Judas Priest has
arguably been the backbone of heavy metal. Established in 1969, the group
achieved platinum-record status a decade later with “Unleashed in the East.” In
the years since, it has released even more successful albums, including its
latest, “Firepower,” which marked the group’s highest-charting record ever on
the Billboard 200 albums chart.
At the core of
the band is frontman Rob Halford, who is often
referred to as the “Metal God.” As burdening as that nickname sounds, it suits
him. Halford’s voice is supreme, and Judas Priest is the band with the
definitive metal songs. Halford is an iconic figure, known for his studded,
leather attire and penchant for riding motorcycles onstage.
Halford’s coming
out as gay two decades ago has long been a part of the group’s mainstream
identity, and its enduring presence has been unbowed by setbacks like guitarist
Glenn Tipton’s recent Parkinson’s Disease diagnosis. The group continues to
rock on, and Halford himself keeps a vital presence that includes an Instagram
account, where he occasionally posts whimsical selfies.
Judas Priest is
playing at Darien Lake Amphitheater on Wednesday, September 5. In a recent
interview during a tour break, Halford was warm and gracious as he discussed
the music, human rights, and his own Christianity. An edited version of the
interview follows.
CITY: What
keeps you going?
Rob Halford: It’s the music, first and foremost.
That’s the driving force for me in my life, and I think it’s the same for
everybody in Judas Priest. You wake up each day with endless possibilities, and
when it comes to music, it’s a constant adventure. It’s always evolving, and
you never quite know where it’s going to take you. It’s exciting, no matter
where you end up. It’s the thrill of being a musician who is still active and
working. We’re on this big massive world tour with our new album “Firepower,”
which is probably going to go on for a couple of years, so that completes the
picture as well.
How do you
take care of yourself while you are out on the road? Like protecting your
hearing, for example?
For me, there was
a bit of a revolution when in-ear monitors were invented. When you’re a singer
in a band, you’re fighting to break through and hear yourself as well as
everyone else. Floor monitors never gave me the best experience as a singer,
and I would find that I was singing in a way that was more about trying to hear
myself than anything else.
When in-ear
monitors were invented, it was like an epiphany, because you could hear
yourself on stage as well as you could in the studio. So that was a lifesaver
for me, because that means I have been able to take care of my voice a lot
better now. Beyond that, it’s just been sensible. When you go out on stage, you
have a responsibility to not let your fans down.
All my partying
days – although I still like to party – ended about 32 years ago, and I’ve made
the necessary adjustments to make sure that I can do what’s expected of me.
Judas Priest
strikes me as a band with tons of great songs. Has the band ever set out to
write hits?
That was never
important to me until we came to America, and we saw the glorious power of rock
‘n’ roll radio. Even now, one of our biggest thrills is to come into town, turn
on the radio, and hear our music. We love that side of what we do. But having
said that, I don’t think we’ve ever really with determination said, “Let’s
write a song for radio,” because essentially, we’re a heavy metal band.
One of our
biggest songs, “You’ve Got Another Thing Coming,” was buried in the album
“Screaming For Vengeance.” At that time we were back in England, and when we
heard from the label that it was making waves on the radio, we were thrilled.
The hits have happened, but it was pretty much out of our control. It’s just
when the components fall into place you sometimes get lucky.
How do you see
the new album fitting into the Judas Priest catalog?
It’s been
absolutely amazing. I want to thank all of our fans for giving us the great
success for “Firepower.” It’s gone way over the top as far as what we ever
anticipated. You never know what’s going to happen with your music. In your
mind, you can think you have written the greatest song or greatest record, and
for whatever reason, it doesn’t touch people. That’s not been the case with
“Firepower.”
I think there’s
been a lot of re-investigating of Judas Priest, and we’ve been at the right
time and right place with the songs. So this is already becoming a Priest
classic, and it’s only been out for a few months.
What’s the
most unusual place that a Judas Priest song has been played?
We’re going to
Jakarta, Indonesia, this year, and President Joko Widodo is a huge heavy metal
fan. So that just shows you how this style of music has become such a global
force.
If you would have
asked me 30 years ago, I would have said places like Indonesia or Iran or Iraq,
places that on the surface you wouldn’t think would be hearing or be able to
hear that kind of music. Now you can go anywhere in the world and find a heavy
metal maniac, and it’s thrilling to know the power of heavy metal has touched
every place on the planet.
What has been
one of the most flattering things that has happened to you since you’ve become
famous?
I’m a really
simple guy. I don’t know. Ever since the “British Steel” years, the fans
started to give me this title the “Metal God,” which is extremely flattering
and makes you think more about who you are and what you’re trying to be and do
with your music.
At any moment
when you’re recognized, like when you get a Grammy, that’s tremendously
flattering. These are all extras that you never even dream of, and there’s been
quite a few over the years. It makes you feel good. It makes you work harder
and try harder.
I’ve read that
you have some collaborations in the works. Would you ever consider writing
songs from a different lyrical perspective, like writing political songs or
stepping out of your metal comfort zone?
I could do that,
and I never say never. I think if you’re a musician, there’s a great open field
of opportunity. But when you walk into that world of politics, you really have
to be sure and committed about making that kind of a move. I have some good
friends that make those kinds of songs, and it takes a lot of strength to
maintain your platform in some of those areas.
If you listen to
Priest songs and you look at Priest lyrics, there are references all over the
place that could be a smoke screen, in a political sense. But I’m not really an
activist. Some days I wake up and I think I should be, especially being a gay
metal head and knowing that there are still all of these injustices against
people like me.
But at the same
time, when I stand on stage in Saint Petersburg in Russia, that’s a victory for
gay people. Sometimes you don’t have to say anything. You just stand there and
people go, “I know exactly what you’re thinking right now standing on that
stage.”
Some of the
greatest leaders in that realm have been very quiet and low-key. The volume
around a person isn’t necessarily loud. It’s just you have to look at an
individual and know what they represent.
You released a
Christmas album in 2011 featuring a beautiful rendition of “O Holy Night.” Are
you a Christian?
Yes, that’s the
label I have to stick on myself, because I am. But I don’t really like
organized religion. The spiritual faith to me, it is what it is, and just
because there are certain elements of my spiritual faith that are more directed
towards Christianity, that’s probably what I am. That’s important to me on a
day-to-day basis.
Is 2019 the
year that Judas Priest gets inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?
I don’t know. I
hope so, and I think we will one day. I just hope we will while we’re alive,
because I want to go there. When that day comes, I want to be there, and I want
to be jumping, yelling, screaming, and shouting with joy for Judas Priest and
heavy metal.
This article appears in Aug 29 – Sep 4, 2018.
