In a recent interview with Metal Hammer, Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford and bassist Ian Hill addressed the band’s hard-partying days in their height of fame by implying that Mötley Crüe also followed their lead.
Musicians and their crews are notorious for excessive alcohol and drug consumption, especially on tours. It is the same situation when they gain mainstream recognition and popularity. Judas Priest also went through similar processes after making their commercial breakthrough with their eighth studio album, ‘Screaming for Vengeance,’ released in 1982.
While enjoying the considerable success they’d been waiting for a time, the band’s substance abuse problems also surfaced. The band members were partying heavily almost every day. However, Rob Halford realized after some point in 1986 that he needed to become clean and sober after his life began spiraling out of control. Then, the singer went to rehab and has stayed sober up to this day.
While addressing their hard-partying days in the new issue of Metal Hammer, Halford said that he still doesn’t know how they dealt with the process following the record, ‘Screaming for Vengeance.’ All the band members were drinking heavily and partying a lot, risking their lives.
Then, Ian Hill added that another band notorious for their wild lifestyles and crazy moments, Mötley Crüe got their party ideas from them. The bassist thinks Crüe members followed the path they paved and chose to live a similar life to theirs.
Rob Halford speaking on their partying days:
“How we got through that record, I don’t know. We were dancing with death. I went into town every night getting absolutely f*cking bladdered. Ian drove a rental car into the pond out the front of the studio at four o’clock in the morning, waking everybody up.”
Ian Hill added:
“Where do you think Mötley Crüe got their ideas from? We killed several cars, then a couple of motorcycles as well.”
Later in the interview, Rob Halford also revealed that the band’s most notorious party animal was their lead guitarist, Glenn Tipton. The singer even likened the guitarist to The Who’s drummer Keith Moon who also had a considerable reputation for his numerous crazy moments.
