Album
Rocka Rolla
Rocka Rolla is the debut studio album by Judas Priest, released on 6 September 1974 on Gull Records. The band were still finding their feet here, and the record leans on blues rock, hard rock and a streak of psychedelia alongside the heavier sound they would later become known for. Rodger Bain produced it, the same man who had overseen Black Sabbath's first three albums and the first two by Budgie.
It is also the only Priest album to feature drummer John Hinch. For anyone following the band's story, it is the starting point before the albums that followed, beginning with Sad Wings of Destiny in 1976. It makes an interesting listen as a snapshot of a group before their identity had fully set, and a useful comparison with the records that came next.
Rocka Rolla: tracklist and credits
10 tracks · 38:40Tracklist
- 1One for the RoadKenneth Downing and Rob Halford4:40
- 2Rocka RollaDowning, Halford, Tipton3:00
- 3WinterAtkins, Downing, Hill3:00
- 4Deep FreezeKenneth Downing2:00
- 5Winter RetreatKenneth Downing and Rob Halford1:30
- 6CheaterKenneth Downing and Rob Halford2:55
- 7Never SatisfiedAl Atkins and Kenneth Downing4:50
- 8Run of the MillHarrison, Downing, Halford, Tipton8:30
- 9Dying to Meet You / Hero, HeroKenneth Downing and Rob Halford6:15
- 10Caviar and MethsAtkins, Downing, Hill2:00
- Produced by
- Rodger Bain
- Recorded at
- Basing Street Studios, Trident Studios, Island, Trident and Olympic, London
- Recorded
- June–July 1974
- Engineered by
- Vic Coppersmith‐Heaven
- Label
- Gull
- Length
- 38:40
Line-up
- Kenneth Downing · electric guitar
- Ian Hill · electric bass guitar
- John Hinch · drums (drum set)
- Glenn Tipton · electric guitar
- Rob Halford · lead vocals, harmonica
Singles
- “Rocka Rolla” · 23 August 1974
From MusicBrainz, Wikipedia and Wikidata. Only what the sources record is shown.
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Full discography →
Sad Wings of Destiny (Original 1976 Masters)
1976
The Best of Judas Priest
1977
Sin After Sin
1977
Stained Class
1978
Killing Machine
1978
Unleashed in the East: Live in Japan
1979
British Steel
1980
Judas Priest Turn Me Loose 1981
Turn Me Loose
1981
Hero, Hero
1981
Point of Entry
1981
Screaming for Vengeance
1982
Judas Priest Judas Priest 1983
Judas Priest
1983
Defenders of the Faith
1984
Turbo
1986
Priest…Live!
1987
Ram It Down
1988
Painkiller
1990
Genocide
1993
Metal Works ’73–’93
1993
Judas Priest Judas Priest 1996
Judas Priest
1996
Jugulator
1997
Judas Priest Live Meltdown 1998
Live Meltdown
1998
The Best of Judas Priest: Living After Midnight
1998
’98 Live Meltdown
1998
Judas Priest Bloodsuckers 2001
Bloodsuckers
2001
Demolition
2001
Live in London
2003
Metalogy
2004
Angel of Retribution
2005
The Essential Judas Priest
2006
Judas Priest Visions 2008
Visions
2008
Nostradamus EP
2008
Nostradamus
2008
A Touch of Evil: Live
2009
The Chosen Few
2011
Single Cuts
2011
The Complete Albums Collection
2012
Redeemer of Souls
2014
5 Souls
2014
Battle Cry
2016
Firepower
2018
Invincible Shield
2024
The best of 1974
All of 1974 →
More on Gull
The label →Releases and pressings
How we know the release date wikipedia + musicbrainz + wikidata
| Source | Date | Note |
|---|---|---|
| MusicBrainz | 6 September 1974 | |
| Wikipedia infobox | 6 September 1974 | |
| Wikidata | 6 September 1974 | |
| US release | 6 September 1974 | earliest US date |
| UK / Europe release | 1974 | earliest UK or European date |
28 editions
| Date | Country | Label | Barcode | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | US | Transluxe | 0208311073259 | other |
| 1974 | DE | Gull | other | |
| 1974 | GB | Gull | other | |
| August 1974 | GB | Gull | original | |
| 6 September 1974 | US | Gull | other | |
| 1987 | DE | Line Records | 4023290010166 | other |
| 1988 | US | RCA | 078635504125 | other |
| 1990 | JP | Gull | 4988004022142 | other |
| 1993 | DE | Repertoire Records | 4009910430521 | other |
| 1993 | AT | Repertoire Records | 4009910430524 | other |
| 2 March 1993 | DE | — | other | |
| 21 October 1993 | JP | Gull | 4988004049729 | other |
| 1995 | US | Transluxe | 789505780128 | other |
| 25 January 2000 | US | KOCH Records | 099923806820 | other |
| 21 September 2001 | JP | Imperial Records | 4988004083570 | other |
| 6 February 2002 | JP | — | other | |
| 5 September 2002 | JP | Victor | other | |
| 24 February 2003 | GB | Snapper Classics | 636551612425 | other |
| 18 November 2011 | DE | Repertoire Records | 4009910523629 | other |
| 25 January 2012 | JP | Victor | 4988002615018 | remaster |
| 23 July 2014 | JP | Victor | 4988002675999 | other |
| 2019 | US | Entertainment One | 634164609221 | other |
| 13 September 2024 | XW | MNRK Music | 634164415679 | remaster |
| 20 November 2024 | JP | Victor | 4988002942930 | remaster |
| 22 November 2024 | US | MNRK Heavy | 634164415563 | remaster |
| 24 November 2024 | US | MNRK Heavy | 0634164416232 | remaster |
| 31 January 2025 | XE | Exciter Records | 5056688842291 | remaster |
| — | — | Telaeg Records | other |
Cover art sources
deezer · upscaled: major: best source 1200x1200, upscaled to 1500 (x1.25)
| Source | Size | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| deezer ✓ | 1200×1200 | upscaled: major: best source 1200x1200, upscaled to 1500 (x1.25) |
| fanarttv | 1000×1000 | upscaled |
| coverartarchive | 477×480 | upscaled |