JUDAS PRIEST's ROB HALFORD: 'We're A Band That's Always Moving Forward'

May 22, 2019

JUDAS PRIEST frontman Rob Halford was asked by the Daily Herald if there has ever been consideration to producing a retro-sounding album that sounds something like the band's music from the late '70s or '80s. "That's a good question," he replied. "When I listen to those very early recordings — 'Rocka Rolla' and 'Sad Wings Of Destiny', which is still a bit of a template for a lot of PRIEST bands around the world — there is a distinctive sound. The way music was recorded in the '70s — the instruments, the amps, the guitars, the mics, everything — was in a different state… It's magical to listen to that then.

"Having said that, we're a band that's always moving forward, a band that's making metal for today. We did get close to kind of recapturing some of the classic elements and sounds of PRIEST on this 'Firepower' record. … I think what's been valuable for us is to be aware of what's going on around us and to make adjustments to what we need to do to have our place in today's metal scene.

"There was a great movement from Dave Grohl from FOO FIGHTERS [when he] put together a record with a lot of old, vintage classic sound and equipment.

"Yeah, it's an idea. Who knows? You never say never in the PRIEST world."

JUDAS PRIEST kicked off its North American tour with URIAH HEEP on May 3 at Hard Rock Event Center in Hollywood, Florida.

Bassist Ian Hill is the sole remaining original member of PRIEST, which formed in 1969. Halford joined the group in 1973 and guitarist Glenn Tipton signed on in 1974. Rob left PRIEST in the early 1990s to form his own band, then came back to PRIEST in 2003.

"Firepower" was released in March 2018 via Epic.

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