ROB HALFORD: Coming Out In 1998 'Was A Great Lot Of Pressure Lifting Off Of My Back'

Bianca Waxlax of San Diego Gay & Lesbian News recently conducted an interview with JUDAS PRIEST/HALFORD frontman Rob Halford. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

San Diego Gay & Lesbian News: You came out as gay in 1998 on MTV. How have things changed since then?

Halford: Well, musically, they have not changed at all. On a personal level it has changed dramatically. It's like when any of us step out of that closet and we set ourselves free there is a tremendous feeling of elation. You can be who you are without having to hide, without having to lie, and it makes you stronger, and more complete as a person. That's the main thing that I was able to experience when I made the announcement, and from that point on my life, my personal life, which has always been kind of a public life anyway, was finally revealed, and it was a great lot of pressure lifting off of my back. It really was the best thing to do. It is the best thing for any of us to do if we find that we are able to step out and be who we are without having to be something that we are not.

San Diego Gay & Lesbian News: When you came out, you were working on music with your band at the time called TWO. You had been working with Trent Reznor. I heard in an interview where someone stated that it was easier for you to come out in the industrial music scene as people were more accepting. Did you find it easier to come out in the industrial music scene as opposed to the metal scene?

Halford: Well, that is an interesting question. I don't personally think that the location that I was at musically would have made any great difference. I think that what I was probably trying to say was that because I was away from the main band that was filling my life, JUDAS PRIEST, because I was always protecting JUDAS PRIEST, protecting the music, protecting the fans, protecting everybody except myself. I wasn't able to say and do the things that I wanted to do until I was away and having these other musical adventures. So, I guess regardless of where I was musically at that time. The fact that I said and did what I did on that day wasn't really much of an issue musically. But, anyway I think it is fair to say that I would have been probably more difficult. I probably would have not made the announcement had I been in JUDAS PRIEST at that time. Second, because as I said when you become protective of everybody else, you don't protect your own needs. So, things happen in life for a reason, and that was the case with my coming out at that time. There are areas of music that are more compassionate, more tolerant, more open, more accepting and more aware. What I think I have done is destroy the myth that heavy metal bands don't have that capacity. It's a different world now. Heavy metal now is a completely different world compared to heavy metal in 1980. The gay and lesbian world is very different now as it was in 1980. We have all grown to some extent. There is still a long way to go. There are still a lot of issues that need to be addressed, but I think slowly but surely our lives are getting better.

San Diego Gay & Lesbian News: Now some fans that completely idolized you had to come to terms with their metal role model and idol was a gay man. How do you feel this affected them?

Halford: I think that it kind of demystifies this issue of masculinity. To say that if you are masculine you can't be gay is ridiculous. Again, I can't really say. That is a question you would have to ask my fans that felt this way. But, the vast majority of them were completely accepting of me, and it was tremendously powerful.

Read the entire interview at San Diego Gay & Lesbian News.