ROB HALFORD

There are many iconic figures in heavy metal, but there’s only one Metal God. In a career spanning five decades, Rob Halford has fronted one of the most important and influential metal bands in history, his beloved Judas Priest, and almost singlehandedly defined the look and sound that’s integral to the genre. He’s come a long way since his early days growing up on a housing estate near Walsall in the West Midlands, but his passion and love for metal has not diminished one iota. “I’m a metal singer, that’s what I do,” he tells us, as he settles down to talk to us from his US home.

Last time we saw Rob in the UK was for Priest’s tremendous and emotional headlining set at Bloodstock 2021. “When I was up there onstage at Bloodstock belting it out, I couldn’t help but feel grateful and humble for the long life that I’ve made as a metal singer with a band that I love more than any other band in the world,” he smiles. It’s this kind of attitude, alongside the spectacular back catalogue he’s contributed to, that makes Rob such a star. We got him to reminisce about some of the highlights of a life forged in metal.

What was your childhood like growing up on a housing estate in Sutton Coldfield?

“It was a remarkable time. The world was just