Remembering Les Binks: Judas Priest’s Legendary Drummer

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Join us to honor Les Binks, the thunderous drummer whose beats forged Judas Priest’s golden era, passing at 73 on March 15, 2025. From 1977 to 1979, Binks—born James Leslie in Portadown, Northern Ireland—laid down iconic rhythms on *Stained Class* and *Killing Machine* (aka *Hell Bent for Leather*), both 1978, and the blistering live *Unleashed in the East* (1979). His double-bass blitz and proto-thrash flair, especially on tracks like “Exciter” and “Take On the World” (UK Top 40 hit at No. 14), helped sculpt heavy metal’s edge, earning *Stained Class* U.S. Gold status. A 2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame reunion saw him pound out “You’ve Got Another Thing Coming” and more with Priest after 43 years, a moment fans on X called “electrifying” (@beatlekiss). Before Priest, Binks drummed for Eric Burdon, Fancy (with two 1974 U.S. hits), and Roger Glover’s *The Butterfly Ball* (1974). Post-Priest, he rocked with Lionheart, Tytan, and his own Les Binks’ Priesthood, covering Priest classics. A rift with management over *Unleashed* pay led to his 1979 exit, but his legacy—co-writing “Beyond the Realms of Death”—never faded. Judas Priest’s Instagram tribute hailed his “first-class” precision (@judaspriest). Share your favorite Binks beat below to keep his rhythm alive!

Like and share to salute a metal titan! #LesBinks #JudasPriest #MetalPioneer #StainedClass #KillingMachine #UnleashedEast #RockHall2022 #HeavyMetalHeart #DrumLegend #TakeOnTheWorld #BeyondTheRealms #PriestForever #RIPLes #MetalLives