The Tony Awards are this Sunday, and I would like to pay homage to musical that got me into theatre back in “the day.” (The day was sometime in August, 1986. It was a warm day.) I stumbled upon this in a thrift store:

The original concept double album of Jesus Christ Superstar featuring Ian Gillian (DEEP PURPLE) as Jesus and Murray Head (RASPY ROCK) as Judas. I had never heard anything like it- Judas’s first song Heaven on Their Minds was a guitar-heavy, riff-driven rock anthem which Murray Head destroys with his heartfelt, brutal tenor.

Is there a better Judas out there? Time for a Iscariot-off!

HERE is the Murray Head version from 1970.

HERE is Roger Daltry taking a stab at it in 1976.

HERE is Carl Anderson as Judas in Norman Jewison’s 1973 film adaptation.

HERE is Ben Vereen throwing his hat into the traitor-ring.

HERE is Jerome Praden. I dare to to make it to the end of this one. Ugh. Tanktops.

HERE is Jack Black covering the song at a club appearance in 1998.

The winner? Duh.