Les Binks facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Les Binks
Binks in 2016
Background information
Birth name	James Leslie Binks
Born	1951 (age 73–74) Portadown, Northern Ireland
Genres	Heavy metal, hard rock
Occupation(s)	Drummer
Associated acts	Judas Priest, Lionheart, Tytan, Axis Point, Fancy

James Leslie Binks (born in 1951) is a talented drummer from Northern Ireland. He is famous for playing drums in the well-known heavy metal band Judas Priest from 1977 to 1979.

Les Binks' Early Music Career

Before joining Judas Priest, Les Binks worked with several other musicians and bands. He played drums for Eric Burdon, who was part of the band the Animals. He also played with the funk band War.

Playing on The Butterfly Ball Album

In 1974, Les Binks was the drummer on an album called The Butterfly Ball and the Grasshopper's Feast. This album was created by Deep Purple bassist Roger Glover. It was meant to be the soundtrack for an animated movie based on a famous English children's book. The movie project didn't happen, but the music was still released.

Success with Fancy

Les Binks also played for a pop band called Fancy. In 1974, Fancy had two popular songs in the U.S.: "Wild Thing" and "Touch Me". One of Fancy's songs, "Feel Good," has been used in over a hundred other songs by different artists.

Les Binks and Judas Priest

Les Binks joined the rising heavy metal band Judas Priest in March 1977. This was just after they finished recording their album Sin After Sin. He joined them for their first world tour, which included shows in America.

Recording Albums with Judas Priest

Les Binks stayed with Judas Priest for about two and a half years, until July 1979. During this time, he helped create some very important albums:

• Stained Class (studio album)
• Killing Machine (studio album)
• Unleashed in the East (live album)

On these albums, Les Binks used a fast drumming style. This style helped to develop new sounds in heavy metal music, building on what bands like Deep Purple had already started.

Writing "Beyond the Realms of Death"

While he was with Judas Priest, Les Binks helped write the song "Beyond the Realms of Death" from the Stained Class album. He made a first version of the song at home. Then, he showed it to the band during a rehearsal. The band loved the song, and the singer, Rob Halford, wrote the lyrics and gave it its title.

"Take On the World" Hit Song

Les Binks' drumming is very important in the Judas Priest song "Take On the World". This song was released as a single in January 1979. It was the first Judas Priest song to reach the top 40 in the UK, getting to number 14. Later, the band Spoon used parts of Les Binks' drum patterns from "Take On the World" in their 2021 song "Wild."

Why Les Binks Left Judas Priest

Les Binks left Judas Priest in July 1979. He said that he felt like he was hired as a temporary drummer and was not made a full member of the band. He wanted to be an official part of the group.

After Judas Priest

After leaving Judas Priest, Les Binks continued to play drums in many other bands and projects.

Playing with Other Bands

In 1979, Les Binks joined Axis Point. He also played with Lionheart in 1981, which included Dennis Stratton from Iron Maiden. In 1981, he played on an album for Italian rock singer Eugenio Finardi. He also toured with Tytan from 1982 to 1983.

Later Projects

Les Binks has been part of several other bands over the years:

• The Shakers: A classic rock cover band in South London.
• Metalworks: Playing covers of songs by bands like Judas Priest and Iron Maiden.
• Raw Glory: He joined this band in 2013.
• Broken Bones: He played live with this band in 2015.
• Kindred Spirit: An original prog-folk-rock band with whom he recorded the album Phoenix Rising.

Les Binks' Priesthood and KK's Priest

Since 2017, Les Binks has performed classic Judas Priest songs live with his own band called Les Binks' Priesthood. He also planned to join the band KK's Priest. However, he had a wrist injury before they recorded their first album in 2020, so another drummer took his place.

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

In 2022, Les Binks was honored and added to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Judas Priest. This was a special award for his musical excellence. On November 5, 2022, Les Binks played three songs with Judas Priest at the induction ceremony. This was his first time performing with the band in 43 years!

See also

In Spanish: Les Binks para niños