Judas Priest's Rob Halford Talks New Album Invincible Shield, World Tour and Legendary 50+ Year Career
Judas Priest, one of the most influential heavy metal bands of our time, continues to wow legions of new and old, what frontman Rob Halford calls 'metal maniacs' alike. Their latest studio album, Invincible Shield is a culmination of all the English rocker's iconic sounds over the years, from the 70s, 80s, and 90s with a fresh twist. You even hear a little homage to one of their pals, Rush, on the first track. We sat down with the 72-year-old force of metal remotely to hear all about it.
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00:00Hey everybody, it's Rob Halford, the Metal God from Judas Priest, and you are watching
00:04Live Minute TV.
00:06Oh yeah!
00:07We're blasting around the planet once again, promoting this beautiful new heavy metal masterpiece
00:20from Judas Priest, Invincible Shield.
00:22Seeing all of our glorious heavy metal maniacs, we've already taken care of our Brits, we
00:28did a great British tour, we just went through a quick first leg of Europe, and now we're
00:33here in the beautiful USA, tearing the road up.
00:37It sure is beautiful, the album is excellent.
00:40Thank you!
00:41Who knew?
00:4250 years later!
00:43Yeah!
00:44I'm using a reference!
00:45Judas Priest, we made our first ever record in 1974, there we were, a bunch of young guys
00:51starting this great life.
00:52No clue we would be here in 2024 with Invincible Shield, but that's the joy and the blessings
00:57of music, you know?
00:59It can take you to some extraordinary places and give you extraordinary lives, and that's
01:04what Judas Priest is living to the max right now.
01:08And your first album in six years, what took so long?
01:12Yeah, we got the COVID, then I had the book, Confess, then I had my little cancer battle,
01:19and then we were able to get into making this wonderful record.
01:23So if you take all those bits out, it was about three years, actually, from record to
01:29record, which isn't too bad, considering how many albums we've made.
01:33This is our 19th studio album, here we are in just a glorious moment, a great renaissance
01:40for Judas Priest, and a somewhat of a renaissance for heavy metal.
01:45For Ian and myself, the founding members, in our septuagenarian years, it's just glorious.
01:52We're so happy, and we're so content, and we're so blessed.
01:55Yeah, it is so good, it is really heavy, it's fantastic.
02:04The first song reminded me a little bit of Rush.
02:07Hey, that's so cool that you picked up on that, you know?
02:09When Richie sent me some of the files, I thought of two things.
02:13I thought of the Turbo album, because it has a little bit of a synthesizer reference, guitar
02:18synth reference to the Turbo album, and I also thought of Tom Sawyer, and I thought,
02:24can we do this, you know?
02:25Can we do this?
02:26Hey, we're all massive Rush fans, we love that band.
02:30So if there's a little bit of a homage and a bit of a tinge of a reference, hey, that's
02:34good.
02:35You do whatever you need to do to get the best moments out of a song.
02:39Very cool.
02:40Do they know about it?
02:41I don't know.
02:42We've known Geddy and the guys for as long as we've all been around together.
02:45I would like to feel that they would put a smile on Geddy's face, because we're all musicians,
02:52we all live the same life, we've all been on the same journey.
02:55There are so many similarities, regardless of the music that you play and you enjoy and
03:01you perform, we live the same life.
03:03So yeah, it would be cool to maybe find out someday if they'd give it a thumbs up.
03:16Before we launched the Invincible Shield tour, we had the 50th anniversary tour for Judas
03:24Priest, which was, again, quite remarkable.
03:27We celebrated, we went completely across the references of most of our albums that we've
03:34made.
03:35So it was just a little bit of a, hey, let's look at what we've done, you know, from that
03:38very first album to where we were to the last record, Firepower, let's just take a jump
03:45into the 70s, the 80s, the 90s.
03:47Let's see how the music that we've made has kind of made some changes and embraced the
03:52way the world has moved.
03:54We bring all of this into the way that we present our metal.
03:57So we've got all that in this particular Invincible Shield tour, the worldwide tour, we go around
04:04the planet again, because we have our beautiful Metal Maniacs that want to see this band over
04:10and over, whether they're in Japan, Indonesia, South America.
04:14We get to your shores eventually.
04:16It's a case of, hey, everybody listen to this band, listen to what we're able to do all
04:21these decades later with the same kind of love and dedication and motivation and freshness.
04:28And here's some new songs and here's a new album and here's a new tour.
04:32So let's get back together and enjoy it one more time.
04:36And tell us about your cancer scare.
04:37How are you doing now?
04:39I'm good.
04:40Thank you so much for asking.
04:41I'm in remission.
04:42This is my second opportunity to thank the Lord for me being here still, but also my
04:46great medical team and guys, be proactive.
04:50Make sure you get your blood work done, your PSA checked.
04:53I couldn't believe how efficient and the love and the care and the attention that health
04:58workers give to each and every one of us.
05:00I had my prostate removed, had some meds and follow up treatment, found a little bit more
05:07stuff.
05:08So we had to go in for two months of radiation treatment.
05:11You do what you've got to do.
05:13The important thing is to stay optimistic, stay positive, by love, by family, by health
05:19care people that want the best for you.
05:22So you can push through it.
05:24So anybody that's struggling with that right now, you know, keep that heavy metal faith
05:28with all the care and diligence and attention.
05:31You'll survive.
05:32Beautiful.
05:33I'm so glad you're okay.
05:35You get better looking every time I see you.
05:38How do you do it?
05:40It's lighting.
05:41It's the lighting.
05:42You know, I will say this, I will say this.
05:44Look at Mick Jagger.
05:45I was looking at footage of Mick yesterday on YouTube.
05:51What an inspiration.
05:52What an inspiration.
05:53Mick and Keith and Ronnie.
05:56I love looking at that because it motivates me even more.
05:59I never knew I was going to be doing this at 73.
06:02And I'm so blessed that I am able to do this.
06:07And music is so beautiful, isn't it?
06:09You know, it's such an important part of who we are as people.
06:13In life, we need music, doesn't matter what kind of music.
06:17Firstly, music makes you feel good.
06:19Music is good for the soul.
06:20Music is good for the spirit.
06:22You can have it privately.
06:23You can enjoy it in your own self way for self healing, self love.
06:27And then what better way than to be in a massive festival or be in a venue, you know, or be
06:33at a party or whatever it might be.
06:35Music brings us together.
06:37It's an absolutely glorious part of life.
06:39And that's what that's what keeps the vitality going for sure.
06:43And 50 heavy metal years.
06:45It's remarkable.
06:46You know, what can you say?
06:48You live your life day by day.
06:50Because again, blessings from the Lord.
06:52I'm still sober, clean sober, 36, 38 years, who's counting?
06:57You live your life one day at a time.
06:59You embrace the moment, you live in the moment, you know.
07:03Tomorrow hasn't happened.
07:04Yesterday's gone.
07:05Live in the now.
07:06This is what's so important.
07:07And you add all that up together and you've got 50 years in heavy metal.
07:12Did you always know you wanted to do this, be a musician?
07:15When I was a little kid, maybe seven or eight years of age, my school, they were putting
07:20a school choir together and there was a class of about 20 kids and the school teacher, the
07:27music teacher, she got each one of us to come to the front of the class and sing a song.
07:31So I sing this song.
07:33And when I finish, some of the kids in the class give me a little round of applause.
07:38And you know, kids love attention, right?
07:40Kids love attention.
07:42The school music teacher, she says, can you do that again?
07:44So I sing it again.
07:45And then she said, come with me.
07:47She took me to a class next door and made me sing the song acapella, because you always
07:51do what the teacher tells you to do.
07:54Sing the song acapella in front of the class.
07:57And that has resonated for me.
07:59It's like a touchstone.
08:01I had no idea where that was going to go, but it was like a little fire in the heart
08:07starting in this little kid, you know, and I never forgot that moment.
08:11I always think that that was the first blessing I had that made me realize that this gift
08:15of the voice has got something to do.
08:18It's got something to do.
08:20Because music, again, does beautiful, powerful, powerful things for each of us.
08:26And so that's where that journey began for me.
08:29Even before I became a musician, it was such an important part of my metal memories that
08:35I never forget it.
08:36Were your parents supportive of your music career?
08:39Yes.
08:40You know, my mom always used to say to me, it's a simple mantra, a simple mantra.
08:45If you're happy, I'm happy.
08:48Isn't that great?
08:49Beautiful.
08:50Your mom and your dad live within you when they go to the next place up there.
08:54And you draw upon their memories, you draw upon some of the things that they said to
08:59you as a young person, and you use them in your adult life.
09:02I couldn't have had the best parents.
09:04They did good.
09:06What inspires you as an artist?
09:08Everything and everybody.
09:10You know, the world is art.
09:12I feed up the energy of a city life, I feed up the energy of the calmness of the countryside.
09:17They're all beautiful messages.
09:19You have to learn how to kind of tap into them because we live with such a fast pace.
09:23You know, there are messages waiting for us everywhere.
09:26You just have to kind of take a breath and try and relax and think and take the messages
09:31in.
09:32So my inspiration can come from anything and anywhere, you know, watching a movie on Netflix
09:37or listening to some other kind of music, talking with a friend, looking at something
09:43on the news, reading something on the internet.
09:46For musicians, the inspiration is endless.
09:49It's just a kaleidoscope, again, of possibilities.
09:53What's your favorite song to play live?
09:55I always pick this incredible track from the second album this band ever made, Sunwings
10:02of Destiny.
10:03Sunwings of Destiny was our second release.
10:06And we have a song called Victim of Change.
10:17And I love that song simply because of the music.
10:20I could care less about what I'm doing.
10:22I just love the way the instrumentation of that particular song takes you to all of these
10:27different places in metal, in classic heavy metal.
10:31Priest is a classic heavy metal band.
10:33So that for me, as much as there are many more, I always focus on that because that
10:38was an early track, but it still survived and we still play it live.
10:43And it's absolutely glorious how a song in 1975, 76 can make such a strong connection
10:50in 2024.
10:51That's the power of music.
10:54Music is timeless.
10:55It's timeless.
10:56You know, when we were listening to the Beatles, to Elvis, to Dolly, it's timeless.
11:02How is Richie doing?
11:03He's doing great.
11:04Hey, we're going to go back to that particular festival where he had the unfortunate incident,
11:08the Louder Than Life festival in Kentucky.
11:11We're going to be going back there, I think, in September.
11:14So, you know, less than 3% of people are able to pull through that particular part,
11:20malfunction, a torn aorta for a lot of people can mean the end.
11:27But here we are again, the timing sequence of events plays a very crucial part here from
11:34Richie from when his aorta tore to getting him into surgery for almost 13 hours of surgery.
11:42It's a miracle.
11:43His time, you know that phrase, your time's not up, his time most definitely was not up.
11:50It's an absolute miracle.
11:52And here he is on stage every night, playing the guitar like a great guitar player, musician
12:00that he is better than ever.
12:03Your voice, how do you keep it in shape?
12:06Stay hydrated.
12:08I'm constantly slugging water.
12:11It's repair, because the voice is a set of muscles.
12:15You work out too much, you need to repair your muscles and rest and recoup.
12:19So that's what I do.
12:20I very rarely talk between shows, which is difficult for me because I love to talk.
12:25I love to meet people, I love to talk to people.
12:28But I do need to rest.
12:29I have to take it easy.
12:31And so lots of hydration.
12:33I do things during the show, when you see me wander off behind the drapes to do my quick
12:37share costume change.
12:39I'm also slugging boiling hot throat coat with honey and ginger.
12:43Little tricks like that help me get through the show.
12:46And it's also an instrument.
12:48You learn how to get the best performance out of the instrument.
12:54And again, I'm blessed and lucky that I'm able to still deliver the goods.
12:58It's better and better.
13:02What's one thing you never travel without?
13:03I have to tell again, my music's with me all the time.
13:06This phone is just full of stuff.
13:09I have to have my music.
13:10I say I drink a lot of water.
13:12My music is my water.
13:14I turn on music first thing in the morning when I wake up.
13:18It gets me motivated.
13:19What do you listen to?
13:20As I've moved on in life, I like to start the day with classical music.
13:26I tune into my local station back in Phoenix, K-Bar from the ASU campus.
13:31I play beautiful classical music.
13:33So that's the way I start my day.
13:36And I progressively get more energized.
13:39And as I go on stage, I listen to my good friend, the late great Ronnie James Dio, who
13:44constantly inspires me with his vocal expertise.
13:49You've influenced so many musicians.
13:50Who has influenced you?
13:52Well, Ronnie's one, as I've said.
13:54You know, I'm going to probably use a lot of singers here.
13:57My friend Robert Plant, my friend Roger Daltrey, my friend Ian Gillan, who has a new album
14:03out right now, incredible.
14:06And then some of my lady friends like Lizzie Hale and Mariah from In This Moment and Dolly,
14:13love my Dolly, who knew that the Metal God was going to sing with Dolly Parton at the
14:18Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
14:20Is that amazing or what?
14:22Streisand, I'm a gay, so I have to have my Barbara.
14:25So there's a few, you know, Willie Nelson, love Willie's voice.
14:29Elvis, love Elvis's voice.
14:31Sinatra, love Sinatra's voice, you know, everybody and everywhere.
14:36Singers are just very extraordinary people in the way that this is the instrument.
14:40You know, we don't pick up sticks or play keyboards or hold guitars.
14:45The instrument is within us.
14:47So when we perform, it's coming from a very, very special place.
14:50Do you think people looked at you differently or looked at you as a musician when you came
14:55out?
14:56I think there was a lot of people that were shocked.
14:58It was pretty remarkable.
15:001991, I think it was, I can't remember the exact date, it was on MTV in New York and
15:05I go, speaking as a gay man, blah, blah, blah, and the producer's clipboard hits the floor.
15:10I think that most people know that I've been a gay man all of my life and that it's only
15:15been in recent times that it's an issue that I feel comfortable to address.
15:20I'm glad I did it in that way, it wasn't kind of a pre-planned idea, I was just speaking
15:26from the heart like I always do.
15:28The greatest thing that came back to me was, we don't care.
15:31We love Rob, we love Priest, we love your voice, we love the songs, we love the band,
15:35we love the shows, that's all that matters to me.
15:38And I suppose because a lot of us, a lot of gay people, even now, particularly young people,
15:43you wouldn't think this, but this fear of rejection, people are not going to love me
15:47anymore, you know, from within the family, my school friends, my co-workers at work.
15:52Still a lot of that going on, nowhere near as much as it was when I was a young person
15:58growing up.
15:59I urge people, as and when they feel right and feel the strength and the power and the
16:06support that they need, that surrounds and loves you, to step out and just say, hey,
16:10this is who I am, you know, this is who I am, that I am.
16:16It's as simple as that, but it's very, very profound.
16:19Love is all you need at the end of the day, and love and acceptance for everybody, regardless
16:24of their sexuality, regardless of the colour of their skin, their religious beliefs, whatever,
16:31what they eat, what they go and eat, how they look, it's wisdom.
16:34At this point in my life, I should know, I think I should know what I'm doing.
16:38You absorb life, you take everything in, and you try and find balance and harmony.
16:44What else do you want to tell us that we didn't cover?
16:47We've been to a lot of places, it's been great, I've really, really enjoyed this chat, so
16:54thank you for the opportunity.
16:56Thank you so much, thank you for taking the time to talk to me.
17:00It's been my pleasure, look after yourself, I hope we meet again in person sometime.
17:06Thank you so much.
17:07To hear more of this interview, visit our podcast, Life Minute TV on iTunes and all
17:12streaming podcast platforms.