Who were the first heavy metal band?

[malumbu]

Clearly Judas Priest.  Rob Halford's vocal range is/was something else.  They never got the early fame and success that Sabbath did.  Sabbath are doing one last gig, and BBC claims they were the first.  Couldn't comment on the Beeb article so this is next best thing 

Long since stopped listening to this genre but need to put the record right.

[ed_pete]

Deep Purple ? Led Zeppelin ? Both around the late sixties I'm guessing.