Sixty Seconds: Rob Halford on being a homosexual heavy steel singer

Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford has launched a brand new autobiography – Confess (Image: Getty Photos/Metro.co.uk)

The Grammy-winning Judas Priest singer, 69, on brainwashing, Nostradamus and Confess, his new autobiography.

You’ve battled medication, alcohol and melancholy, and hid your sexuality, for years. Did you be taught something about your self from writing your new autobiography, Confess?

It was a journey of self-discovery and the roller-coaster experience I’ve had in steel. Speaking about issues in depth – problems with sexuality and the darkish moments I had with booze and medicines – was an opportunity to take a look at points I’ve held near my chest.

Your intercourse life is a theme all through the ebook…

Intercourse is essential to everybody, isn’t it? We’re created from intercourse. The actual fact I’m speaking for a lot of the ebook from the perspective of a closeted homosexual man isn’t distinctive.

Each homosexual individual has that journey of self-discovery and I focus on the results that having to cover my sexuality had on me.

Rob Halford continues to be performing with Judas Priest after a hiatus within the 90s (Image: Ethan Miller/Getty Photos)

Have been you shocked how massive a narrative it was whenever you got here out?

Probably not. I used to be away from Judas Priest on the time however I used to be nonetheless often called being from one of many largest heavy steel bands. It was an enormous deal.

Heavy steel, to a sure level, was all the time perceived as being an alpha male-dominated factor, which is garbage – heavy steel music is for everybody from all walks of life.

However the feeling was that you may’t be homosexual in case you’re in a heavy steel band. However I used to be, so there you’re. It turned worldwide information.

It was one of many causes I held again so lengthy – I felt I needed to do it once I was away from Priest.

I’m wondering if I’d by no means left Priest if I’d ever have come out [Halford quit in 1992 and rejoined in 2003]. It’s outstanding that in 2020 there may be nonetheless a lot hate directed at people who find themselves thought of ‘totally different’.

The notion on the time gave the impression to be that you just had been the one homosexual individual in heavy steel.

Sure, that I used to be ‘the one homosexual within the village’. However there are tens of millions of us. Instances had been totally different then. Once I was rising up, homosexual males had been nonetheless being thrown into jail.

Are you shocked extra folks didn’t guess out of your lyrics?

Hearken to Uncooked Deal – it’s about Hearth Island, which is a homosexual Mecca. I introduced songs to the band in all totally different shapes and types, and about all various kinds of tales. In all these years I’ve by no means actually had that dialogue with the band.

Ozzy Osbourne’s music was additionally accused of inflicting followers to commit suicide (Image: Persona Stars/REX)

Why had been you accused of brainwashing your followers to kill themselves?

I nonetheless don’t know to this present day. We had been focused. Two boys had dedicated suicide in Reno and a gaggle of individuals, backed by individuals who had been towards heavy steel music, mentioned we had been writing songs that if listened to in a sure method made you kill your self.

It was insane. Ozzy Osbourne went via it together with his music Suicide Resolution after which it was our flip. We went to court docket in America and handled it.

How did you debunk it?

The prosecution mentioned in case you performed heavy steel albums backwards you’d get devil-worshipping messages. I mentioned to the blokes, ‘Let’s show them incorrect.’

We acquired some Frank Sinatra albums, performed them backwards within the resort, and these uncommon messages began showing.

One was, ‘I gave her a peppermint.’ It was ludicrous. I performed them to the decide, who was a really conservative Mormon, and when he listened, he bodily moved – he was shocked. It was a outstanding episode.

Do you’ve got any favorite items of trivia you found whereas researching your Nostradamus idea album?

The factor I discovered most attention-grabbing about Nostradamus was his personal battle for acceptance. He had this uncanny present, like a clairvoyant, and he needed to transfer a number of occasions as he was persecuted by the church.

With persecution, whether or not you’re a gifted psychic or a closeted homosexual man, I noticed one thing relative to Nostradamus that I went via myself.

Judas Priest can depend Girl Gaga amongst their followers (Image: Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)

Lady Gaga is a fan. Does anybody else sudden like your work?

It was good to search out out she is an enormous steel head. It was nice to fulfill her. I used to be standing in entrance of her at one in every of her gigs and he or she noticed me and misplaced her wig. She’s a splendidly gifted individual.

Drew Barrymore is a fan of Priest and so is Norman Reedus from The Strolling Lifeless. He’s a unbelievable man.

How typically do you get again to your property city of Walsall?

At the very least a few occasions a yr. I nonetheless do all my writing for Priest once I’m again within the UK. That’s one of the best place to write down my music.

Once I’m not within the UK, I’m at my residence in Phoenix. We had simply began a brand new writing session at the beginning of the yr, then we had been going to crack on with the brand new album – however that’s all gone t*ts up now. We’re all affected by this pandemic.

What are you proudest of attaining in your profession?

Of nonetheless being right here in a band that’s been round for 50 years. I’m proud Priest continues to be an acclaimed steel band. Our love for steel, our love for our nation – I’m happy with these issues.

Confess (Headline) is out now.