"Judas Priest’s albums to this point were for the most part excellent and there are plenty of terrific songs on them. Many of them appear on this album. And it is not until you hear them here that you understand just how good those songs are, because they are all improved immeasurably on stage. They are played at a faster tempo, they are louder, and the guitars of Tipton and Downing are superb, flailing their licks and solos in strident support. The rhythm of Ian Hill’s bass is deep and booming and Les Binks’ drums ring through perfectly. Mixed with the screaming vocals of Halford and you have an atmosphere that brings every angle of these songs to a more positive end.

The first side of this album to me is perfect, indeed the equal of any other opening side of a live album ever produced. Opening with the brilliance of “Exciter”, Halford reigns in the crowd with his call of “fall to your knees and repent if you please!” while the duelling guitars of Tipton and Downing excel. This is followed by an amazing version of “Running Wild” which for me is almost the highlight of the album, as it really brings this song to life. The studio version on “Killing Machine” is terrific, but it is this live album that makes it the kind of going-out-and-party anthem that should be sung at the top of your voice as you walk between pubs on a Friday night"

On this episode we are going to talk about “Unleashed in the East” by Judas Priest, the band’s debut live album released 45 years ago this week, on today’s episode where ‘I move as fast as I can, I like to get around’ on Music from a Lifetime.

"It was during this period of Kisstory that Simmons had almost checked out from the band. He was pursuing an acting career, with small roles funnelling into a lead villain role in the Tom Selleck film “Runaway”. His relationships with band and members were said to be at an all-time low, and Stanley was more or less left to run the ship himself. In his book “Face the Music”, Stanley wrote "Gene had basically disappeared by that point. I felt abandoned when it came time to make Animalize. After informing me without any warning or discussion that he wouldn't be around for the album, Gene went into a studio and crapped out some demos as fast as he could. Then he was off to do a movie. He left me with a pile of mostly unusable junk."

With Stanley now left with the responsibility of songwriting, production and direction of the new album, as well as coming up with the TITLE of the album, the band, or at least pieces of them, moved to the studio to create what would become their 12th studio album titled “Animalize”".

On this episode we are going to talk about “Animalize” by Kiss, the band’s 12th studio album released 40 years ago this week, on today’s episode where ‘you feel my heat takin' you higher, burn with me, heaven's on fire’ on Music from a Lifetime.

"Two months later, Astbury teamed up with a guitarist by the name of Billy Duffy. Duffy had played in bands such as the Nosebleeds (along with Morrissey, later of the Smiths), Lonesome No More and then Theatre of Hate. Also recruited were bassist Jamie Stewart and drummer Ray Mondo, both from the post-punk band, Ritual. They called themselves Death Cult, a short trip from that first band name, touring mainland Europe and releasing the “Death Cult” self-titled EP. Nigel Preston replaced Mondo on drums, and further touring continued. In January 1984, prior to appearing on a music TV program, the band decided to change their name to simply “The Cult”, believing it would create broader appeal.

The band had been writing prolifically since they had come together and had many songs ready for their eventual journey into the studio in April 1984 to record their debut album".

On this episode we are going to talk about “Dreamtime” by The Cult, the band’s debut studio album released 40 years ago this week, on today’s episode where ‘all the children kiss the sun before they sing their last song’ on Music from a Lifetime.

"“The Warning” signalled the first full album release from Queensrÿche, following the release of their EP the previous year. That EP had been full of the kind of material that heavy metal fans look for, and its short sharp burst had fans keyed up to see what would come from the band on their fledgling debut opus.

It is obvious early on that while the EP had been packed full of the kinds of riffs and solos that set the mouth-watering, “The Warning” does not go down that same metal path, though my thoughts do tend to be different from many of the so-called experts. To me this is a much more progressive kind of album than straight out heavy metal, and yet many out there think exactly the opposite. And yet I believe there is a greater variety of tunes here, with the band not afraid to put in parts that are much softer and quieter than a traditional metal band would do. And while there are some great riffs and solos here, they don't really match that initial fury of what was produced on that four-track starter. Now that is not to suggest this album therefore doesn't cut it. In fact, there are some great songs here, but some come here looking for more songs that could be directly attributed to those first songs than what we find here on this album".

On this episode we are going to talk about “The Warning” by Queensrÿche, the band’s debut studio album released 40 years ago this week, on today’s episode where ‘most of this is memory now, I've gone too far to turn back now’ on Music from a Lifetime.

"For those who have not heard Mercyful Fate before, it tends to be the vocals of the amazing King Diamond that becomes the most difficult part of the music to comprehend, or sometimes even get past. And to get past it is an amazingly rewarding experience. One of the best pieces of advice I have heard in regard to listening to Mercyful Fate is that you have to just ‘go with it’. Don’t just immediately cast it side because the vocals scare you off. I said the same thing on the episode dedicated to the album “Melissa”. Over time the vocals will fit, you just have to ‘go with it’. Because the music itself is more than enough to make you a fan of this band and especially this album. Believe me, King Diamond and his vocal style will soon be a favourite for you. His singing on this album is a huge jump forward from the debut album as well, he isn’t just throwing those high pitched squeals and screams in at a random place because he can, they are more structured within each song on “Don’t Break the Oath”".

On this episode we are going to talk about “Don’t Break the Oath” by Mercyful Fate, the band’s 2nd studio album released 40 years ago this week, on today’s episode where ‘when the black Book appeared the Lights were dim, but the Face in the Book was in Daylight’ on Music from a Lifetime.

"With the departure of Atkins, Downing and Hill went out and recruited two new members, drummer John Hinch and his lead singer from his band, Rob Halford, who was also the brother of Hill’s then girlfriend. The band then played gigs all through 1973, and in 1974 made their first tour of Europe, all still without a record contract. On their return to England in April of 1974, they signed a deal with Gull Records, and began preparations to record their debut album. It was at this time that the band decided to fill out the group with a second guitarist, and so recruited Glenn Tipton to join the band. However, as this came at the time when the songwriting had been completed, his contributions to this album were minimal, and would become more important down the track.

And so, after five years, one dissolution, one rebirth, countless changes in personnel and a long apprenticeship on the gigging tour, Judas Priest finally had their chance to show what they had to offer on vinyl, with the album that became their debut opus, “Rocka Rolla”".

On this episode we are going to talk about “Rocka Rolla” by Judas Priest, the band’s debut studio album released 50 years ago this week, on today’s episode where we ask ‘where would you be without music, you would be nowhere at all’ on Music from a Lifetime.

"This has been a very long winded explanation of my discovery of this album, but I feel it is important, because of the momentous occasion that it was. It was my first Iron Maiden album, and first experience of both the band and heavy metal as a genre. Is it a simple and accurate statement to say that my life changed that day forever? Probably, but a more accurate one was that over the proceeding eight weeks of the summer holidays of 1985/86 my whole world changed. The album grew with me at different stages, the rollicking opening of “Aces High” and the intangible opera of “Rime of the Ancient Mariner” the first to cast me under their spell. Then came that middle solo sequence of the title track, one that is still so amazing to the present day. The urgent charging of both “2 Minutes to Midnight” and “Flash of the Blade”, driving relentlessly forward. The utter bombasticness of “Back in the Village”, and the amazing instrumental influences of “Losfer Words”. And finally, the sheer underrated brilliance of “The Duellists”, once again through that middle solo section with the three guitarists and the drummer putting together an amazingly connected interlude. Each piece of that puzzle came to me in different times, and eventually combined to become the whole, the album that is “Powerslave”".

On this episode we are going to talk about “Powerslave” by Iron Maiden, the band’s 5th studio album released 40 years ago this week, on today’s episode where ‘the reasons for the carnage cut their meat and lick the gravy’ on Music from a Lifetime.

"The title “Risk” apparently came about from a quote by Lars Ulrich, either in a magazine article or a TV interview, where he claimed that Mustaine and Megadeth had to take more risks with their music if they wanted to achieve the kind of success that Metallica had. Well thanks very much for that Lars, way to stuff up TWO bands for the price of one.

With the disastrous direction (in my own opinion) Metallica had taken on their last two studio albums “Load” and “Reload”, the announcement of a new Megadeth album had been a welcome relief. It was a great feeling to know that I could expect more of the same from this band, that no matter how bad things were getting, there was no way Megadeth could record an album as uninteresting and boring as “Reload”. Wrong. Dave Mustaine was apparently quoted as saying “If anyone else’s name was on the cover of this album, it would have sold millions”. Also wrong"

On this episode we are going to talk about “Risk” by Megadeth, the band’s 8th studio album released 25 years ago this week, on today’s episode where ‘I'm running in quicksand, something's haunting me’ on Music from a Lifetime.