Early Metal, Pt. 2: UK

S1 E3: Pouncing on the power of heavy metal, the United Kingdom wasn’t about to cede the rock ‘n’ roll dominance that nation held over America since the insanity of the Beatles and the subsequent British invasion. In a movement parallel to the Detroit experience, bands such as Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, Trapeze and Slade were crafting their own loud sounds in response to the bleak industrial environment of Britain’s Midlands. Further south, swinging London was producing its own raft of impressive hard rock acts such as Deep Purple, Uriah Heep and UFO. Straddling the two like the giant it would become, Led Zeppelin featured a couple of Birmingham bashers in its rank, along with two seasoned pros from the fast-tracking studios of the big city. Add to the mix Nazareth, Thin Lizzy, Budgie and Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow, and Britain’s rich legacy of serious, regal, virtuosic hard rock would be assured.