Judas Priest Vocalist Rob Halford Says Glenn Tipton is Still a Major Part of the Band

2019-08-03

Judas Priest singer Rob Halford and guitarist Richie Faulkner – Story by Charles Ken, photo by Anne Erickson

Glenn Tipton is working on Judas Priest’s upcoming album, says frontman Rob Halford

Rob Halford says that guitarist Glenn Tipton is still a major part of Judas Priest, even though he’s had of bow out of touring due to his fight with Parkinson’s disease.

While “Firepower” producer Andy Sneap has been performing Tipton’s part on the road, Halford says, with respect to Tipton, he is still an official band member. Moreover, Tipton is involved in the writing process for the band’s upcoming album.

“It’s always important to remember that Glenn is still fully immersed in Judas Priest,” Halford told 97.1 The Eagle (via Blabbermouth). “Judas Priest is Glenn and Ian [Hill, bass] and Scott [Travis, drums] and Richie [Faulkner, guitar] and myself… And Andy is doing great work for the band. Glenn is back home in the U.K., and every day he’s usually in the studio coming up with this riff and that riff that we put together in the vaults so we can prepare for the next bunch of songs we’re gonna make.”

Halford added that Tipton is currently writing new music for the upcoming Judas Priest album.

“The songwriting aspect has always been on a triple level, because the guitar angle of writing that Glenn created will be different to the way that Richie would [approach his ideas],” he continued. “If you listen to some of those early songs that Priest did where it was two people working together or just one person, there would be a different texture to the songs. And then we made the conscious decision to write as a trio, as writers. So, yeah, that’s the way we make our metal.”

Judas Priest recently wrapped up their global “Firepower” tour. Next up, they’ll open for Ozzy Osbourne on the 2020 European leg of his No More Tours 2 trek. Read Audio Ink Radio’s recent interview with Judas Priest bass player Ian Hill here.

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Charles Ken

Meet the expert - Charles Ken is a graduate of Michigan State University where he studied writing and history. He's a longtime music buff and covers classic rock for Audio Ink Radio. Contact him at ken@audioinkradio.com.