Rob Halford discusses four decades of Judas Priest with nothing to lose at all. And Nestor shares memories of the night when a 17-year old #AlmostFamous version of himself was treated with kindness by the legend.
Rob Halford of Judas Priest discussed the band’s upcoming 50th anniversary and their March 18 show at Anthem DC. He highlighted the band’s history of performing in various venues, from clubs to stadiums, and emphasized the importance of fan support. Halford also addressed Glenn Tipton’s Parkinson’s diagnosis, noting Tipton’s resilience and occasional performances. The conversation touched on the band’s new album “Firepower” and the challenges of touring. Halford expressed gratitude for the fans’ support and emphasized the unity within the heavy metal community.Rob Halford of Judas Priest ro…ote March 18 show at Anthem DC
Judas Priest, Rob Halford, Anthem DC, March 18, heavy metal, Firepower album, Glenn Tipton, Parkinson’s disease, fan support, touring challenges, set list, United song, heavy metal community, new music, festival atmosphere
SPEAKERS
Nestor Aparicio, Rob Halford
Nestor Aparicio 00:00
Welcome back. Wnst. Towson, Baltimore and wnst.net we have spent so much time talking about not sticking to sports around here and spanning the globe to bring you the constant variety of conversation. When I found out that Judas Priest was coming back to the area and playing an anthem on March 18 a new facility down in DC that I’m so excited about, I had to break out all of my old Rob Halford swag from back in the 80s. I sat down with Rob Halford the evening of August 27 1986 and yes, we’re all still alive. It was the fuel for life tour and the turbo album and electric eye and the Hellion and screaming for vengeance and all of that greatness now back and back on the airwaves. Here. Also interviewed him in 1990 I put all that stuff up on Facebook and on Twitter. It is great to reunite with the great Rob Halford, the man, the myth, the legend from Judas Priest Rob It must really be a thrill at this point to be shown the kind of love you guys have been shown. And we’ll get into conversations about Glenn and the new tour and everything you guys are doing. But this has been a great, great time to be Rob Halford Judas Priest.
Rob Halford 01:11
You know, it’s a thrill. It’s the best feeling in the world. As we as we roll over from 2018 to 2019 and I’m pushing things just in February, but you know, priest is going to be celebrating 50 years of heavy metal next year. So is that? Is that a crazy idea, just to think about this is just the power and the strength and the love and the support the priest has had from our wonderful fans here in the United States and around the world to keep us going, keep us motivated. It’s like sports, you know, Nestor, you and I talked about the equation. We thrive on what our fans give us back from from the work that we we put out, either on the court or on or on the stage. So it’s the best feeling in the world, man. And we’ve got the high power album about to drop 18 and studio albums in big two are about to kick off, and things couldn’t be better.
Nestor Aparicio 02:05
Well, I tell you what the anthem is going to be. Quite the scene. I know you probably have heard of The Legend of what they’ve tried to build, which is the perfect kind of Hall to have anyone from the killers to Lord to bringing in the legend of priest. I mean, you guys built this thing back in the 70s in clubs. You know, it expanded into arenas as we remember you back in the 80s. And you’ve taken the all over the world, you know, I don’t know a room you guys can’t go in and just turn it up and and make it work. Is there something you prefer at this point? I mean, you’ve played every kind of venue there is. I think there’s something to be said for stadiums and playing in places like South America, Eastern Europe, where there’s just this engaged audience. And I guess there’s something about some intimacy of playing some new smaller venues as well.
Rob Halford 02:55
You know, it’s so important to kind of pay your dues with doing every conceivable shape, size, room that you can reach into. And that’s certainly what priest did in the early days, particularly here in America. You know, we, we started touring in the in the mid, late 70s, and there was already a fan base for us due to this great reach of radio. And so, yeah, you know, any place we could plug the power source into priests would be firing up. And that’s true. I mean, we still mix it up. We’re doing festivals. We’re headlining festivals this year in various parts of the world. We’re doing our own tours in various capacity venues. It’s nicer sometimes to jump into a venue that’s that that has a more of an intimate vibe, because it takes you back, you know, but that you just said about the kind of trying to get I love festivals because there’s an amazing atmosphere about them, but you’ve really got to know how to work that space to make it connect to, you know, 5060, 70,000, people. However, it does connect. And they’re wonderful events, and it’s a mix up of different talent that you’re working with. So it’s a great night out for a festival. But when you when you’re in this one on one environment, when you can kind of sweat over the front row, and you know, you can scream into each other’s face. It’s so primal, and it really has the best components and elements of what heavy metal is in the purest form. You know, this heavy metal feeling of power and controlled aggression, and this exchange of emotions and this feeling of unity, as we call it, the heavy metal community, the fans and the bands coming together, united in something so strong as the heavy metal spirit. It’s all a blessing. Man, it really is. It’s the best feeling. Man,
Nestor Aparicio 04:52
you just use the word united in a conversation with me. Rob Halford, you know, give me something on that song and some genes. Is because I have some dear friends of mine who rolled the British Steel up and down Bank Street and Colgate and Dundalk back in the day. And that was literally the theme song of what we refer to then as the brew crew. Rob,
Rob Halford 05:14
you know, it crosses over, doesn’t it? Master no matter where you get in, like it has to generally be with somebody by your side, or a team of people, a team of players in a band, in work, at school, family, you all have to have this element of unification. And so this beautiful song United really talks about that. It talks about, in some instances, in the words, if I can remember them. It talks about taking on any kind of challenge and overcoming it because you’re united together to face difficulties and to get through it, and to be, you know, and to move up and to move ahead and be victorious, Be positive, be a champion. You know, it’s, it’s all rolled into this, this great feeling of what the song United talks about.
Nestor Aparicio 06:05
You know, when I think about your life, and the last time I believe I was in the room with you, was in August of 86 on the turbo tour. And then after that, there was a 1990 tour at the Capitol center. And you know, through all of this your life. I mean, from the drugs, the alcohol, the leather, the metal, the sexuality, the court cases, the misinterpretation of your music, the road, the redemption to still be alive and doing it. And have to these stories to tell and to talk about festivals, right? I mean, you were just trying to get a gig back in the day, in a place, you know, back in the 70s, and get a contract and have one album, and have one song that someone ever came up and sang to you, the fact that festivals are doing this, and that you’ve done a lot of good for the world, and heavy metal, you know, through all of these years, has been bound together. And I think the internet has brought people together through music in so many ways to save lives and all sorts of incredible stories to stand at the Godfather Part of that, it’s, I mean, it’s been an incredible ride for you. Man,
Rob Halford 07:10
it is, and it’s a miracle. Man, I mean, you just referenced some very important points in in my life, personally and that are obviously correct, connected directly to priest. So, you know, the backbone of all of this is this, it’s this determination. It’s this, it’s this, this feeling inside of you that there’s, there’s something more to do. It’s, it’s not kind of laying back on your laurels of success. You know, it’s ambition, still, it’s it’s itself, multi self motivation that that can only really, to some extent, come from you. You’re responsible. And then you take the great gifts that your friends that surround you, and you take the great gifts of support and encouragement from them, like we just had, with a great production team of Tom and Andy and and Mike to get these things out of us. You know, again, I always equate it to sports, because if you have the if you have the ability there, if you have the seed inside of you, that’s important. But again, you get, you get so far. And then you need to look at the opportunities that are available by people that can see and feel a little something that by their coaching, they coach it out of you. They coach that’s that other note that you’re trying to reach. They coach that, that way, that you hit the drums a little bit stronger. All of these, all of these things are embodied into the survival of Judas Priest to the point, but we’re at now to celebrate all of that with the release of firepower.
Nestor Aparicio 08:53
Well, you know, as a fan and as a guy who did this 30 years ago and talking to people like you and creating these incredible memories, some some folks have been lost along the way. And I don’t need to tell you where we’ve been with ACDC recently. And you look up Prince and different artists, and then the word comes about Glenn for your band. And you know, when I set this interview up with you, was six, eight weeks ago, you know, we didn’t know. Clearly, this has been something that has been on all of your minds and now on the minds of the fans. And I’d be remiss if I didn’t ask you about it at this point and just how things are. And I would think that for you on the inside, this is it’s very emotional, maybe even more so, clearly, than to the fans to go out and perform at this point, but knowing that this is what you do when you march on, and this is what everyone wants. But this is not an easy point for for where priest is in its history, right?
Rob Halford 09:44
You know, I’m going to take this opportunity with your show Nestor on wnst to thank everybody for that incredible outpouring of love and support to Glen, mostly through various talk. Was in social media, phone calls, letters, the luck Glen has been swamped. You know, here’s the thing, and you’ve mentioned another couple of bands that have been through these challenges before. This kind of all rolls into how this great discussion that we’re having about this, this, this, this ceiling, this opportunity that we have, that the show must go on, you have to be able to take the next step forward, no matter what the difficulty is in life, because it’s easy to quit the simplest, simplest thing in the world, to quit if you have the strength, and again, surrounded by people that support you to move ahead, like Glen has been doing for 10 years. Man he’s been with Parkinson’s has been in his body for 10 years, and you wouldn’t believe the struggles that he’s been having, but he’s been able to write, he’s been able to tour, he’s been able to record. It’s only been in these last few days that he’s that he’s accepted that from his from his place that he’s at in his life now. And this is typical of Glenn. The band has to go on. The band must tour. I want the band to get out on the road and play these songs we’ve done on firepower and everything else that we love about priest. We have to keep the band going. You know, that’s just an incredible display of his love for priests, for the fans, for the music, if everything rolled into one. So Glen is doing good. He can still play guitar, albeit in his in his fashion. That works best for him. And the good news is that, as we’ve said in the statement, Nestor, now and again, you’ll show up at a show, and you’ll come out and you’ll play a couple of tunes. How great is that? You know, that’s another display of strength and power from Glen as he moves on in his life, dealing with the issues that he has.
Nestor Aparicio 11:55
What do you love about it at this point? Rob, I mean, you to your point. You don’t have to be doing this. And obviously it’s something that earns a living, but also needs to be enjoyed. But it’s also, you know, I think, for anyone that looks at a tour schedule and just has ever been on a road anywhere, doing anything, this is a very difficult thing to move an operation around, and it really is a hell of a commitment. And more than that, to your point, you talk about the athletic part of it, and the sports part of it, going out and performing and singing these songs the way that you want to sing them and perform them. It’s a lot different. They’re probably doing it back in the 80s. For you,
Rob Halford 12:32
it is a lot. A lot of it is a lot of it is the same, but a lot of it is different, certainly in the respect that time March is on for a singer like myself, you have to stay in in as best shape as you can, you know, and I look after what I eat, I get my exercise in. And it’s mental as well as physical. You have to get all the you have to get all the components in the right place to be able to deal with the mental side of touring and being able to go on stage night after night, place after place, all over the world to deliver the goods. As we say in food, we’re going everywhere on this tour again. We love you our fans. You are our life blood. We’re doing this for you, and we’re doing it for us, for ourselves, obviously, but we can’t go out on these tours without our beautiful fans, you know. So it’s a balance that of great harmony and love and support and respect for each other that keeps us motivated and gets us ready to close the door, turn the lock and come back in about a year and a half, you know, having gone around the world a couple of times, which is what we’re about to do, but it’s a joy, man. I’m not grumbling. Nobody’s complaining. It’s just, it’s just the start of another adventure for Judas Priest with the new music from firepower.
Nestor Aparicio 13:52
So tell me how we put a set list together all these years later.
Rob Halford 13:58
Oh Lord.
Nestor Aparicio 14:00
So hardest thing in the world to do, right? Yeah,
Rob Halford 14:03
man, hundreds and hundreds of songs. You know, priest is a is a is a working heavy metal band. So we’re out supporting our newest music. But if we didn’t play breaking the law, I think the anthem would be beat, would be getting well beaten up, you know, living after midnight painkiller. You know all of all of these beautiful songs that are part of the embodiment of the life of Judas Priest. We’re going to blast those out to you guys again and again and again. We love playing those songs. And of course, again with the new songs as well, it’s harder and harder to get the best set list for everybody, but we’ve got some we’ve got some good tunes on this, on this upcoming to to an Nestor. I hope you’ll be there in the front row throwing up the heavy metal horns and banging your head to living up to midnight when we come in sales. Oh,
Nestor Aparicio 14:57
Anthem, indeed. Hey, remember now you. Coming to the home of heavy metal parking lot, right? So it’s where all the magic began, at the Capitol center many, many years ago. Rob, yeah,
Rob Halford 15:08
absolutely. We’ve got a rich history with the Baltimore area, and I’m the same nowhere no matter where we go. You know, all of these beautiful places that we’re going to visit here in the United States and elsewhere, we’ve been, we’ve been to you guys multiple times. You know, I know another hotel that I’m going to be staying to Baltimore. I know as I turn left is probably a Starbucks on the left, and across the street in
Nestor Aparicio 15:36
America somewhere. I think it was great visiting with you. And even more so, you’re bringing the boys from Saxon over, who were another one of my favorites from many moons ago. So it’s going to be quite the celebration with the black star riders and the Judas Priest fellas bringing it back, and Rob Halford, we’re really excited about it. I’m really, really pleased you took some time to visit with us here again. And many, many moons ago, I had the almost famous role of sitting down with you as an 18 year old aspiring music critic. It feels good to still be young, Rob,
Rob Halford 16:08
it’s the best feeling in the world, Buddy, keep playing the metal. Thank you so much for defending the site at wnst, and we’ll see you soon. We’ll see
Nestor Aparicio 16:15
on the 18th there he goes, Rob Halford of Judas, priest. You can follow them out on Twitter. You can find out all about the tour, all about everything they’re doing. The Fire Power Tour is there. And, of course, the news about Glenn Tipton as well. But there you have it right from Rob Halford himself, March 18 down at Anthem. I have not been to anthem yet, so this is going to be my I wanted to do something special the first night at Anthem. And there’s, there might be some things going on that night to follow along on twitter and Facebook, I don’t know, but I’m looking forward to it. Love Saxon as well, so it’s awesome of everyone that made that happen. I do appreciate the Rock and Roll community come together and supporting me, my show, our station, and doing a bunch of rock and roll around here. We’re not just sticking to sports. We’re gonna have a whole bunch of ravens, a whole bunch of Orioles, Terps taps. We’re doing all that stuff. Coach trots doing a charity term with us next month as well, for the bone marrow red for there goes my hero. But in the meantime, we will take a little time to mix a little heavy metal, little hard rock, little folk rock, little jazz, right? Whatever it is. If I’m if a musician wants to talk to me, I want to talk to them. How about that? So also the charities and the community conversation as all brought to you by Howard bank, coming soon on Thursday mornings, if you have a 501, c3, if you’re involved in anything charitable in the community, locally, and you want a little bit of shine, a little bit of time to tell your story, I’d love to tell your story on w n s t, you can toss me an email nasty at W n s t.net, for that, for all the sports people. And I can’t believe, like Halford mixed that sports thing right on in with performing and all that. It’s a lot of fun to talk to Rob how from Judas Priest, all my memorabilia is up on my Facebook at Nestor Aparicio, on Facebook, on Twitter, LinkedIn, Snapchat, Instagram. I think we’re pretty much everywhere. We’re also out in the buy a toyota.com audio of all 24 hours a day from anywhere in the world for all the sports stuff we talk about in all of our conversations. I’ve had some great book authors this week. We’ve had Ed O’Bannon on doing court justice. We’ve had Alex Hutchinson on with endure. I had Pat Williams on talking about his new John Wooden book. So we’ve done some stuff around here, in addition to Michael Shanker joining us in his band, several bands from MSG coming together at the Fillmore next month as well. So we’re mixing it up around here. Stick around. We’re gonna make you proud. Nasty@wnst.net finds me. Our morning newspaper ships to your email inbox each and every morning, at 7am it’s all brought to you by our friends at Planet Fitness, at Planet fitness.com where it’s still 10 bucks a month to get in the best shape of your life, guaranteed. Last, but never least, the Orioles aren’t trading Manny Machado, but if they did, or if they do, you’ll get it first on the wnst tech service. That’s all brought to you by coons Ford of security Boulevard. I am Nestor. We are wnst.net am 1570 at wnst to Baltimore. We never stop talking Baltimore sports. You.
