'This Band Has Always Been Curious' - Rob Halford Is Excited About the Future of Judas Priest

On Monday (Sept. 15), Rob Halford was a very special guest on Loudwire Nights as he looked ahead at Judas Priest's tour with Alice Cooper and Corrosion of Conformity — and as he spent some time reflecting on Priest's legacy and future.

Listen to the full conversation in the player near the end of this article.

"It's going to be wonderful," Halford immediately told host Chuck Armstrong about the tour.

"These bands have been through a lot — talk about surviving. And this joy, this unconscionable joy that all of us still get, that buzz and that rush, walking out to any of these stages that we're going to be performing at. It's what we all do."

Halford emphasized how exciting it will be for fans to witness the legacies of all of these bands coming together for the tour. For all of the obvious stresses that come with hitting the road, the Metal God was clear that he's ready.

"The boxing gloves go on and we're doing this."

Why Rob Halford Is Excited For the Future of Judas Priest

In addition to the tour, Halford spent some time looking back on the legacy of Judas Priest as well as the future of the band.

"The biggest kick that we still get in this band is looking at stuff we have yet to do," Halford admitted.

"We've always defined ourselves when it comes to world tours that we accompany who we are and what we represent with the newest music that we're making. I think that's been part of the reason why we've been able to forge ahead and maintain a solid position."

As Halford said that, he also shared that it's an honor for Judas Priest to not simply celebrate their five decades of music, but to be part of the "metal structure" around the world.

"This band has always been curious music-wise," he said.

"What can we do? Where have we not gone yet? And that never ends. That's always in our blood."

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As for the follow-up to 2024's Invincible Shield — Judas Priest's 19th studio album — Halford was hopeful about what's to come.

"At the moment, we're having fun with the Painkiller acknowledgement. And next year, we'll probably do some Sad Wings of Destiny and Turbo. But I will say, I like the sound of 20 personally. I'm just a singer in the band. Everybody's in this together. It wouldn't surprise me in the least if there's going to be another one ... In my heart, I feel that that day will eventually arrive."

What Else Did Judas Priest's Rob Halford Discuss on Loudwire Nights?

• The pressure he feels carrying the legacy of Priest: "It's important not to let that out of your vision. From Rocka Rolla to Invincible Shield, that's 19 studio albums and a lot of songs. And I think about that. I think we all think about that in Priest. [But,] don't overthink it, because I can be a terrible overthinker. Don't overthink it, but just remember the legacy that you've laid down. And with that comes responsibility. Whether you like it or not, you have a responsibility at any age in a band. You have a responsibility to each other in the band to love and respect and support each other, because God knows bands are fragile things."
• What it was like covering Black Sabbath's "War Pigs": "You have to be very, very careful when you're covering something like that. You don't deviate. Fortunately, my voice is a little bit similar to Ozzy — by no means the same — but a little bit similar. I was able to really try and emulate his projection in terms of singing. Scott [Travis] had to re-learn to play the drums like Bill [Ward]. Ian [Hill]'s bass work, man, I like to listen to that as a solo piece, just listen to Ian, the single stems of his work ... It was a real honor to be able to do that homage to this band that we all love."
• What runs through his head when he thinks about Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath: "We're blessed to have both come from the same place and to have known each other for as long as both bands have existed. What both of these bands represent in heavy metal music — this is where it all started. These are the roots of metal."

Listen to the Full Interview in the Podcast Player Below

Rob Halford joined Loudwire Nights on Monday, Sept. 15; the show replays online here, and you can tune in live every weeknight at 7PM ET or on the Loudwire app; you can also see if the show is available on your local radio station and listen to interviews on-demand.