Judas Priest frontman, Rob Halford, is featured in a new interview with Dallas Morning News, in which he discusses being a heavy metal pioneer, coming out, the band's Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction, and more. An excerpt follows:
Q: The “Gay 90s” were a pivotal era for LGBTQ rights, but not so much in heavy metal, which has always been rife with homophobia. How did you get the courage to come out as gay in an MTV interview in 1998?
Rob Halford: "It was tough, because I was always about pleasing other people. I didn’t want to make a fuss.
"My sexual identity could have been the end of the band in the ‘80s, because as you point out, the climate at the time was all 'Girls, Girls, Girls' and Mötley Crüe or whatever, which I always think is ironic because a lot of guys in bands were looking like drag queens.
"It took my sobriety to bring me to a place where I wanted to step forward and say, 'Enough is enough … I’ve got to stop pretending, because I’m doing too much mental damage to myself.' When I did that, it was such a relief.
"For anybody that’s dealing with that life-changing decision, I say, 'Just do it.' Just do it for yourself, because you’ll find out who really loves you and who accepts you with no boundaries."
Read the complete interview at Dallas Morning News.
Judas Priest received the "Musical Excellence" award at the 2022 Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony, held on November 5 at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, CA. The event aired on HBO on Saturday, November 19.
Former members K.K. Downing (guitar) and Les Binks (drums) joined vocalist Rob Halford, guitarist Glenn Tipton, bassist Ian Hill, drummer Scott Travis, and Downing's replacement Richie Faulkner for a medley of "You've Got Another Thing Comin'", "Breaking The Law" and "Living After Midnight". Prior to the band's performance, they were inducted into the Hall by Alice Cooper.
HQ video of Alice Cooper's induction speech, Judas Priest's performance, and the band members' acceptance speeches, can be viewed below:
Judas Priest will be touring with Ozzy Osbourne in early 2023. Rob Halford recently said, "Finally, it's happening. Judas Priest and Ozzy Osbourne in our home country initially, kicking off a UK tour together. Never been done before. It's gonna be sensational, to be on the stages through the UK with a dear, dear friend of hours. It's gonna be a blast!"
Ozzy Osbourne / Judas Priest dates:
January
26 - Berlin, Germany - Mercedes-Benz Arena
28 - Prague, Czech Republic - O2 Arena
31 - Zurich, Switzerland - Hallenstadion
February
2 - Budapest, Hungary - Budapest Arena (Ozzy only)
5 - Madrid, Spain - WiZink Center
8 - Bologna, Italy - Unipol Arena
11 - Mannheim, Germany - SAP Arena
14 - Hamburg, Germany - Barclaycard Arena
17 - Helsinki, Finland - Hartwall Arena
19 - Stockholm, Sweden - Friends Arena
21 - Dortmund, Germany - Westfalenhalle
24 - Munich, Germany - Olympiahalle
27 - Nottingham, UK - Motorpoint Arena
March
1 - Dublin, Ireland - 3Arena
4 - Birmingham, UK - Resorts World Arena
7 - London, UK - The O2
9 - Manchester, UK - AO Arena
12 - Newcastle, UK - Utilita Arena
14 - Glasgow, UK - The SSE Hydro
