Rob Halford on recording new Judas Priest: "I always have Glenn around"

Metal God Rob Halford appeared on Bloodstock’s ‘Bloodthirsty Podcast’, and whilst speaking with podcast host and DevilDriver frontman Dez Fafara, confessed that he still likes to have Glenn Tipton in the studio when he's recording vocals.

Asked by Fafara "Do you record with the band there? Do you record just you and the producer?", Rob answered "I always have Glenn around because I still value his input".

It's a touching line that will mean a lot to the Priest faithful, as Tipton has retired from touring with the band since he publicly revealed his Parkinson's Disease diagnosis in 2018. Although he has since appeared on stage with the band a number of times (including at Bloodstock 2018), it's reassuring to fans that he's still intimately involved with the recording process, despite his illness.

Rob continued: "Richie is in the studio as well, Ian comes and goes, Scott's in and out". "When we started to make our records, everyone was in the studio. So when you went into the vocal booth and that red light would go on, it'd just be fear and panic. For the longest time I found that really difficult, but now I'm just like 'okay stop, now we've got enough.'"

Ahead of their headlining slot on the Bloodstock stage this August bank holiday weekend, the Judas Priest vocalist also recounted his memories of performing at the 10,000 capacity festival.“Metal is all about family, we call it the metal community," he explains. "Those guys, at the heart of what they do, have such a pure love for metal, and have made that the world’s premiere heavy metal festival. I know there are other metal festivals per se, but as far as the UK goes, it’s the best.”

The Judas Priest: 50 Heavy Metal Years tour was postponed due to the on-going Covid-19 pandemic, meaning that the band’s appearance at Catton Park will be the first official show in celebration of the band’s 50-year career.

Explaining the performance’s importance, Rob Halford continued: “Not only will it be our first live show, it’ll be our first official live show celebrating 50 years of heavy metal from Judas Priest. What more can you ask for? It’s going to be such an exciting piece of heavy metal history that we get to create together.”

The band will be joining a Bloodstock Festival lineup including The Wildhearts, Saxon, Phil Campbell and the Bastard Sons, and Black Spiders.

Watch Rob Halford on the Bloodstock Bloodthirsty podcast here:

Rob explores Judas Priest’s history with stories and anecdotes in his 2020 autobiography, Confess, sharing that the experience of writing the book was one of catharsis: “I think it was a great opportunity for the fans who have followed us and supported us especially, to see the other sides of who we are. That’s what these books are about,” explains Halford.

“Ian Gittins is the master of this type of experience,” Rob admits. “We did the majority of the talking in the kitchen of my little place in Walsall, and I just laid everything on the table.”

Judas Priest are due to hit the road for their postponed 50 Years of Heavy Metal tour across the UK next March. More tour dates below:

Judas Priest 50 Heavy Metal Years UK tour dates:

FEB

Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham - Sunday 27th

MARCH

3Arena Dublin, Ireland - Tuesday 1st

Resorts World Arena, Birmingham - Friday 4th

O2 Arena, London - Monday 7th

AO Arena, Manchester - Wednesday 9th

Utilita Arena, Newcastle - Saturday 12th

SSE Hyro, Glasgow - Monday 14th

Take a look at our favourite shots from Bloodstock 2019:

Read more:

Rob Halford waxes lyrical about Judas Priest's 'really strong' 19th album

Judas Priest announce colossal 42 CD '50 Heavy Metal Years of Music' box set

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• Judas Priest
• Rob Halford
• Bloodstock