L-R: Randy Kobzina, Brett Horn, Fritz Kelch, Greg Horn, Hank "Ace" Askin
The origins of our band began during the COVID pandemic. Ace hadn't played guitar for many years, having set it aside to focus on family and career. It was during COVID that he finally got his guitars back out and starting playing again. Realizing how much he loved and missed it, he started playing everyday and getting his skills back up. He soon found someone from work to play with (Greg) and they started meeting once a week to play covers. A year later, Ace moved up to Pennsylvania about 15 minutes from Greg's brother (Brett) who also used to play drums. He came over one weekend and joined the guys. After a couple months they decided to form a band and and after trying out a few people, decided they wanted to focus on creating a Tribute Band to the great Metal Gods themselves- Judas Priest. After placing an add looking for our K.K., we met Randy and he jumped right in. Our last (and hardest to find) position was the voice. Luckily, the first guy to answer the add was also the best, Fritz joined and the band was complete in early 2024.
Our approach is to faithfully and as closely as we can, recreate the sound of Judas Priest. We started at the beginning and added our favorite songs from the early albums. We currently have our setlist built from hits leading up to the Screaming For Vengeance album. We are recreating the Live Vengeance 82' DVD. As we move forward, we will add our favorites one album at a time.
The World Vengeance Tour began shortly after the album's release in July 1982 and focused on North America during the summer and fall, Priest not performing in Europe until December 1983. This emphasis on US audiences was in order to establish a solid commercial foothold there, and in particular because "You've Got Another Thing Comin'" became a major hit. That and "Electric Eye" became live setlist staples and some of the band's most performed songs. "Devil's Child" has also been performed on various tours between 1982 and 2008, and "Riding on the Wind", "Bloodstone" and the title track have also been in the setlist on various tours. For comparison, "Fever" was only played at the first two 1982 shows, "(Take These) Chains" only appeared in the setlist in 2019, while "Pain and Pleasure" and the instrumental "The Hellion" have never been performed live (though a recording of the song is frequently played before performances of "Electric Eye"). The 30th-anniversary release of the album in 2012 came with a DVD of a live show recorded in May 1983 at the US Festival in California on the last date of the Screaming For Vengeance Tour. During the US tour to support the album in 1982, Judas Priest were supported by bands such as Iron Maiden, Krokus, and Uriah Heep.
The guys in the band saw Judas Priest perform at Reading, PA this year for the Invincible Shield Tour.
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