Les Binks

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James Leslie Binks (born April 5, 1948[citation needed]), better known as Les Binks, is an English heavy metal drummer. Born in Wolverhampton, England he is most notable for having been the drummer for Judas Priest.

Former drummer for Eric Burdon, James Leslie Binks was a drummer on the 1974 Roger Glover album Butterfly Ball And The Grasshopper's Feast, which featured such legendary names as David Coverdale, Glenn Hughes, and Ronnie James Dio behind the microphone. The album started out as a soundtrack for an animated film based off a famous book in England. Glover used different singers for the different characters, but a promo for the film never gained any interest, so the project was scrapped. Glover went on to release the soundtrack as a "Roger Glover and Friends" title. Vocalist Eddie Hardin co-wrote three of the album's songs with Roger Glover and then went on to release his own written and produced projects, the first of which was 1976's Eddie Hardin's Wizard's Convention, which again included Les Binks on drums and David Coverdale lending his voice to one track. Also on the album was Deep Purple's Jon Lord on piano. Both Butterfly Ball and Wizard's Convention have been placed together and re-released several times as a combo CD, and Japan's Teichiku label issued their own 1995 CD compilation titled Best Of Rare Collection and sold it as a Deep Purple album. Through the Roger Glover connection, Judas Priest auditioned and hired Les Binks in time for their 1977 world tour - their first on American soil. He also played for English band Fancy who had two hits in 1974 with a cover of Wild Thing, and Touch Me (their only American top 40 hit).

Les remained with Priest for two years from March 1977 to July 1979, recording two studio albums and one live LP. Though Binks is considered a favourite amongst the hardcore fans, as Priest entered the 1980s, the members felt a change in musical direction was forthcoming, and Binks would be too technical for the pounding metal Priest were planning on unleashing in the new decade. He wrote the song "Beyond the Realms of Death" of the Stained Class Album

Binks has remained active in the British hard rock/heavy metal underground. In 1981, he was a member of Lionheart which featured Dennis Stratton (ex-Iron Maiden) on guitar and Jess Cox (ex-Tygers Of Pan Tang) on vocals. It was only a brief stint, however, and yielded no albums, though they did open for Def Leppard on their 1981 British tour. Lately, binks has been playing in a classic-rock cover band around South London called The Shakers with Dave Bunce the Jeff Beck linked guitarist and ex-Alice Cooper guitarist Pete Friesen and vocalist/guitarist Tom Lundy of The Poormouth. Rounding out the band is bassist Phil Rynhart founder member of the Poormouth. Binks and Pete Friesen have also done time in Metalworks along with ex-Iron Maiden guitarist Tony Parsons (Tony was one of a series of guitarists that played briefly in Maiden in '79 before Dennis Stratton joined the band), playing Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, and other legendary metal band covers around London. Binks also had a recent stint with an Irish Country/Folk/Pop trio called the Faintin' Goats as well as past touring with Lionheart in 1981 and Tytan (1982-1983).

Judas Priest
Rob Halford | K. K. Downing | Glenn Tipton | Ian Hill | Scott Travis
Former Members: Al Atkins | Tim 'Ripper' Owens | John Pattridge | John Ellis | Alan Moore | Chris Campbell | John Hinch | Les Binks | Dave Holland | Simon Phillips
Discography
Albums: Rocka Rolla | Sad Wings of Destiny | Sin After Sin | Stained Class | Hell Bent for Leather | Unleashed in the East | British Steel | Point of Entry
Screaming for Vengeance | Defenders of the Faith | Turbo | Priest...Live! | Ram It Down | Painkiller | Jugulator | Live Meltdown | Demolition | Live in London
Angel of Retribution
Compilations/Box Sets: The Best of Judas Priest | Hero, Hero | The Collection | Genocide | Metal Works | The Best of Judas Priest: Living After Midnight
Metalogy | The Essential Judas Priest
DVDs: Live in London | Electric Eye | Rising in the East | Live Vengeance '82
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