Rob Halford, the vocalist for Judas Priest, who publicly revealed he was gay in 1998 on MTV News, recently spoke about the subject during an interview on the Queer The Music .
Rob weighed in on whether attitudes about sexuality have changed in the world of heavy metal since he came out more than 25 years ago [transcription via Blabbermouth ].
“Although it depends on where you are. America is still incredibly homophobic. I’ve lived here a long time and I’ve seen a lot happen since the 80s. It really makes me angry and upset. But when I get on stage and perform with Judas Priest, some guys say, ‘I love Judas Priest, but I’m not gay’ [ Laughs ]. You know that thing — ‘I’m a big Priest fan, but I’m not gay’ — that still lives with me to some extent. It might be a fraction.”
He continued: “But when I go on stage, when Priest is touring and I know everyone's there to see this band and hear the music we've made and watch us play, they're certainly there with total acceptance in their hearts. Everyone in that room is like, 'Well, we don't care'—as they shouldn't. They shouldn't care. That labeling shouldn't be part of anything. They shouldn't care.”
“It’s about what you’re doing. It’s about your art, your craft, and your work. That’s all that matters. So, to be able to do this at this point in my life and look back and see how I’ve overcome all of this, is an absolute miracle. Someone has been watching me from up there or over my shoulder for so long. And I’m aware of that now, as I feel I have a slightly better understanding of life through wisdom,” he concluded.
When Rob Halford came out as gay
During the interview, Rob reflected on his decision to publicly declare his homosexuality. The vocalist recounts that at the time, he was at a press conference with the band 2WO .
“It was a short-lived project that Trent Reznor and I were involved in, as well as John 5. So, I was in New York doing a press conference for 2WO , and I was wearing my black eyeliner, I had a fur coat on. It’s on MTV, bald head and everything. We were talking about the band. And I said, ‘Well, speaking as a gay man, this is blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.’ And then I heard someone’s clipboard fall to the floor, because I had literally formally announced to the world that I am a gay man. So I did that show. I went back to the hotel, sat in my room, thinking, ‘What have I done? What have I done?’ And I was like, ‘I don’t care.’”
Finally, Rob shared how he felt at that moment when he publicly declared his homosexuality: “It felt very natural because it wasn’t premeditated. I hadn’t woken up that morning and said to myself, ‘I’m going to come out.’ It was just the way I’m talking to you now. It was just a pure stream of consciousness, just talking, and then it just came up in the conversation and that was it.”
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