Rob Halford ‘Came Out’ After Playing With Big Name

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Judas Priest singer Rob Halford recently discussed coming out as homosexual on MTV in 1998.

He told Apple Music’s Hattie Collins, “It was beautiful. It was very unplanned. It was one of those things where I’m at MTV in New York, I’m talking about a project that I was working on called TWO, with myself and John 5, the amazing guitar player. I was doing the rounds in New York City and ended up at MTV talking about this project. And in the casual course of the conversation, we were talking about the overall music, and the direction, and the feelings. And I said something to the effect of, ‘Well, speaking as a gay man… blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.’ And then I heard the producer’s clipboard bounce on the floor. It was one of those gay sharp intakes of breath, ‘Oh my God! He’s come out.’

“And so that was it. So it was very simple. I think if I’d… I still say today, if I’d have really thought this through, like today’s the day I’m going to come out, maybe I even wouldn’t… maybe I may not have come out per se, because it’s still a big moment for so many of us, with a close friend, with someone at school, with Mum and Dad, with whomever, to actually say, ‘Hey, I’m a gay guy or I’m a gay girl.’ It’s just a big, big deal. It’s just a glorious, glorious moment.”

He added: “So there I was, and I did the interview, and then I walked back to the hotel, and went back to my room, and [I said], ‘Well, that’s it. Now everybody knows.’ And then, of course, it hit the news wires and that was that.

“So wow, it was just this enormous feeling of freedom, and the pressure was gone, and there’s no more talking behind your back because you have all this ammunition of power as a gay person now, as an out gay person. Nothing can hurt you because this is it. You can’t throw insults, you can’t throw rumors, you can’t say anything negative about me because I am who I am. So that’s my wonderful memory of my great coming-out day.”

Judas Priest have announced their 50 Metal Years rescheduled tour dates with Sabaton.

Tickets for the newly announced dates will go on sale beginning this Friday, June 11 at 10 a.m. local time at Ticketmaster. Tickets for the previously announced tour dates are available now.

Said singer Rob Halford: “Defending the heavy metal faith for fifty years, the PRIEST is back!”

Added guitarist Glenn Tipton: “Time to don the leather and studs and roll out the PRIEST machine — celebrating our 50 Heavy Metal Years!!”

Said bassist Ian Hill: “After the horrific year of restrictions we’ve all had to endure, what better place to break free than the land of the free — the USA!”

JUDAS PRIEST 2021 tour dates:

Sep. 08 – Reading, PA – Santander Arena*
Sep. 09 – Virginia Beach, VA – Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater*+
Sep. 11 – Orlando, FL – Central Florida Fairgrounds^#
Sep. 13 – Charlotte, NC – PNC Music Pavilion
Sep. 14 – Raleigh, NC – Red Hat Amphitheater*
Sep. 16 – Grand Rapids, MI – Van Andel Arena*
Sep. 17 – Youngstown, OH – Covelli Centre^
Sep. 19 – Detroit, MI – Fox Theatre*
Sep. 20 – Rosemont, IL – Rosemont Theatre*
Sep. 22 – Milwaukee, WI – Miller High Life Theatre^
Sep. 23 – Minneapolis, MN – The Armory*
Sep. 25 – Maryland Heights, MO – Saint Louis Music Park
Sep. 26 – Louisville, KY – Louder Than Life Festival^#
Sep. 29 – Denver, CO – The Mission Ballroom^
Sep. 30 – West Valley City, UT – Maverik Center*
Oct. 02 – Everett, WA – Angel Of The Winds Arena*
Oct. 03 – Portland, OR – Moda Center*
Oct. 05 – Oakland, CA – Fox Theater^
Oct. 06 – Los Angeles, CA – Microsoft Theater^
Oct. 08 – Las Vegas, NV – Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood
Oct. 09 – Phoenix, AZ – Arizona Federal Theatre
Oct. 12 – San Antonio, TX – Freeman Coliseum^
Oct. 13 – Cedar Park, TX – HEB Center Cedar Park^
Oct. 15 – Irving, TX – The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
Oct. 16 – Oklahoma City, OK – The Zoo Amphitheatre^
Oct. 19 – Independence, MO – Cable Dahmer Arena*
Oct. 21 – Nashville, TN – Nashville Municipal Auditorium*
Oct. 22 – Alpharetta, GA – Ameris Bank Amphitheatre*
Oct. 24 – Charleston, WV – Charleston Civic Center Coliseum*
Oct. 25 – Philadelphia, PA – The Met*
Oct. 27 – Newark, NJ – Prudential Center*
Oct. 28 – Oxon Hill, MD – The Theater at MGM National Harbor
Oct. 30 – Mashantucket, CT – Foxwoods Resort Casino – Grand Theater^
Oct. 31 – Lowell, MA – Tsongas Center At UMass Lowell*
Nov. 02 – Halifax, NS – Scotiabank Centre*
Nov. 04 – Laval, QC – Place Bell*
Nov. 05 – Hamilton, ONT – First Ontario Centre*

* new show
^ not a Live Nation event
# festival date
+ SABATON not support on this date; support is to be determined