Judas Priest’s Rob Halford: ‘Rock & roll will never die’
Judas Priest singer Rob Halford has insisted that rock & roll will never die, saying "this is as true now as it ever was."
In a wide-ranging chat with Revolver, the metal legend was asked whether he agrees with comments the late-great Lemmy Kilmister made in Kerrang! Magazine in 2015 where he questioned whether a new band will emerge to fly the flag for rock n’ roll.
"There'll always be a rock & roll band of some nature," an unconcerned Rob responded. "It doesn't have to be a band that plays Madison Square Garden. It could just be a great band that plays a club.
“I think the legacy of what Lemmy's left is huge - Motörhead and what three guys can do, the simple experience of three guys making that kind of sound in rock & roll, in metal. There will always be something of that nature. I mean, Royal Blood is two guys, right? And before that was Jack White, the White Stripes.
“The good thing about the turmoil that's going on in the world today is that it does reverberate in music. Through the Sixties the important core bands, like the Doors or the Jefferson Airplane - those really early experiences of pushing back against what was going on around you went into the music. With Lemmy it was like "Eat the Rich," you know, "Ace of Spades."
“It's a different world, but I don't think there's anything to worry about. Rock & roll will never die. This is as true now as it ever was."
Rob added: “It's interesting, because once (Black Sabbath) retired that kind of leaves Priest as being one of the longest active working metal bands in the world right now.
“But right now, you're still surrounded by some giants in metal — Metallica and Maiden. In hard rock, you've got Guns N' Roses, AC/DC, KISS, Aerosmith. There's still a backbone of these vintage — if you want to call them that — types of experiences that are still very, very important.”
Rob has also shed more light on Glenn Tipton’s decade-long battle with Parkinson’s disease, saying he only made the decision to quit touring with Judas Priest five days before the announcement on Monday.
"Glenn has been battling hardcore with Parkinson's for 10 years and he's not let it stop him in any way whatsoever. Y’know, writing, recording, touring the world for the last 10 years," Rob told The Quietus.
"He can still play guitar - we have to emphasize this as well - he can still play the guitar, but when it comes to some of the more challenging songs that Priest has written over the years and songs that, for the most part, have to be included in the set, that's when it's just becoming a little bit difficult for him.
“So the biggest thing for Glenn - this is why he's really a hero for us — was to come to the conclusion that Andy Sneap would be flying the flag for him. We know Andy, and Andy has been so gracious to accept the request from Glenn, to be on stage for him for the 'Firepower' tour."
Judas Priest’s 18th studio album ‘Firepower’ is released on Friday 9th March 2018.