Judas Priest frontman, Rob Halford, is featured in a new interview with Metal Express Radio, and during the chat he talks about the band's forthcoming follow-up to 2018's Firepower album.
Says Halford: "When you're in a band, you're always trying to better yourself; you're always trying to say, 'This is the best album we've ever made.' It's just a natural thing to do. And I'm aware of the great success and love that was given to Firepower. And so how do you deal with that? Well, firstly, you have to let that go. You have to let that go, because it's like you're chasing after something that's elusive. What's the point of trying to emulate something that you've already done? We've just gotta do like we've always done with Priest, the way that every album has its own concept, every album has its own thing. British Steel isn't Painkiller; Painkiller isn't Point Of Entry; Point Of Entry isn't 'Nostradamus. So this album is shaping up to be its own thing.
"As I've been saying in these recent Zooms, they're all waiting for me, because all the music is done. I've got the album here in front of me, on my laptop, and it sounds fucking amazing, which you expect every musician to say. But I've really gotta do my work now, and make sure that what I do relates to the great work that the guys have done.
"So, it's coming together. It'll be ready when it's ready. But we're trying to stick on a timeline. We're hoping to do this Ozzy tour. Please, Ozzy, be well enough; I think he will be. Once we do the Ozzy tour, then we're gonna really get into the back end of finishing the record and then probably being ready to release that. I'm saying now, I did say '23, It looks like it's '24, which isn't that far away. It's already almost February in 2023."
Hear more from Halford below:
Judas Priest, received the "Musical Excellence" award at the 2022 Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony, held on November 5, 2022 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.
The Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame YouTube channel has released the "Inductee Insights" video below, stating: "Through several decades, #RockHall2022 Inductee Judas Priest has proven that heavy metal is an art form and consists of a community where all are welcome. Take a closer look in this next episode of Inductee Insights, Powered by PNC Bank."
