Biography
Glenn Tipton earned acclaim for anchoring one side of Judas Priest’s pioneering dual-guitar lineup in the legendary metal outfit. Born October 25, 1948, in Birmingham, England, he performed with assorted hometown groups before launching the Flying Hat Band in 1972, a weighty prog-rock ensemble styled after Hawkwind. He exited that project the next year to become a member of Judas Priest, which grew into one of heavy metal’s most enduring and impactful acts; the late-1970s releases Stained Class and Hell Bent for Leather essentially shaped the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, while the early-1980s efforts British Steel and Screaming for Vengeance delivered global chart success and widespread recognition. His long-running alliance with K.K. Downing produced one of hard rock’s most instinctive guitar pairings, able either to lock into an identical rhythmic pocket or exchange fleet, technically dazzling leads. When vocalist Rob Halford stepped away in 1991, the band’s prospects appeared uncertain, prompting Tipton in 1995 to start his debut solo project and resume lead singing for the first time since his Flying Hat Band tenure. Over the ensuing thirty months he tracked material intermittently alongside an array of players that included bassists Billy Sheehan and John Entwistle plus drummers Cozy Powell and Shannon Larkin. The finished recordings surfaced in 1997 via Atlantic Records under the title Baptizm of Fire. Once Ripper Owens assumed the frontman role, Judas Priest regained momentum, drawing Tipton back into the group.
Albums
