of spring festivals and runs through May 22 in Syracuse, N.Y. Then it's back to Europe for a summer run in June and July. And their current schedule also includes fall U.S. festival appearances at Louder Than Life and Aftershock.
Judas Priest concert tickets are currently on sale.
Judas Priest's Ian Hill Joins The Break Down With Nath and Johnny
25 Big Rock + Metal Albums Turning 50 in 2024
Gallery Credit: Lauryn Schaffner