JUDAS PRIEST's ROB HALFORD: Traveling All Over The Globe 'Makes You See How Small The World Is'

In a new interview with Estonia's Sky.ee, JUDAS PRIEST singer Rob Halford was asked if there is a country whose culture he was maybe most surprised about or which made the biggest impact on him. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I think there's many. When you come to Estonia for the first time… I love visiting all of these different places. It's a blessing. We're very grateful to have the opportunity to take our metal around the world like we have.

"I think probably one of the most at first unique experiences — again, we go back quite a while — was when we went to Japan for the first time," he continued. "Because we knew a little bit about the Japanese culture, but to actually go there and to see the balance of their traditions and their culture that is still very strong and potent, but to have this acceptance of this kind of music in their country was just something very special and extraordinary. And JUDAS PRIEST was one of the very first bands, first metal bands, to go to Japan. Very few other bands had been there at that time. We opened the doors for metal in Japan. So that's probably one country

"When you get the chance to travel to these far places like Rio De Janeiro or Buenos Aires, places that, as a kid in your dreams, you could only read about, so to actually go to these places, what it does, it makes you see how small the world is," Rob added. "And it makes you see how we're all connected. We may not speak the same language, but all of us go through so many things in our lives that are similar, and that's what keeps us together as humanity. We all have the ups and downs, we all have the laughter, we all have the tears, we all have the struggles, we all have the successes. It doesn't matter where you go in the world. And that's one of the great, beautiful blessings that I registered many, many years ago — it gave me a better understanding of life; it gave me a better understanding of people, how we're all the same. It doesn't matter what your religion is, what your sexual identity is, what your political beliefs are — it doesn't matter. We're all people, we all have the same kind of lives on this planet the short time that we're here. And so we must do everything we can to try and get as much out of it.

"So, there's a speech. I have a tendency to make speeches as I've got older. [Laughs] But I hope I'm able to express the answer to your question, that it's a joy to be able to travel and to see so many of our beautiful metal maniacs anywhere in the world."

JUDAS PRIEST will finally get inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame this year. The band will receive the Musical Excellence Award at the fall 2022 event, which will honor Eminem, Dolly Parton, DURAN DURAN, Lionel Richie, Pat Benatar, EURYTHMICS and Carly Simon in the Performers category.

The award for Musical Excellence — which was originally titled the "Sidemen" category when it debuted — is given to artists, musicians, songwriters and producers whose originality and influence creating music have had a dramatic impact on music.

Back in 2010, when the Sidemen category was renamed the award for Musical Excellence, Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Foundation president Joel Peresman told The Plain Dealer the category "gives us flexibility to dive into some things and recognize some people who might not ordinarily get recognized."

JUDAS PRIEST is the second band to receive the award for Musical Excellence; the E STREET BAND was the first. Last year, late OZZY OSBOURNE and QUIET RIOT guitarist Randy Rhoads was one of the recipients of the Musical Excellence Award.

The induction ceremony will be held on November 5, 2022 at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. It will air at a later date on HBO and stream on HBO Max. There will also be a radio simulcast on SiriusXM's Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Radio channel 310.

According to the Hall Of Fame, the JUDAS PRIEST members that will get inducted include current members Halford, Ian Hill (bass),Glenn Tipton (guitar) and Scott Travis (drums),along with former members K.K. Downing (guitar),Les Binks (drums) and late drummer Dave Holland.

JUDAS PRIEST was previously on the ballot for Rock Hall induction in 2020, but failed to receive enough votes to make that year's class.

Having been eligible for induction since 1999, PRIEST was also on the ballot for the 2018 class of the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, but was ultimately left out of the inductee list.

To be eligible for nomination, an individual artist or band must have released its first commercial recording at least 25 years prior to the year of nomination.