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		Bev wrote:
		In case anyone missed the webmaster post:  www.classicrockrevisited.com/interviewKK.htm

When Rolling Stone rang Judas Priest's Rob Halford to discuss the group's upcoming live album, A Touch of Evil: Live (out July 14th), the leather-clad singer also discussed their classic British Steel LP — an album that will soon be celebrating its 30th anniversary. For their upcoming U.S. tour with Whitesnake, Priest will be performing the album in its entirety, and British Steel will be reissued next year with a DVD of live performances filmed on the upcoming tour. "It's a nostalgia trip for lots of reasons — where were you in 1980?" Halford says. The frontman also chatted about breaking through in America and the cult classic short film Heavy Metal Parking Lot.

What should we know about A Touch of Evil: Live?
I'm excited about it. It's a very powerful, strong, fierce record — in terms of the music and the intensity. We put together a list of songs that are extremely heavy. It really sends a message of determination and tenacity from the band all these years later.

With the group revisiting British Steel this summer, where was Priest at when you started work on the album?
It was a very interesting time for us. I've always believed that most times, the best material from any band is their first two releases. Priest is a little unusually different in that manner, because this was our sixth studio release. Suddenly, the band seemed to change shape, and you get a very distinctive moment coming from Priest, in terms of the way the songs were written and the production. We'd just come off the back of mixing Unleashed in the East, and we were on a schedule to release a full studio album. We were burning the candle at both ends, because we had some ideas, but we didn't have enough.

So quite a bit of the writing took place at a house that was the former home of John Lennon [Tittenhurst Park, in Ascot, Berkshire, England] — Ringo was living there at the time. There was a lot of stuff going on in the U.K. — socially/politically, it was in turmoil with the Thatcher government and the unions, street fights with coal miners and the police. It was a really volatile bit of a revolution around the late '70s. I think some of that went into my writing as a lyricist. If you listen to the words and messages on British Steel, it's full of that angst.

Did you meet any of the Beatles during the recording?
Ringo was in Barbados or Bermuda — he has a second house there — so we didn't see him. But the house was full of Lennon, as far as the white room he'd made "Imagine." That's the room where Glenn [Tipton] woke me up, because my bedroom was above that room, and Glenn was clanging out the chords to "Living After Midnight" at 4:00 in the morning. He woke me up, I came downstairs, and said, "Glenn, it seems like you're living after midnight down here." And he said, "That's a great title for this song!" It's full of memories like that — walking around the lake where Lennon was rowing across in that "Imagine" video. I always will be a Beatles fan. If you want to learn about writing a good song, listen to the Beatles. It's as simple as that.

At what point did you realize you'd come up with such a strong album?
30 years later [laughs]. We're so British in that way — we never take anything for granted. It's natural to feel good about what you've created, but you have no control over its fate or destiny. It's up to the masses to figure where it's going to stand. But looking at its value 30 years later, it's an important record for the genre of heavy metal.

What were audiences' initial reaction to "Breaking the Law" and "Living After Midnight"?
It was absolutely immediate. That riff in "Breaking the Law" is like our "Whole Lotta Love" or "Smoke on the Water." More exciting to us was how it was creating things in America, because we had been to America on a few tours. Suddenly, we had music that could be played on American rock radio. British Steel has a very strong American connection because of that.

Among Priest's earlier stateside shows was opening for Led Zeppelin in Oakland, on what would be their last two U.S. performances with John Bonham.
We had just come to the end of our first massive American tour. We were ready to go back home, and then we got a call from management that Robert Plant knew we were over here, and said, "We'd love Priest to open for Zeppelin." We had to park our carcasses in a Motel 6 for about a week, and wait for the moment to happen. Without a doubt, those two shows [at Oakland Stadium] helped break Priest on the West Coast. We went on very early in the morning, because it was a 4:00 p.m. curfew. When we went on, there was still a lot of that fog that you get in the Oakland/Bay Area. You could see a few thousand people on the floor. But while we were performing, the sun broke through, the fog lifted, and the place was absolutely full. It was mind-blowing.

And then Priest soon returned the favor to other up-and-coming bands.
We went out with Iron Maiden, Def Leppard. It's what you should do, no matter who you are or what music you play. We've all got a story to tell, and we're all on the same journey. We've all been through barely affording gas and sleeping in the van — that's part of your "apprenticeship."

Do you think Priest's audience is faithfully represented in Heavy Metal Parking Lot?
The camaraderie between the people in the parking lot and the things they're saying, it hasn't changed a lick. You go to any parking lot before a Priest show all these years later, and you'll still get that same kind of essence. That's what's special about metalheads; it's like the Marine Corps — once a metalhead, always a metalhead.

If someone wanted to be Rob Halford next Halloween, where's the best place to buy leather and studs?
[Laughs] There's a place called the Crypt in San Diego, which has all of your Halloween S&M needs...

Guitar intro to Victim of Changes. Awesome to have the twin axe attack playing right in front of you!!

 We are going to have to fix Rapid Fire... it looks like crap now. Looked good when we uploaded it, but now it's bad. Don't know what happened. Will post when it's fixed.
Edited at: Wednesday, July 29, 2009 12:59:56 PM

JUDAS PRIEST: Florida Concert To Be Filmed For Upcoming DVD - July 28, 2009 

www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx

British heavy metal legends JUDAS PRIEST will film their August 17, 2009 performance at the Hard Rock Live at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida for a DVD that will be included in a forthcoming expanded 30th-anniversary edition of their 1980 classic, "British Steel".

As they have done at all of their U.S. summer dates this year, PRIEST will perform the "British Steel" album in its entirety at the Seminole Hard Rock Arena.

Tickets for this show are now on sale via Ticketmaster.com.

Fan-filmed video footage of JUDAS PRIEST's July 21, 2009 performance at the PNC Pavilion in Cincinnati, Ohio can be viewed below (courtesy of "ToxMetal").

JUDAS PRIEST kicked off its "British Steel" 30th-anniversary tour on June 29 at the Murat Theatre in Indianapolis, Indiana. Vocalist Rob Halford recently told Noisecreep, "It's like suddenly, thirty years have come upon us and we're about to celebrate. The album's technical anniversary is April of next year, but want to start the party early."

Halford added, "In today's economy, all artists have to think of something to do differently. We decided that this would be a great opportunity to do something that PRIEST has never done before, which is to play an album in its entirety. The band and the name 'JUDAS PRIEST' have both been around since 1969, so it is our fortieth anniversary, too. We seem to be in a constant celebration mode!"

Along with 1982's "Screaming for Vengeance" and 1990's "Painkiller", "British Steel" has long been considered one of metal's all-time classics. It was with this release that PRIEST truly broke through to the masses, with a pair of tracks that have become fixtures on rock radio — the enduring anthems "Breaking the Law" and "Living After Midnight". But like all classic albums, there is not a single weak track detected on "British Steel", as evidenced by such standouts as the perennial concert highlight, "Metal Gods", as well as "Rapid Fire", "Grinder", "United" and "The Rage", among others.

Produced by Tom Allom, "British Steel" was recorded at the Tittenhurst Park in England — which is a mansion owned at the time by former THE BEATLES member Ringo Starr, and previously owned by John Lennon and Yoko Ono. In 2001, the album was remastered and reissued with extra bonus tracks, and also was the subject of an in-depth study as part of the popular "Classic Albums" DVD series

.

JUDAS PRIEST: Florida Concert To Be Filmed For Upcoming DVD - July 28, 2009 

www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx

British heavy metal legends JUDAS PRIEST will film their August 17, 2009 performance at the Hard Rock Live at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida for a DVD that will be included in a forthcoming expanded 30th-anniversary edition of their 1980 classic, "British Steel".

As they have done at all of their U.S. summer dates this year, PRIEST will perform the "British Steel" album in its entirety at the Seminole Hard Rock Arena.

Tickets for this show are now on sale via Ticketmaster.com.

Fan-filmed video footage of JUDAS PRIEST's July 21, 2009 performance at the PNC Pavilion in Cincinnati, Ohio can be viewed below (courtesy of "ToxMetal").

JUDAS PRIEST kicked off its "British Steel" 30th-anniversary tour on June 29 at the Murat Theatre in Indianapolis, Indiana. Vocalist Rob Halford recently told Noisecreep, "It's like suddenly, thirty years have come upon us and we're about to celebrate. The album's technical anniversary is April of next year, but want to start the party early."

Halford added, "In today's economy, all artists have to think of something to do differently. We decided that this would be a great opportunity to do something that PRIEST has never done before, which is to play an album in its entirety. The band and the name 'JUDAS PRIEST' have both been around since 1969, so it is our fortieth anniversary, too. We seem to be in a constant celebration mode!"

Along with 1982's "Screaming for Vengeance" and 1990's "Painkiller", "British Steel" has long been considered one of metal's all-time classics. It was with this release that PRIEST truly broke through to the masses, with a pair of tracks that have become fixtures on rock radio — the enduring anthems "Breaking the Law" and "Living After Midnight". But like all classic albums, there is not a single weak track detected on "British Steel", as evidenced by such standouts as the perennial concert highlight, "Metal Gods", as well as "Rapid Fire", "Grinder", "United" and "The Rage", among others.

Produced by Tom Allom, "British Steel" was recorded at the Tittenhurst Park in England — which is a mansion owned at the time by former THE BEATLES member Ringo Starr, and previously owned by John Lennon and Yoko Ono. In 2001, the album was remastered and reissued with extra bonus tracks, and also was the subject of an in-depth study as part of the popular "Classic Albums" DVD series

.

Well said J.D.! Yes I do always get a smile on my face when I think of the Metal God, and Heavy Metal would not be anywhere near the same without his influence on the genre. Very well said indeed.

		J.D. DIAMOND wrote:
		What an awsome interview.......man....Rob Halford is one cool dude and as far as him being gay,I think we all knew that when we all got into Judas Priest and we all didn't care!! lol! I've got a couple of gay friends,I've got a couple of black friends and a couple of mexican friends ......its "ALL THE SAME".....people are people who cares about sexual preference... To most of us old timers Rob has been to us like Santa Clause has been to a 5 year old kid.....every time you think about Rob Halford you get a smile and in honor we all thrive on his accomplishments in mastering the arts of heavy metal music.  This guy has been such a huge factor to countless bands as we all know and are aware of that fact.... Rob is an awsome showman and of course our favorite Vocalist in the world and he should be PROUD of himself for displaying such a supurb character that makes up our Metal God.    (Quoting Message by ronhartsell from Saturday, July 25, 2009 7:18:09 PM)   ronhartsell wrote:   Aidin Vaziri of the San Francisco Chronicle recently conducted an interview with JUDAS PRIEST singer Rob Halford. The short chat follows below. San Francisco Chronicle: You're playing a 30-year-old album ["British Steel"] on this tour. Has the backstage catering improved? Halford: Nothing's really changed. I think as far as venues and hotels and things like that at a certain point I think you just reach a plateau, and we reached ours some time ago. The most important part is when you walk out onstage and lay down some metal. Thirty years later, the songs are still fierce. We just get out there and blast through them. San Francisco Chronicle: How do you still hit all those high notes? Halford: Well, I can't hit all the notes. But my voice is an instrument, and you have to do what you can to take care of it. I quit smoking. I don't drink. I went through the whole rehab thing. I've been screaming my tits off for 38 years now, but it still works and it's in good shape. San Francisco Chronicle: People are actually taking JUDAS PRIEST seriously now. Are you mad? Halford: I don't think it seems that odd. We didn't have any idea we would be here this long. We weren't an overnight sensation. You've got to work hard to get to this place. It is a wonderful time for us right now, but it doesn't change anything. San Francisco Chronicle: Now that things are going so well, do you wish you had just stayed in the band the whole time and then also Marky Mark wouldn't have made that terrible movie "Rock Star"? Halford: I think the last thing you want in life is to live with regret. We've all talked about that time and we've agreed that, in retrospect, maybe we should have just taken a break. But I was able to fulfill my dreams and ambitions by making some music on my own, and I utilized all of those experiences. You don't fully appreciate your band until you're away from them. San Francisco Chronicle: Even though you wore S&M gear for years and released albums like "Hell Bent for Leather", people were pretty surprised when you came out during a 1998 MTV interview. Were you surprised that they were surprised? Halford: From my own perspective, I never understood the significance. It was an unplanned moment. I was on TV and said, "Speaking as a gay man." I didn't realize until 48 hours later the firestorm it had created. It never crossed my mind that anyone would care because I'd already been accepted. That part of me is a nonissue. We are who we are. I'm still the same person. Edited at: Sunday, July 26, 2009 5:12:29 AM

What an awsome interview.......man....Rob Halford is one cool dude and as far as him being gay,I think we all knew that when we all got into Judas Priest and we all didn't care!! lol!

I've got a couple of gay friends,I've got a couple of black friends and a couple of mexican friends ......its "ALL THE SAME".....people are people who cares about sexual preference...

To most of us old timers Rob has been to us like Santa Clause has been to a 5 year old kid.....every time you think about Rob Halford you get a smile and in honor we all thrive

on his accomplishments in mastering the arts of heavy metal music.  This guy has been such a huge factor to countless bands as we all know and are aware of that fact....

Rob is an awsome showman and of course our favorite Vocalist in the world and he should be PROUD of himself for displaying such a supurb character that makes up our Metal God.

		ronhartsell wrote:
		Aidin Vaziri of the San Francisco Chronicle recently conducted an interview with JUDAS PRIEST singer Rob Halford. The short chat follows below. San Francisco Chronicle: You're playing a 30-year-old album ["British Steel"] on this tour. Has the backstage catering improved? Halford: Nothing's really changed. I think as far as venues and hotels and things like that at a certain point I think you just reach a plateau, and we reached ours some time ago. The most important part is when you walk out onstage and lay down some metal. Thirty years later, the songs are still fierce. We just get out there and blast through them. San Francisco Chronicle: How do you still hit all those high notes? Halford: Well, I can't hit all the notes. But my voice is an instrument, and you have to do what you can to take care of it. I quit smoking. I don't drink. I went through the whole rehab thing. I've been screaming my tits off for 38 years now, but it still works and it's in good shape. San Francisco Chronicle: People are actually taking JUDAS PRIEST seriously now. Are you mad? Halford: I don't think it seems that odd. We didn't have any idea we would be here this long. We weren't an overnight sensation. You've got to work hard to get to this place. It is a wonderful time for us right now, but it doesn't change anything. San Francisco Chronicle: Now that things are going so well, do you wish you had just stayed in the band the whole time and then also Marky Mark wouldn't have made that terrible movie "Rock Star"? Halford: I think the last thing you want in life is to live with regret. We've all talked about that time and we've agreed that, in retrospect, maybe we should have just taken a break. But I was able to fulfill my dreams and ambitions by making some music on my own, and I utilized all of those experiences. You don't fully appreciate your band until you're away from them. San Francisco Chronicle: Even though you wore S&M gear for years and released albums like "Hell Bent for Leather", people were pretty surprised when you came out during a 1998 MTV interview. Were you surprised that they were surprised? Halford: From my own perspective, I never understood the significance. It was an unplanned moment. I was on TV and said, "Speaking as a gay man." I didn't realize until 48 hours later the firestorm it had created. It never crossed my mind that anyone would care because I'd already been accepted. That part of me is a nonissue. We are who we are. I'm still the same person.

What an awsome interview.......man....Rob Halford is one cool dude and as far as him being gay,I think we all knew that when we all got into Judas Priest and we all didn't care!! lol!

I've got a couple of gay friends,I've got a couple of black friends and a couple of mexican friends ......its "ALL THE SAME".....people are people who cares about sexual preference...

To most of us old timers Rob has been to us like Santa Clause has been to a 5 year old kid.....every time you think about Rob Halford you get a smile and in honor we all thrive

on his accomplishments in mastering the arts of heavy metal music.  This guy has been such a huge factor to countless bands as we all know and are aware of that fact....

Rob is an awsome showman and of course our favorite Vocalist in the world and he should be PROUD of himself for displaying such a supurb character that makes up our Metal God.

		ronhartsell wrote:
		Aidin Vaziri of the San Francisco Chronicle recently conducted an interview with JUDAS PRIEST singer Rob Halford. The short chat follows below. San Francisco Chronicle: You're playing a 30-year-old album ["British Steel"] on this tour. Has the backstage catering improved? Halford: Nothing's really changed. I think as far as venues and hotels and things like that at a certain point I think you just reach a plateau, and we reached ours some time ago. The most important part is when you walk out onstage and lay down some metal. Thirty years later, the songs are still fierce. We just get out there and blast through them. San Francisco Chronicle: How do you still hit all those high notes? Halford: Well, I can't hit all the notes. But my voice is an instrument, and you have to do what you can to take care of it. I quit smoking. I don't drink. I went through the whole rehab thing. I've been screaming my tits off for 38 years now, but it still works and it's in good shape. San Francisco Chronicle: People are actually taking JUDAS PRIEST seriously now. Are you mad? Halford: I don't think it seems that odd. We didn't have any idea we would be here this long. We weren't an overnight sensation. You've got to work hard to get to this place. It is a wonderful time for us right now, but it doesn't change anything. San Francisco Chronicle: Now that things are going so well, do you wish you had just stayed in the band the whole time and then also Marky Mark wouldn't have made that terrible movie "Rock Star"? Halford: I think the last thing you want in life is to live with regret. We've all talked about that time and we've agreed that, in retrospect, maybe we should have just taken a break. But I was able to fulfill my dreams and ambitions by making some music on my own, and I utilized all of those experiences. You don't fully appreciate your band until you're away from them. San Francisco Chronicle: Even though you wore S&M gear for years and released albums like "Hell Bent for Leather", people were pretty surprised when you came out during a 1998 MTV interview. Were you surprised that they were surprised? Halford: From my own perspective, I never understood the significance. It was an unplanned moment. I was on TV and said, "Speaking as a gay man." I didn't realize until 48 hours later the firestorm it had created. It never crossed my mind that anyone would care because I'd already been accepted. That part of me is a nonissue. We are who we are. I'm still the same person.