Legendary JUDAS PRIEST singer ROB HALFORD spoke to Pollstar

recently about a number of topics. A few excerpts from the chat follow:

Pollstar: It was kind of brave to do a double concept album in an age when the album is fading as a format.

Halford: "I think that just goes to show that regardless of what's de rigeur or the flavor of the month in the music world, Priest has never really paid much attention to that. We've really been very determined in our own efforts and we had the opportunity to fulfill this dream that we've had for making a concept record for a very, very long time. Once we understood that we'd got this great man, Nostradamus, to build our music around, we just went into it full throttle. We had a wonderful time in the writing sessions - Glenn and K.K. and myself - and coming up with songs and having such a great time together, still very much on fire from the United Retribution reunion tour. One minute we're just kicking off and the next minute we've gone an hour and forty minutes. So that just goes to show the enormous amount of faith and passion and energy that we still have in Judas Priest as musicians."

Pollstar: That's very cool, especially when you consider you've been at this for what, 25 years or more now?

Halford: "Well, let me see - you know the actual name Judas Priest originated in 1969, so next year it's 40 years. I think I joined the band in '71 or '72, so whatever the math of that is. We're well past the 35 year mark, but you wouldn't - you know, time is a strange equation in music because it has absolutely no relativity. It's like Judas Priest has always been here - like Beethoven. It's only when I think about it that I go, 'Oh my God - 35, 38 years later…' It's remarkable."

Pollstar: Do you think it’s still possible for a new band to get where Judas Priest has gotten?

Halford: “No. I don’t think – well, this is probably a very bold statement for me to make – but from my experience, I don’t think we’ll ever have another giant, gigantic, enormous arena act coming along. I just think that’s the state of the world. I hope I’m proven wrong.”

Read more here.

Judas Priest - 'The Hellion'/'Electric Eye' (live):