Interview with Metal Hammer
Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford spoke in an interview with Metal Hammer about coming out as gay, what it's like to be a gay culture icon, and the aesthetics of Judas Priest. Check out his statements:
“The experience [of coming out], in terms of the pressure involved, is something every gay person goes through. Feeling isolated and feeling like you're the only person in the world who has this kind of feeling. Back then, these things weren't talked about. It wasn't talked about in the media, in TV series. And for me, it wasn't until I was 20 years old that I felt like I was part of something bigger, you know?”
I think I used my music to work through all the pent-up aggression and depression I felt, like we all use music to let off steam. I know it's still tough nowadays, even with all the support from popular culture, there's still a lot of intolerance towards homosexuality in the UK. I know it's easier now, but it's still difficult, especially in the world of Heavy Metal. But despite that, I like to think I shattered that particular myth.”
On being a gay icon:
“I think when you get recognized for it, it’s something you don’t expect. The main thing is that I’m a singer in a Heavy Metal band. Just because my sexual orientation isn’t considered traditional, for some reason it attracts media interest. I even find it funny that I have absolutely no relationship with the gay media – not that I’m looking for it. I’ve never been contacted by any publication like that, I think it’s because Heavy Metal is still seen by the media in general as a very ‘macho’ thing, a masculine environment, which the gay media still treats with a certain distance.”
The vocalist was also asked about Judas Priest's aesthetic, which can be identified with gay aesthetics:
“I never considered it that way, to be honest with you. When we brought that image to our music, it was purely to emphasize the connection between the music and the visual – we sound like this, so we dress like this. I always found it ironic that a certain part of gay culture chooses to dress that way. I'm not really into that. I think everyone has to wear what works for them, you know? And I'm what you would call a more conventional gay man.”
