
Les Binks
drums (drum set) · percussion
b. 1951 in Portadown — d. 2025
James Leslie Binks (8 August 1951 – 15 March 2025) was a Northern Irish heavy metal drummer. He is best-known for being the drummer for Judas Priest, where he was a member from 1977 to 1979.
Early life
Previously working for Eric Burdon of the Animals and the funk band War, Binks was also a drummer on Deep Purple bassist Roger Glover's album The Butterfly Ball and the Grasshopper's Feast (1974). The album project began as a soundtrack for an animated film based on a well-known English children's book, 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. One of the featured vocalists, Eddie Hardin previously of The Spencer Davis Group, later released his own albums, the first of which was Eddie Hardin's Wizard's Convention (1976), which again included Binks on drums. Binks played for the pop band Fancy who had two U.S. hits in 1974 with a cover of Chip Taylor's "Wild Thing", and "Touch Me". Fancy's song "Feel Good" from the album Wild Thing has been sampled over one hundred times, most notably by the Beastie Boys on the song "3-Minute Rule" off their album Paul's Boutique (1989).
Death
Binks died in London on 15 March 2025, at the age of 73. His death was confirmed on 14 April.
Every band they have passed through, with what they played and when — and whether they were there at the start.
Where they came from, where they are, and who they are to other people.
- Born
- 1951-08-08 · Portadown
- Also works as
- musician, drummer
- Plays
- drum kit
- Died
- 2025
- Where
- London
Where to hear from them lately. These are live searches, not a list somebody froze — so they stay current.
- Wikipedia →the full article
- Interviews on YouTube →newest first
- Recent news & comments →Google News
- Blabbermouth →metal press
Portrait: Wikimedia Commons