In celebration of Pride Month, Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford spoke with Hattie Collins at Apple Music about being a young gay musician in the late 1970s. Halford shares the difficulty of social pressures holding him back from coming out, writing "Raw Deal" inspired by the idea of Fire Island, and his unplanned coming out story.

Halford's warts and all autobiography, Confess, is available via Hachette Books. A description follows...

Most priests take confessions. This one is giving his.

Rob Halford, front man of global iconic metal band Judas Priest, is a true 'Metal God'. Raised in Britain's hard-working heavy industrial heartland he and his music were forged in the Black Country. Confess, his full autobiography, is an unforgettable rock 'n' roll story - a journey from a Walsall council estate to musical fame via alcoholism, addiction, police cells, ill-starred sexual trysts and bleak personal tragedy, through to rehab, coming out, redemption... and finding love. Now, he is telling his gospel truth.

Told with Halford's trademark self-deprecating, deadpan Black Country humour, Confess is the story of an extraordinary five decades in the music industry. It is also the tale of unlikely encounters with everybody from Superman to Andy Warhol, Madonna, Jack Nicholson and the Queen. More than anything else, it's a celebration of the fire and power of heavy metal.

Rob Halford has decided to Confess. Because it's good for the soul.