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JUDAS PRIEST Bassist On 30th Anniversary Of 'British Steel'

July 5, 2009

Sarah Rodman of Boston.com recently conducted an interview with bassist Ian Hill of British heavy metal legends JUDAS PRIEST. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

Boston.com: Is it true that you've resurrected some of your old stage clothes?

Ian Hill: Not the old old clothes, they went to the big stage set in the sky a long time ago. But yeah, we've tried to replicate all the old stuff we were wearing with varying results. (Laughs)

Boston.com: Whose idea was it to do "British Steel" now?

Ian Hill: I'm not sure who came up with the original idea, somebody pointed out that it was the 30-year anniversary. [It's] a landmark album for us really. It was the first album that we were able to do a headline tour of the USA.

Boston.com: In retrospect, it's remarkable that it was your sixth record. A band getting to six records before having a major breakthrough would be unheard of today.

Ian Hill: It's a sign of the times I'm afraid, everybody wants instant success. Up and coming bands ask me, "What's your trick for getting on?" and it really is just stamina and keeping at it.

Boston.com: Revisiting the album, is there a song you're really enjoying playing?

Ian Hill: I think the song that sticks out is "The Rage". I don't know why we never did it live. It's a great song, a real power ballad.

Boston.com: What's the biggest difference between touring for "British Steel" in 1980 vs. 2009?

Ian Hill: I probably ache a bit more now after the show. The good bit is it's been so long ago you can't remember what it was like back then anyway so you've got no basis for comparison.

Video footage of JUDAS PRIEST's July 1, 2009 performance at The Family Arena in St Charles, Missouri can be viewed below.

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