The Metal God Speaks: Rob Halford Interview Part Two

In the second part of our interview, metal icon Rob Halford talks about Ozzfest and his future plans with the band that shares his name.

Your most recent album, 'Crucible,' has been out for almost a year now. Have you spent most of the time since its initial release touring other parts of the world?

Yeah, it was kind of a stop-and-go thing. We went over and did metal festivals in Europe through the summer on the back of the 'Crucible' release. And when we came back from that, there wasn't really much going in the States that I felt was important for the band to be attached to. So we decided to lay low, and we didn't really find anything to look at until we put together some shows towards the end of the year which, because of the [visa] problems I went into trying to get back in the country, were postponed and rescheduled for January of this year.

So I came back and did them, and then right after that I went into a tour of Japan. And then when I came back from Japan we took a little bit of a break before we started the Metal Gods Tour, which, as most people know, lasted all of about eight or nine shows and then collapsed like a pile of cards through a lot of stuff that I can't really talk about because I'm in legal proceedings right now.

But I would have loved for that tour to have continued; it would have been a very extensive tour for me for the first time in two years in America. Unfortunately, it didn't. So what we're doing now is we're at least trying to make up for that by doing these shows that we've got planned over the next few days on the West Coast.

I'm sure fans across the country were disappointed when they heard the bad news of the Metal Gods Tour cancellation back in early May. Is this idea of an eclectic, ultra-heavy package tour something you see yourself pursuing in the future, or did the problems you had sour you on the idea?

No, I think it's still doable. It just has to be done in a way that suddenly something doesn't come bite you on the ass like it did to me and create this catastrophe that I had to handle. I feel that what we tried to do was great; it had never been done before. The line-up of bands we were working with was just a tremendous opportunity for metal fans to experience all these diverse groups. It was going to be a big 40-odd plus date tour of the States and we barely got our teeth into the thing before it fell apart. So maybe next time around it'll be a better set up.

Your participation in one of the early Ozzfests (filling in for an AWOL Ronnie James Dio to sing with Black Sabbath in '92) is the stuff of legend. It seems like getting you and Ozzy together, two of the most important vocalists in metal history, would be a natural. Have you ever been approached to join Ozzfest and would you consider it?

Well, you know, of all the times for that to happen, I was asked to do it when the Two band was together. And, initially, I was going to do it, but I just felt that it wouldn't have been right. Because of where I'd been and what I'd gone through surrounding that release, I felt it might not have been the right place for me to put the band. Only because there's a built-in perception about Rob Halford and I know what the Ozzfest crowd is like. They're hardcore; they love their metal, and I don't think it would have been fair to them or to me or the Two band to be exposed in that kind of atmosphere.

There were other ways we did performances that were quite well received. But that was the only time [I was invited to Ozzfest]. Ironically, now, had there been an opportunity for a current Ozzfest with this band, I think we would have just torn the place apart.

I read that one of the first big shows you performed in the States with Judas Priest was in the Bay Area when you opened for Led Zeppelin at one of Bill Graham's legendary Day on the Green concerts.

You know, this is really bizarre, because I just drove past that Oakland Coliseum about two hours ago. We flew into Oakland from San Diego and we're driving up to Petaluma and we went past that venue. And at the same time we were driving past, [our producer] Roy Z was sitting next to me reading a British publication called Q Magazine, and the whole issue is devoted to Led Zeppelin and there are some actual pictures from the Oakland show we played. I think it was July 4th, 1977. Isn't that bizarre? Here we are all those years later, in the same neck of the woods.

A couple of years ago you contributed background vocals to an album by a band that think has the potential to become the Led Zeppelin of the modern age in terms of their originality: Queens of the Stone Age. How did you come to work with that band?

I was in the studio putting the drum tracks down for 'Resurrection' and they were at the same studio in L.A. We were just hanging out, admiring each other's work and I knew of them from Kyuss [their previous band]. And they said "Hey, we've got this song," which turned out to be "Feel Good Hit of the Summer."

I just went in and jammed, and we put it down in a couple of takes and that was that. But I agree; they have that kind of underground energy, that experimental attitude that's unique. They're a remarkable band and they do something that no one else does.

The latest round of Judas Priest reunion rumors came and went earlier this year. Your attention is obviously focused on bringing the music of Halford to the world right now, but under what circumstances could you see recording and touring with Priest again?

There's three answers to that question. As I've said for quite a few years now, if ever there was an opportunity that we all agreed was worth pursuing, then we would look at it. That's one way of looking at it. Secondly, they have a lead singer, Tim ["Ripper" Owens], who's a friend of mine. He's doing a great job being the singer for Priest, so that's what's happening right now. Tim is the singer for Judas Priest.

And on the level of building friendships and speaking to one another, that's good, but it's nowhere near as close as it used to be. We see each other about once or twice a year, and it feels good, but it's a little bit strained. And I think even before any music is talked about, you have to make sure you can just be friends, you know?

I mean, just get back on the track of being able to hang out without any questions that need to be answered and asked of each other. Because I know that's inevitable: "Why did you do this? Why didn't this happen? Why didn't that happen?" It's a healing process and you have to go through all that psychology. So, that has to be dealt with. And how long would that take? Is it going to be over in a conversation? A week? A month? A year? Who knows?

The most important thing out of this is the love and the passion that still out there for Priest, you know, the original Priest. And it's the same thing goes to early Van Halen or Motley Crue or Sabbath or Iron Maiden. It's about that original experience that people want to see again and again and again. And it's also a great testament to the music, the power and the strength of this great music that lives on and will not go away.

I think it's pretty amazing that you have managed to put out material since Judas Priest that doesn't suffer from comparison when played side by side in concert with classic tunes that you recorded twenty years ago. How do you maintain such a high level of quality with your new songs?

Thank you [for the complement], but that isn't something that's self-realized. It is about the people I work with. Everything I've done comes from the talent that's involved. I've always looked long and hard to make sure that the people I associate myself with have the same integrity and beliefs and virtues that I have in the music that I try to create. I'm proud of everything that I've done, basically, because of standing up for those beliefs.

So what are your immediate plans with Halford?

We're going to be doing these five shows, and then we're just going to kick back a little bit. I think there are already some rumblings of new ideas that Roy Z, our producer who's a guitar player, is focusing on sharing with me, so we could find ourselves in a writing/recording mode quite quickly through the summer. And if anything comes up of real importance for us in the live world, well then we'll look at that. But there are no major plans other than my desire to make another record with this great band.