As the singer of the heavy metal band Judas Priest, who kept his homosexuality a secret for a long time, Rob Halford has a lot to tell. After his autobiography, he is now presenting a “Bible of Heavy Metal”.
Rob Halford doesn’t have much use for the real Bible. The singer of heavy metal icons Judas Priest thinks it’s boring. “But I like the idea of a book that brings together all the knowledge a person has gathered over the course of their life, a kind of guide to their understanding of the world,” writes the 72-year-old in the foreword to his second book.
“The Bible of Heavy Metal – Rob Halford’s Holy Scriptures” has now been published in German. “I really take a lot of liberties with the Holy Bible,” Halford admits in an interview with the German Press Agency, grinning. “I’m sure God doesn’t mind.”
The singer with the grey Methuselah beard is wearing sunglasses. He is connected via Zoom from sunny Phoenix, Arizona, his second home next to his English hometown of Walsall near Birmingham. This year he released the 18th studio album “Invincible Shield” with Judas Priest. The band is currently taking a few weeks’ break from their extensive world tour. “I’ve just come from Istanbul,” he says in a good mood. “Do you know what jet lag feels like?”
“Metal God” reveals secrets
The rock veteran, who is called “Metal God” by his fans, caused a stir in 2020 with his brutally open autobiography “Confess”. His second literary work, again written with co-author Ian Gittins, is a collection of anecdotes from his long career on almost 300 pages.
It’s about “the many obstacles that arise when trying to be successful in the entertainment industry.” The chapters revolve around early bands, apprenticeships and traveling years, band members, managers and lawyers. It’s about songwriting, riffs and album covers, touring, roadies and even catering. After more than 50 years in the music business, Halford has something to say about everything.
“Because it’s not an autobiography, we didn’t really have to think about what happened in 1982, for example,” he says. “There were just different references. In 1978 you were sleeping in the back of the van, in 2022 you’re in the Ritz Carlton.” Halford laughs. “That’s the difference. That’s the fun part about this career.”
Clearing up old rumors
In passing, Halford, who made his homosexuality public in 1998, clears up some persistent rumors. It is often said that his band’s leather and studded clothing was “a gay statement,” an assumption that, according to Halford, can only come from heterosexual representatives of the rock’n’roll industry.
“When I came out, people came and said, ‘Oh, we knew he was gay because he dressed like that.’ Really? Because someone wears leather, they’re automatically gay?” He laughs. “That probably comes from stereotypes of people who don’t understand gay culture. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it now: When I put on the leather jacket for the first time, I knew: That’s the look, that’s the identity.”
Struggling with one’s own sexuality
On the other hand, in the Judas Priest song “Raw Deal” on the 1977 album “Sin After Sin” he sang about a visit to a gay club in New York. “It’s also a bit about me struggling with my sexual identity,” says Halford. Neither bandmates nor fans or the press noticed what the song was about at the time. “I have no idea how that happened,” says the singer, stressing that he had no agenda. “It was just a lyric that came out like that.”
In addition to his long-kept secret homosexuality, he devotes himself to other serious topics in his book. He talks about mental health problems and the time when he struggled with alcohol and drug addiction. The 72-year-old, who has been clean for a long time, tries to explain a few things and pleads for rock stars to finally speak openly about their problems.
In his book, Rob Halford occasionally seems to be justifying himself. He explains why he has reservations about autograph hunters and usually only gives one autograph per person – because some sell the autographs online – and hints that he appreciates being asked before taking a selfie with him, which apparently isn’t always the case. And the guest list at concerts is another thing.
Cult singer with a penchant for self-irony
Halford’s “Bible of Heavy Metal”, which was published in English two years ago under the title “Biblical”, offers mostly entertaining, entertaining reading material for Judas Priest and heavy metal fans. Halford, who regularly amuses people with witty posts on Instagram, proves once again that he is more than just a great rock singer. He is an entertainer with wit and self-irony – and is rightly considered a cult figure in his profession.
The “metal god”, who describes himself as spiritual, sees parallels between religion and a passion for music. “Just as you profess a religion, you also profess a band,” he explains. But there is one key difference: “If you believe in religion, you believe in an idea, in a thought. It’s almost abstract, because it doesn’t exist in our world, but in another dimension, so to speak. With heavy metal, it’s different.”