Greg Prato recently interviewed ROB HALFORD about Ozzfest for Rolling Stone. There was a decent amount of quotes that didn't make the story, so Greg has issued the following:

Q: Which bands are you looking forward to seeing on Ozzfest?

A: "I look at the list and I’m pretty certain that a lot of these bands will be a first-time experience as a listener for me - I know most of the names. I know Zakk of course, from Black Label. But I’m sure when that first band goes on at 9:45 AM, I hope they realize the importance and the value that that’s going to give them. Every band is clamoring to get on Ozzfest - because of its potential to launch them. I think that as Ozzy’s the “leader of the pack,” I think it’s brilliant. Does he need to do another Ozzfest? Probably not. But his heart has always been in the right place when it’s come to genuinely supporting and endorsing new talent."

Q: This will be Ozzy’s first tour in some time, and first with his new guitarist, Gus G.

A: "What a great guitar player he’s found. You’ve probably seen the new band on video as I have, and they all look really strong and powerful. It fires you up - a bit like my band fires me up. He’s got a great new record out - I love the single. All in all, I think this is going to be a wonderful experience."

Q: What about MÖTLEY CRÜE?

A: "Mötley Crüe have lived the life, haven’t they? They’re the epitome of rock n’ roll in everything that we know about it. Sex, drugs, and rock n’ roll - that’s Mötley Crüe. It’s a little bit different these days for all of us [laughs]. But I think that the essence of their music has still got the balls - the big, giant rock n’ roll balls. I’m looking forward to standing on the side and checking them out, delivering like they do. And like all bands, when they reunite - as Crüe has and as Priest has - it’s really what it’s all about. You want to see your favorite band looking the way you want them to be."

Q: What can fans expect from Halford at Ozzfest?

A: "A little bit of everything. Admittedly, most of the material comes from a different time, but does it matter? I don’t think so. We will probably be airing one or two new ideas that we’ve been working on. Much like Crüe, much like Oz, much like some of the other established acts that have had previous releases - you go through your catalogue, you go through your repertoire and pick the highlights and spread it out. So there will be some Halford, there will be some FIGHT. The Fight band is still significant - I was surfing through the iTunes metal charts, and I saw that the Fight War of Words record is still in the top 50, which just blew me away. It just goes to prove that what most of us do in metal just continues to stand the test of time, because it’s a non-fashionable musical experience. So a little bit of everything from us."

Q: Let's discuss the upcoming release, Halford IV.

A: "If you've heard 'The Mower', the single that came out a few weeks ago, 'The Mower' is probably the extreme end of what this record is going to be about. It has material on it that really covers a lot of the things that I love about heavy metal music. And I'm not jumping about from specific areas of metal - I'm staying within the parameters of what I feel good about and how I want to still represent myself as a metal singer. But I go from almost like a really primitive, early blues vibe to this extreme moment in 'The Mower', and things in between. There are a couple of songs that I think are really going to surprise people - just because again, where I'm at in my career, I'm just trying to look for musical opportunities that I still haven't yet entered into. And at the end of the day, it's got to be about the good songs, doesn't it? We've all worked hard to make a good record with good songs that interesting, exciting, and entertaining."

Q: There are a few other new Halford-related releases, as well.

A: "I think because I’ve got my little label, Metal God Records, like any label, you take an opportunity like this with Ozzfest to find what you might be able to run alongside it. We put Crucible “through the car wash,” so to speak - it’s remastered and sparkling with some new tracks which were previously unreleased. Which I think is important for the fans if you’re going to buy the same thing twice, you get a different experience. The Live in Anaheim DVD is really exciting - it’s kind of a bittersweet moment, because it was the very last show I did before I returned to the number one band in my life, Priest. It’s been interesting watching that come together on the editing bay, and it looks great. There are a few other bits floating around - I might do another couple of Christmas tunes, because Winter Songs was really welcomed in a cool way. I wasn’t sure how the fans would take that type of attempt from myself, but that sort of hit the mark. So I might bang out a couple of extra Christmas songs this year as well. And Priest, the British Steel: 30th Anniversary Edition was just released.

We’re also working on the Nostradamus live production - we had meetings with Hollywood producers. We’re looking at every possibility [whether Nostradamus will be a theater piece or performed in its entirety by the band]. I was in Hollywood recently with Priest’s management, and we met with the big boys - the agents and producers. We’re slowly mapping out all of the different opportunities. Will it be a straight rock n’ roll production? Will it be a full theater production? I’ve been particularly excited to see how GREEN DAY has been accepted and welcomed [with American Idiot]. I think there’s going to be more of an opportunity for that kind of experience. It’s been a long time since Tommy, so I’m sure this will be a success - I’m going to try and see [American Idiot on Broadway]. So Nostradamus could be in that realm - it could be featured as a movie, I don’t know. We still believe in that concept idea - with a lot of passion. Things like that just take forever to put together though, but you’ve got to keep the table full - the table has to be full of opportunities. And that’s the way it was with Priest and all the other endeavors."

Q: Do you think Judas Priest should be in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame?

A: "I think it's a very important institution. It's a very prestigious place to be inducted into, and it's out of our hands - whether we're put in it or not. It's a board of people - much like the Academy Awards or the Grammys - where you're voted in. I think if it did happen for Priest, it would be fabulous, because we're a British heavy metal band, but we've been established in America and have been part of American rock n' roll culture since the '70s. So you have to be doing it for a certain amount of years, and God knows, we've been doing it for a very, very long time [laughs]. It would be wonderful. I think if the moment arrived, we'd be tremendously honored. It would be a great feeling. We got our first Grammy earlier on this year, so that was a tremendous achievement that we felt wonderful about. So if we can get into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at some point, that would just be another part of a wonderful, illustrious career that Judas Priest has had for closing in on 40 years now."

Q: Final thoughts about Ozzfest?

A: "It’s going to be great. Almost 40 years later, I’m still grateful to do what I do. because I know that there are thousands of bands - in this country alone - that would give their left nut to do what I’m about to do on Ozzfest."

Q: How can metalheads stay cool in the summer heat at Ozzfest?

A: "Wear as little clothes as possible! And show me pity and love when I’m standing there decked head to toe in leather and metal, when I walk out in the blazing afternoon sun [laughs]."

Halford are performing on Ozzfest's main stage with OZZY OSBOURNE, MÖTLEY CRÜE, DEVILDRIVER and NONPOINT. Second stage headliners and six-time OZZFest veterans BLACK LABEL SOCIETY will be joined by DROWNING POOL, KINGDOM OF SORROW, GOATWHORE, SKELETONWITCH, SAVIOURS and KATAKLYSM.

Each Ozzfest date will include 13 bands on two stages with music beginning at 1 PM. In addition, concert-goers can once again visit the OZZFest Village Of The Damned featuring a mix of interactive activities, shopping and entertainment throughout the venue concourses.

Upcoming 2010 Ozzfest tour dates:

August

17 - Chicago, IL - First Midwest Bank Amp.
19 - Pittsburgh, PA - First Niagara Pavilion
21 - Hartford, CT - Comcast Theatre
22 - Camden, NJ - Susquehanna Bank Center
24 - Boston, MA - Comcast Center