ROB HALFORD Talks About Heavy Metal Scene's 'Phobia And Intolerance' Of Gay Community

Jim Otey of Pollstar recently conducted an interview with JUDAS PRIEST singer Rob Halford. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

Pollstar: Do you think the fact that you've toured so much and not relied on album sales puts you in a better position to weather some of the changes that are going on right now in the business?

Halford: "I think in our mind we still firmly believe we're only as good as the last thing we ever did. So we're always driven. And of course that's been part of our philosophy. As much as I know what you mean with the general condition of the music industry — as we've seen it literally turned upside down on its head with the invention of the Internet — I think that more than ever, we're still determined to get out there as much as we can, on the road, and let people see us in the flesh. I think that the actual touring side of what we do — I mean I keep an eye on Pollstar and I keep an eye on the figures and everything — and I know that right now we're in tough times. There is a worldwide recession and that word has to be addressed. We're all feeling the pinch. And I think that it's up to everybody to try accommodate this climate — in ticket prices or whatever you can do. Having said that though, whenever there are tough times, people run to entertainment. They run to the movie theatre. They make 'Dark Knight' one of the highest-grossing movies in the history of the movie business. And it's the same with concerts. People have the need more than ever, in difficult times, to say, 'Come on. Get in the truck and let's go see PRIEST. Let's go to the movie theatre. Let's just go escape the world that we're in.' So that, I think, is exactly where we're at right now and I hope it doesn't last too much longer. But you have to accommodate and adjust with the times that we live in."

Pollstar: I wanted to tell you personally, as an out gay man myself, how much respect I have for you and for what you did by coming out.

Halford: "Well thank you. Thank you."

Pollstar: Do you have an idea as to why more people in the industry haven't done that? I mean, we know that there are other people in the industry.

Halford: "Yeah, and I think, as you and I have experienced, it's down to your personal needs and wants. Some people are prepared to live their life in kind of an invisible way. There are millions of people like ourselves that keep their lives private and are happy to do that. And there are some of us who realize that if you have the strength — and I do believe it's a matter of strength — you've got to step forward and tell everybody who you are. I mean, you go to places like Amsterdam and it's like, 'What are you talking about? You're gay. So what's that got to do with anything?' I wish all the world was like that, but it's not. I think particularly in metal still, there is a degree of misunderstanding. There's still a degree of phobia and intolerance. But for myself, and for us in PRIEST, we've never really — suffered's not the word — we've never been exposed to that kind of reaction. Because we still have millions of fans that love us. So there you go. Maybe I'm the only — do you know the show 'Little Britain'? Maybe I'm the only gay in the village."

Pollstar: Somehow I doubt that.

Halford: "I'm talking about in metal. Maybe I'm the only singer. I don't know. Maybe somebody else will come forward, maybe somebody won't. That's not part of what I'm about. I'm not really much of a spokesperson. I don't go standing on a box. I'm aware of the significance of it and it makes me feel very humble when I meet people like I did the other night. This guy whispers in my ear, 'You changed my life man' and I said, 'What do you mean?' He said, 'Because of what you did, I was able to come out.' And I thought that was great and we shook hands. You're not aware of the peripheral stuff, but it's all relative. It's all important."

Read the entire interview from Pollstar.