12/15/04 - To follow up on yesterday's announcement, a good friend of mine attended a recent press briefing and listening session in New York for "Angel of Retribution." Here's what he had to say:

“Definitely reminiscent of ‘70s and ‘80s Priest. "Hellrider" has the aggression of "Leather Rebel" with lead breaks that recall "Nightcrawler". "Revolution" is rather bluesy (even has a bass intro!).”

12/14/04 - More big news! Priest has officially announced the new album title: Angel of Retribution. It's different, but hey, who cares? As long as we're gettig some new Priest, that's all that matters!!!!

According to Blabbermouth.net, songs slated to appear on the CD include "Judas Rising", "Deal with the Devil", "Revolution", "Worth Fighting For" and "Hellrider". The first single from the album is expected to be "Revolution." Even better, a bonus DVD from this past summer tour will be included. Now do you need more evidence for a home theater system ???

As of now, "Angel" is due for release on March 1 in the US and Feb. 28 in the UK and Europe. Stay tuned for pre-order information.

On a sadder note, Dimebag Darrell memorials have been set up and I ask that everyone contribute something in his name to one of the following two funds:

For those people wishing to make a donation in Dimebag's name, two special memorial funds have been established. The Dimebag Darrell Memorial Fund has been set up to cover bereavement and medical expenses for John "Kat" Brooks, Chris Paluska, and Jeffrey "Mayhem" Thompson. Please make checks payable to "The Dimebag Darrell Memorial Fund". Donations can be sent to the mail-only address:

Dimebag Darrell Memorial Fund
110 SW Thomas
Burleson, TX 76028

A special fund has also been set up through VH1's Save The Music Foundation. Save The Music purchases new musical instruments to restore music education programs that have been cut due to budget reductions in the past or to save programs at risk of elimination due to lack of instruments. The Foundation also conducts awareness campaigns, musical instrument drives and fundraising events. Checks can be mailed to:

VH1 Save The Music Foundation
1515 Broadway, 20th Floor
New York, NY 10036

Or you can use your credit card and call 1-888-841-4687

12/1/04 - BIG BIG BIG BIG BIG news!!!! Unless this is a joke (and it's not April Fool's Day), the Halford band is not dead. According to the official Halford site, Rob will begin recording another solo album in late 2005. Awesome. So freakin' awesome. Better yet, any of you musicians out there actually have a chance to jam with the band. This may be what I needed to pick up my guitar again!

8/30/04 - Judas Priest rocks Mohegan Sun

Wow. Amazing. I saw Judas Priest at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT last night (home of the fake Indian's casino). This was the first time I had seen Rob with the boys since the Ram It Down Tour in New Haven back in 1988.

To say this show was outstanding is an understatement. Although it was a retrospective set of sorts (no new songs, no rarely-played gems), the reunited Priest played a set worthy of a DVD release. It was that good. Last night's version of "The Sentinel" and "Victim of Changes" we THE BEST I have ever heard this band play. And, mind you, the Metal Gods aren't getting any younger. But, last night, they put their younger selves to shame.

Rob's voice was in perfect shape. He played with his delivery in half the songs, changing pitches the way an artist uses a paint brush, and brough the near sold-out capacity crowd into a frenzy when he hit notes he seemingly hadn't hit in ten years. Any fans, new or old, who walked through the doors with any doubt about his ability to master metal classics like "Painkiller," "Diamonds and Rust" (a beautiful acoustic version first introduced during the Tim Owens era, but in a way no other human being ever could have sung), "Metal Gods" or "Green Manalishi" walked out stunned. I can't tell you how many people I overheard saying "Unbelievable! They were amazing! I didn't think he could sing like that anymore..." The place went ballistic every time Halford hit one of his signature screams - something he seemingly wasn't capable of when he left the band 12 years ago.

Yeah, the Priest is back and finally showing metal fans what a REAL band can do.

KK and Glenn were superb last night, with barely a missed note and nailing their solos. KK's extended solo during "Victim of Changes" was one of the most incredible moments I've ever seen. He was in another world and his fingers seemed to have a mind of their own. It was magical.

It was nice to see Priest on their own. I didn't/couldn't go to any of the OzzFest shows this year. Not having to deal with all-day, in-the-heat-and-humidity festivals was nice. Last night, Judas Priest played one of their best shows ever before thousands of loyal, die-hard fans and that's the way the band wanted it. And to think, they're just getting back into a groove together. The new album and following tour will surely take the world by storm. There's absolutely no doubt in my mind about that.

Welcome back, Metal Gods.

-Devin 8/30/04

5/28/04 - I want every one of you to read this story (or watch it) if you care about music. It's about time something like this came out. Thank you, Frontline!

5/16/04 - First, I want to once again congratulate my friend Bryan Reesman for the amazing job he did writing the liner notes for the "Metalogy" box set. Bryan is one of the top-notch music journalists in the world, a tru emetal fan, and a true Priest fan. No one could have done a better job re-telling the history of the band. Way to go, Bryan!

I just got the box a couple of days ago and I just popped the DVD in. It goes without saying it's about time this legendary concert - the one that got me into metal in the first place 22 years ago. Now, let's hear some new music, guys!!

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3/25/04 - Certainly some interesting, and hopefully refreshing news! Here's the latest update from the Priest camp:

Judas Priest Begin Recording New Album with Producer Roy Z 3/24/2004

"Hi - Jayne here again! I haven't had a chance to post any messages on the board recently as I've been up to my eyes what with sorting out the new record deal, arranging the world tour, working on the boxset, sorting out studios, stage sets, stage clothes etc., etc., etc!! I had a flying visit (literally!) to LA with Rob, Glenn and K.K. to participate in the Ozzfest press conference with Ozzy and Sharon - that was great fun! Things are pretty hectic this end to say the least!!

"The band are working with the producer Roy Z [Halford, Helloween, Bruce Dickinson] on the new record and things are going really really well! Scott flew over to the UK last week and is now working on his drum tracks - Glenn and K.K. have been very busy with their guitar parts - Rob will be flying back to the UK very soon to start on his vocals and of course Ian will be laying down his great solid bass lines imminently!

"We know you are all impatient but you have to trust the guys and know they will come up with a great record - they like to keep their heads down and get on with it!

"We heard some ridiculous rumours about the band playing a secret gig in Birmingham, UK... total rubbish!! Where do these things start!! The band have not played any secret shows - they are very busy working on the new album!!"

I think this bodes well for the band. Roy has done some absolutely amazing production work for Rob and Bruce Dickinson. The only exception was the shitty mix on Crucible, although it's a legendary album.

3/16/04 - Excellent news! More info about the new Priest box set "Metalogy" is trickling out. The new release date is now May 11!! For those of you who haven't seen what it's going to look like, here it is:

Sweet, huh? Also, my good friend and music writing legend Bryan Reesman wrote the liner notes! AWESOME!! More details as they come along. But for more info, check out Sony/Legacy Recordings, who's releasing the box set.

2/25/04 - PRIEST JOINS OZZFEST TOUR!

From the Official page:

Judas Priest are very pleased to announce that they will be joining Ozzy Osbourne for the US Ozzfest 2004 which starts on 10th July and goes through until the beginning of September. This will of course be the first reunion dates that the band will be playing in America with the original line up of Rob Halford, Glenn Tipton, K.K. Downing, Ian Hill and of course Scott Travis!

Until now we had not been able to confirm that we were doing the Ozzfest as we had been asked by Ozzy & Co. to keep it quiet until after the official press conference ­ so naturally we respected that!!

We are really looking forward to getting out on the road again and playing at these shows!!

Please see below dates:

JULY:
10TH HARTFORD, CT/MEADOWS MUSIC THEATRE
12TH BOSTON, MA/TWEETER CENTER
14TH WANTAGH NY/TOMMY HILLFIGER@ JONES BEACH
16TH HOLMDEL,NJ/PNC BANK ARTS CENTER
18TH BRISTOW, VA/NISSAN PAVILION
20TH COLUMBUS,OH/GERMAIN AMPHITHEATRE
22ND NASHVILLE, TN/STARWOOD AMPHITHEATRE
24TH DENVER,CO/FIDDLER¹S GREEN
27TH SEATTLE, WA/WHITE RIVER AMPHITHEATRE
29TH SAN FRANCISCO, CA/SHORELINE AMPHITHEATRE
31ST SAN BERNARDINO, CA/HYUNDAI PAVILION

AUGUST:
3RD ALBUQUERQUE, NM/JOURNAL PAVILION
5TH DALLAS, TX/SMIRNOFF MUSIC CENTER
7TH SAN ANTONIO, TX/VERIZON WIRELESS AMPH
10TH KANSAS CITY,KS/VERIZON AMPHITHEATRE
12TH ST. LOUIS,MO/UMB PAVILION
14TH EAST TROU, WI/ALPINE VALLEY MUSIC THEATRE
17TH DETROIT, MI/DTE ENERGY CENTER
19TH CLEVELAND/BLOSSOM
21ST CHICAGO, IL/TWEETER CENTER
24TH INDIANAPOLIS, IN/VERIZON WIRELESS MUSIC CEN
26TH CAMDEN, NJ/TWEETER WATERFRONT
28TH PITTSBURGH, PA/POST GAZETTE PAVILION
31ST RALEIGH, NC/ALLTEL PAVILION

SEPTEMBER:
2ND TAMPA, FL/TAMPA BAY AMPHITHEATRE
4TH WEST PALM, FL/SOUND ADVICE AMPHITHEATREC

Rock on!!! I'll be at least at the Hartford and maybe Holmdel shows. Although, I'm kinda bummed, as I really wish Priest would headline their own headline tour instead. I don't know how much patience I have to stay the whole day. Man, I'm getting old....

1/30/04 - My good, old friend Paul Armstrong forwarded me the details of Priest's upcoming box set through Sony! This is cool news! They are finally bringing the Memphis show to DVD!!!! Anyway, here's the rest:

Sony/Legacy have revealed details for the forthcoming JUDAS PRIEST box set, Metalogy, due out on March 9th.

The box set was assembled with the full participation of the band. Featuring 64 tracks over 4CDs, the set includes over five hours of music and covers the band’s output from 1974-2002. Music is included from the Gull, Columbia, CMC and Atlantic labels. The set also features several live rarities and B-sides (never before on CD) and a previously unreleased demo, ‘Heart Of A Lion’.

Metalogy’s packaging features a limited edition 7"x7" box, wrapped in leather and surrounded by metal spikes. A full color 7"x7" book is included and contains the full Judas Priest discography, a biographical essay, timeline, and many previously unseen photos.

Also included in the set is the DVD debut of the classic Memphis show from 1983's Screaming For Vengeance tour.

Metalogy features the following tracklisting: CD 1 - ‘Never Satisfied’, ‘Deceiver’, ‘Tyrant’, ‘Victim Of Changes’ (Live), ‘Diamonds & Rust’ (Live)**, ‘Starbreaker’ (Live)**, ‘Sinner’, ‘Let Us Prey’, ‘Dissident Aggressor’, ‘Exciter’, ‘Beyond The Realms Of Death’, ‘Better By You Better Than Me’, ‘Invader’, ‘Stained Class’ and ‘The Green Manalishi (With The Two Pronged Crown)’ (Live)*.

CD 2 - ‘Killing Machine’, ‘Evening Star’, ‘Take On The World’, ‘Delivering The Goods’, ‘Evil Fantasies’, ‘Hell Bent For Leather’, ‘Breaking The Law’ (Live) **, ‘Living After Midnight’, ‘Rapid Fire’, ‘Metal Gods’, ‘Grinder’ (Live) *, ‘The Rage’, ‘Heading Out To The Highway’, ‘Hot Rockin'’ (Live)**, ‘Trouble Shooter’, ‘Solar Angels’, ‘Desert Plains’, ‘Hellion’ (Live)**/’Electric Eye’ (Live)** and ‘Screaming For Vengeance’.

CD 3 - ‘Riding On The Wind’, ‘Bloodstone’, ‘You've Got Another Thing Comin'’, ‘Devil's Child’, ‘Freewheel Burning’, ‘Jawbreaker’, ‘The Sentinel’, ‘Love Bites’ (Live)*, ‘Eat Me Alive’, ‘Some Heads Are Gonna Roll’, ‘Rock Hard Ride Free’, ‘Night Comes Down’, ‘Turbo Lover’, ‘Private Property’, ‘Parental Guidance’, ‘Out In The Cold’ and ‘Heart Of A Lion’ (demo) *.

CD 4 - ‘Ram It Down’, ‘Heavy Metal’, ‘Come & Get It’, ‘Blood Red Skies’, ‘Painkiller’, ‘Between The Hammer & The Anvil’, ‘Touch Of Evil’, ‘Metal Meltdown’, ‘Nightcrawler’, ‘All Guns Blazing’, ‘Jugulator’, ‘Bloodstains’, ‘Machine Man’ and ‘Feed On Me’.

(*Previously Unreleased, **First Time On CD).

7/13/03 - Please check out my exclusive interview with Pat Lachman, former guitarist for "Halford," on what he had to say about the Priest reunion.

7/13/03 - News continues to come out about the Priest "reunion:" MTV - Back in Black Studded Leather: Halford Rejoins Priest

7/11/03 - Here's an article from CNN: Halford reunites with Judas Priest

Yahoo! News: Judas Priest Hell Bent for Halford

7/11/04 - I just got home to find the official announcement from Priest's PR company. I'm in shock right now:

Immediate Release:

ROB HALFORD REUNITES WITH JUDAS PRIEST

WORLD TOUR COMING IN 2004

SEVERAL PROJECTS ARE IN THE PLANNING STAGES

After more than 12 years apart, Judas Priest and original lead vocalist Rob Halford have reunited for a global live concert tour in 2004. The definitive Judas Priest lineup of Rob Halford, lead guitarist Glenn Tipton, lead guitarist K.K. Downing, bassist Ian Hill and drummer Scott Travis are back.

The original band members have been re-establishing their personal and professional relationships since 1999 along the way sparking hundreds of reunion rumors.

Several exciting projects, in addition to the 2004 world tour, are in the early planning stages.

The long-awaited reunion of Judas Priest and Halford will thrill fans around the globe, and once again provide them with the opportunity to see and hear the band that defined Heavy Metal as we know it today.

Judas Priest rose from the gritty, working-class steel town of Birmingham, England, and became one of the biggest bands in the world. Judas Priest are considered the groundbreaking inventors of true Heavy Metal music. From their debut release 'Rocka Rolla' through monumental albums such as 'Sad Wings of Destiny,' 'Sin After Sin,' 'Stained Class,' 'Hell Bent For Leather,' 'Unleashed in the East,' 'British Steel,' 'Screaming for Vengeance,' 'Defenders of the Faith' and 'Painkiller,' titanic songs like "Victim of Changes," "Sinner," "Exciter," "Hell Bent for Leather," "Living After Midnight," "Breaking the Law" and "You've Got Another Thing Comin' '' were born. Judas Priest defines and epitomizes both sonically and visually the Heavy Metal genre.

Next year's reunion tour will also celebrate the band's 30th anniversary.

Judas Priest and Ripper Owens, who replaced Halford, have parted amicably by mutual agreement. The band is very grateful for Ripper's work in helping them to continue to bring Judas Priest's music to their millions of fans and they expect big things for him in the future.

I'll have more to say on Sunday. Enjoy your weekend!

5/9/03 - So, I'm sure by now all of you have heard that teh Metal Gods Tour 2003 was cancelled. I just want to say that I'm happy I got to see the show in Hartford before it was axed. I think it was one of the most amazing performances ROb has ever given. His voice is as powerful as it's ever been, IMO.

Anyway, I'm not going to get much into the discussion, but long story short, one of the promoters involved negotiated some contracts regarding the tour without anyone's knowledge. It compromised the financial stability of the tour, thereore forcing it's cancellation. I'm also hearing LOTS of other reasons about why the tour was cancelled, but I'll wait for confirmation before posting anything

One of the other reasons I'm bummed about it's demise was that Primal Fear was finally getting to show off their stuff to a new audience and that's been taken away. I sure hope they are able to return soon.

To give people a nice perspective on what's going on in the Halford camp, manager John Baxter posted this last night:

I was hoping you guys were not keeping score.

I'll start w. the most recent. Many of you may feel the posting of my letter to the promoters was a poor decision, but every promoter supporting the tour needed to see it and appreciated seeing it. They demanded an answer, and we have the proof and provided one. Let us worry about the consequences.

You saw what happened in Long Island. That's how angry several of the promoters were when I cancelled the tour. And knowing the letter would potentially leak onto the net; I wanted the letter on our site prior to someone anonymously posting it and the conjecture that would ensue.

I accept your thoughts, conclusions, views and assumptions. Rob and the other members of the band accept them. We are still one family, however. And things are never as bad as they seem; especially in the entertainment business. Collectively, all we're really doing is eating up a few chapters in the tour section of Rob's book. BTW, we're all convinced it's going to be a great read.

Halford is about the music it produces. So far we've been blessed to create three outstanding releases w. a fourth in the early stages of development. We passed on countless tours over the last twelve months, so we could do things Rob wanted to do.

The last four years have been productive and complicated. The time has yielded so many events, and your list of negatives appears accurate and intriguing in that format.

But the list of positives this band has enjoyed, from our perspective, quickly erase the above events from our minds. With the exception of the regrouping of TMG tour; the rest had to happen for this band to feel right about continuing. And we'll get through this hicup too.

Yes, I'm including the immigration on my list of positives. For I watched Rob set a lot of goals while he was locked out of the U.S. Goals he procrastinated on for years, but he now appears hell bent to achieve them.

Rob's in a very healthy place right now. Bummed out the tour suddenly stopped, but eager to recommence. For the first time in a long time, Rob is enjoying being on stage. We've finally gotten him to wear in-ear monitors, and the result is he's no longer oversinging and blowing out his voice. We did several shows in a short period of time, and Rob's voice strengthed, range broadened, and notes were sustaining and sustaining. He's in a good place.

Those of you that have been around the members of Halford; feel the ³creative² energy and enthusiasm from each of them. This is the type environment Rob requires at this stage of his career, and it is a tight rope at times; juggling opportunities w. politics. It's a constantly evolving environment, for Rob is constantly directing. It's a stream of conscience that all of us participate in; to make it interesting for ourselves and hopefully each of you.

Many of our problems experienced over the last year are tour related. My answer to that is, you've read the praises over-and-over; please get out and see Rob as soon as you can.

We're going to get through another few weeks of dates, take a rest, and go back into a writing mode. We are looking at some international offers, and if something looks intriguing we'll commit to it.

Crucible took us fourteen months - it feels like on both sides of the release date - to complete. But the next Halford recording should be completed by next spring.

Please keep the grades, and I'll try and do a better job managing the traffic.

Best Regards To Each Of You,

John Baxter

4/14/03 - Ah, I forgot to post a link to the online petition to induct Judas Priest into the Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame. Be sure to add your name here: http://www.petitiononline.com/priest1/petition.html. This is a serious no-brainer. If any metal band is to have a place at the RNRHOF it's Judas Priest for being one of the pioneers of metal.

5/24/02 - Just a quick update. Here's what Jayne Andrews emailed me the other day after I asked her to confirm or deny the Bad Hair Bands of the 80s tour:

"We will not be touring with this line-up but may do a couple of shows with them- we are in the process of confirming the US tour now and will announce the dates once we have it finalised.
Jayne Andrews

So, there you go. Stay tuned for more tour plans.....

Judas Priest - Live in London

5/20/02 - Well, it looks like Priest have collectively lost their minds. I am waiting for confirmation, but it seems that the second leg of their 2002 US Tour this summer will include Ratt, Dokken, Firehouse, and LA Guns. I've been pondering skipping this leg of the tour, mostly because they can't seem to understand what the fans want: V-A-R-I-E-T-Y in the setlist. However, I refuse to pay to see those 4 opening bands. Period. So, it looks like I'll be skipping this round, which I almost can't believe....

In better news, Halford's new album "Crucible" will be hitting the stores on June 24th. I'll be posting a review in the coming weeks of the much-anticipated follow-up to Resurrection. Hint: You won't be disappointed.

2/6/02 - For Immediate Release:

JUDAS PRIEST TO CHAT LIVE AT USA TODAY.COM ON
FRIDAY, FEB. 8 TO PROMOTE 'DEMOLITION' CD & TOUR

Heavy metal legends Judas Priest will chat live on USA Today.com on Friday, February 8, 2002, at 2:00 p.m. Eastern. Vocalist Ripper Owens and guitarist K.K. Downing are scheduled to participate.

Owens, Downing, guitarist Glenn Tipton, bass guitarist Ian Hill and drummer Scott Travis are touring to support the 'Demolition' CD, the band's first release on Atlantic Records.

To access the Judas Priest live chat and to submit questions, go to: ttp://cgi1.usatoday.com/mchat/20020208005/tscript.htm.

The general live chat section of USA Today.com is http://talk.usatoday.com

9/13/01 - Due to the sad events taking place in the US this week, Judas Priest has postponed it's US Tour, to restart on 1/2/02. I'll report further if I hear anything, but this has so far been confirmed by Anthrax's web site and Century Media today.

6/15/01 - If you want a discouraging read about why radio sucks so bad today, check this story out. It's a sad state of affairs in radio, and no wonder we don't get to hear GOOD music in the radio anymore.

6/14/01 - Fortunately, the new Halford board has been set up along with, get this, a live studio cam of Rob's rehearsal studio! You can find it all at http://www.themetalgod.com.

6/11/01 - If anyone reading this has seen or is seeing Priest on the current European tour, PLEASE send me the set lists, reviews, and any phots/MP3s you can get your hands on. Thanks!

5/31/01 - An interesting tidbit for everyone this evening.... Anyone who has paid attention to the great VH-1 and its mega-hit series called "Behind the Music" is going to love this. Scheduled to air in September is....Behind the Music: Judas Priest!!!! YES!!! I've been waiting for them to do this. What better band than the mighty Priest could they profile? Maybe they've been saving the best for last! I'm hoping to hear more details about this in the coming weeks. Stay tuned. It's going to great. And if you don't have cable yet, well, what the hell are you waiting for??? ;-)

BTW, if you haven't caught it yet, be sure to watch the new Megadeth BTM special, too. They started airing it a couple of weeks ago.

5/30/01 - I am happy to see that Jayne Andrews addressed the "Ripper Controvery" on the official site today. Here's what she had to say:

There is an interview on the internet that we are really not happy about - it was done with Ripper in Greece and unfortunately things were taken very much out of context to make it look like Ripper was saying bad things about Rob - I can assure you this was not the case - I was with Ripper in Greece and there is no way at all that he bad mouthed Rob - Ripper is a big fan of Rob's and would not do this - maybe the language barrier - maybe 'journalistic licence' but Ripper's words were taken out of context and made to sound bad. The rest of the guys would not condone this in any way and I have only ever heard Ripper say good things about Rob - Rob and I have discussed the situation and he is aware that no malice was intended - he knows how difficult it is with some journalists who are just looking for a bit of sensationalizm - however we totally agree that it reads pretty badly and we apologise but unfortunately cannot control what a journalist writes.
JAYNE ANDREWS
Management Co-ordinator for JUDAS PRIEST

I talked to the guys who did this interview, and tend to believe what they have told me (there is a lot more outside of this interview that went wrong in Greece). But, I'm done with it. End of story. I'm not commenting on this anymore.

5/25/01 - A friend forwarded an audio interview of Tim Owens to me the other day. It's a bit long only because the interviewer speaks Spanish, so there's a lot of translation going on. It's similar to the interview linked below. I couldn't get all the way through it, since Windows Media Player doesn't like my computer. It kept freezing. Anyway, enjoy! (24+ minutes/4 MB)

5/19/01 - I want everyone to read this interview Tim Owens did recently in Greece. 4/30/01- I bet you all want to see what the new Re-Masters Box Set is going to look like, don't you? Yeah, I know you do. Well, here it is!

4/27/01- Check out Rob Halford's USA Today chat transcript! Guess whose question he answered last... ;-)

3/31/01- It's been a busy couple of weeks in the Priest and Halford camps! Firt of all, the new album is going to entitled DEMOLITION, and will conatin between 13 and 14 tracks! That's the official word from Jayne Adnrews over at the offical site. As a bit of a teaser, they've also posted a few song titles already:

• MACHINE MAN
• IN BETWEEN
• LOST AND FOUND
• ONE ON ONE
• FEED ON ME

On this side of the pond, Halford has been especially busy lately. First of all, Insurrection has hit the shelves in Europe and (I think) Japan. The US release date is April 17th, which seems to indicate a distribution problem, or just provide further evidence the US metal market continues to suck. Rob has been doing a round of interviews to promote this amazing live album, the best of which was done live with The Rack on KNAC.com, which is the best metal radio/internet station you could find. Unfortunately, I missed it (ARGH!). But, it should be archived on the site soon. But, the always reliable Exciter Page managed to record the whole damn thing! Check it out. I haven't heard it yet, but here are some higlights (courtesy of SADWINGS on the Halford BB:

• "Screaming in the Dark is a little taste of where we want to go with the next record. We are looking to make the next cd more fierce and intense"
• This cd will be more lyrically driven. I have been writing things filled with illusion and fantasy tempered with reality"
• "We will not be touring with Pantera. I was waiting for a call that never came"
• "We are shooting for the end of the year to release our second effort, although many things can change between now and then. Hey, it may even be done sooner than that. You can never tell with the rock'n'roll business"
• "One thing that drives me when making a new cd is setting challenges for myself behind the mic. I even left imprints of the mic on the palms of my hands when recording screaming in the dark"
• "My love for Priest hasn't diminished and never will"
• "Sometimes I wake up at four in the morning and I think to myself. God, I wish I was in Priest. Then I think....no..no..no....THIS is where I need to be."

1/29/01- First, it's album recommendation time again!!! I've discovered yet another AMAZING band that I think most of you Priest fans will like instantly. It's PRIMAL FEAR. The singer, Ralf Scheepers was actually in line to get the Priest gig a few years ago until Tim Owens was picked. His voice is incredible and the band kicks ass all over the place. You can check out some clips and buy their CDs at CDNow or their new American website at http://www.geocities.com/primalfearrules. Trust me, you're going to be blown away by what you hear.

Sorry updates have been few and far between this month. It's been slow news-wise, and I've been looking for a new job. Anyway, I have a bunch of tidbits for you that I think you'd be quite interested in, if you haven't heard already! First of all, the Priest camp has made it official! We are getting a re-mastered Judas Priest catalog, complete with box set, rare photos, and even unreleased tracks! Here's what they had to say:

"JUDAS PRIEST - THE REMASTERS

WE ARE VERY PLEASED TO TELL YOU THAT WE HAVE FINALISED OUR DISCUSSIONS WITH SONY RECORDS AND ARE NOW IN THE PROCESS OF REMASTERING THE JUDAS PRIEST BACK CATALOGUE - TWELVE ALBUMS - FROM SIN AFTER SIN RIGHT THROUGH TO PAINKILLER.

We plan to release them in three phases of 4 CD'S each - all on the Columbia label:

(Please note the release dates are approximate at this stage - as soon as we have confirmed dates we will let you know)

April 2001

BRITISH STEEL
POINT OF ENTRY
SCREAMING FOR VENGEANCE
DEFENDERS OF THE FAITH

July 2001

SIN AFTER SIN
STAINED CLASS
KILLING MACHINE (entitled HELL BENT FOR LEATHER in the USA)
UNLEASHED IN THE EAST

October 2001

TURBO
PRIEST......LIVE!
RAM IT DOWN
PAINKILLER

The plan is to give away a special free collectors box when you buy the four CD's released in phase 2 - all twelve remastered CD's will fit into this box which will also contain a booklet with notes from the band and some photos that have never been seen before!

Each album will contain bonus tracks ­ including EIGHT previously unheard studio tracks and in addition some live tracks­ but all of them never before released! This is a must for every true Priest fan ­ a legacy of the band's musical history which can be collected and kept in this box designed by the band! More information later!

Judas Priest "

Nice, huh? I've always been skeptical of re-mastered albums, but I'm not sure how I can resist buying these with the bonus tracks and other treats. And I'm dying to hear how Defenders of the Faith sounds with a REAL sound mix! I'll keep you posted if I find out more.

The down side is that we still have nothing new regarding the next studio album. I am still predicting that Priest won't be able to hold up to their original promise of March, and we'll see the new disc some time in May.

-----------

Even more great news is that Rob Halford has been recording all of the HALFORD shows on this past tour around the world, and we are being treated to a double live CD called "Live - Insurrection". WOW!! Here is the track listing as of now:

Resurrection
Made In Hell
Into The Pit
Nailed To The Gun
Light Comes Out Of Black
Stained Class
Jawbreaker
Running Wild
Slow Down
Life In Black
Hell's Last Survivor
Sad Wings
Beyond The Realms Of Death
Breaking The Law
Metal Gods
Silent Screams
Cyberworld
Saviour
Hellion / Electric Eye
Riding On The Wind
Tyrant
Genocide

There are others to be added. One of which will surely be The One You Love to Hate with Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden) and Jeff Tate (Queensryche) recorded in the UK. This album is going to kick some serious ass, and is a must-have CD for all Priest/Halford fans. They are already working on mixing the album, and we will actually have it in our hands on March 26th! Go to www.robhalford.com for more information. Don't forget, you can get plenty of live Halford MP3s right now on my MP3 Page

11/27/00- Well, as some of you know, I am recent fan of Racer X. They've been around since the mid-80s. Sadly, and regretably, I didn't discover this amazing band until a couple of months ago. Most Priest fans are very familiar with Racer X's drummer, the amazing Scott Travis. Scott "left" Racer X in 1989 to join Judas Priest, but has since re-grouped and produced two albums with them during the agonizingly long period between the last Priest albums.

I contacted Scott a couple of weeks ago and he was nice enough to take the time to respond to my questions - most of which I will post for you to see. Here's what the skin-master had to say:

Me: I picked up Technical Difficulties a few weeks ago and I'm really pissed. Why? Because I haven't bought any Racer X CDs before. Scott, this is simply one of the greatest pieces of music I have ever heard!!!

Scott: "Fantastic!! All I (we) can say is thank you very much!

We're very proud of our "little" music project and we know there are people out there like yourself who enjoy and appreciate our music. We enjoy creating the kind of music that we like to play.

Me: The solos on Snakebite and Miss Mistreater are among the most moving I've ever heard.

Scott: Two of my favorites also.

Me: It's a damn shame music like this doesn't get the attention it deserves. I guess label support would help, huh?

Scott: You got that right!

Me: By the way, I know you guys are working on a new album. Do you have a release date?

Scott: "Super Hereos" is finished, scarifyingly awesome and will be released in Japan (Mercury Records) before Christmas. No deal yet in the States. We'll see. If we don't get any respectable offers from the labels then we're gonna' put the damn thing on eBay, to the highest bidder!

Me: Also, will you ever tour again with Racer X?

Scott: Possibly. Most likely in Japan and maybe some other Asian countries. The reason? We've obviously got good label support over there along with a substantial following. It's also easier to get around (logistically) once you're there, as opposed to the very large and spread out U.S. In simple terms, it's very expensive to tour the U.S.

Me: I guess I do have a few questions for you regarding Priest. Obviously, it's up to you if you want to answer anything. And please tell me if there is anything you DON'T want me to put on my web site. I respect your wishes if any of your answers are to remain personal.

Scott: I'll answer anything! WARNING: Don't be offended by my straightforwardness though. That's just me.

Me: One of the things that's been fairly noticeable and discouraging is the level of unrest on the Official Site's bulletin board. When you read that stuff, how does it make you feel?

Scott: I've never read one single word! Please don't misconstrue this as arrogant or uncaring, it's just that I haven't had the time, nor do I want to get caught up in all of the "he said, she said" gossip. I'm in the band so I know everything I need to know. Occasionally, Jayne has forwarded any specific questions regarding myself, which I have answered personally.

I promise to read every last line of any messages dropped on the Racer-X website! (Note: more on this to come later, hopefully. -Devin)

Me: A lot of it has to do with the frustration the fans feel because the new album is taking so long and the updates are severely lacking, but I am wondering how it affects the band members, if at all.

Scott: This is what I mean, "affects the band members?", it doesn't affect us at all. It's just taking a long time. So what? Nothing more, nothing less.

Me: Second, a lot of people seem to have issues with Jayne. I won't relay anything people have said, but what's your relationship with her?

Scott: I have a professional and friendly relationship with Jayne. She has told me on several occasions that people have said things about her on the web site which she obviously finds hurtful and insentitive. At times she can seem overly protective but that's just Jayne.

Me: Third, are YOU frustrated by the time it takes to release a new Priest album?

Scott: No. Like you said, and correctly I might add, I'm having fun doing the Racer-X stuff. As everyone already knows, Glenn does most of the work on the albums (check the songwriting and production credits) and therefore it takes a long time to complete.

Me: Fourth, have you heard Rob's new album? What do you think of it?

Scott: I like it very much.

Me: And do you still keep in touch with him?

Scott: I haven't spoken to him in years.

Me: I hope you don't mind all the questions. It's just that the fans always hear everything from Glenn, as he seems to be the official spokesperson. But we'd all love to hear your side of things. Trust me, every Priest/Racer X fan would love to know what you're up to and have to say!

Scott: Thanks Dude! Like I said earlier, I'll answer anything you need to know. And honestly!
Sincerely,
ST

Sign up and get $5 free! Use this to make auction transactions online.

11/8/00- Just a warning for all you Priest fans out there. I was just in Sam Goody buying the latest Megadeth "Best Of" CD and noticed yet another bogus double CD Called "Genocide" from Judas Priest. This is from Gull Records and the band appreciates you ignoring these CDs, as they do not receive royalties from the songs from these albums. If you see this CD in any music store DO NOT BUY it. It is another unauthorized release.

10/10/00- Some exciting news over at the Official Site today! The band has begun posting some video teaser clips of the guys in the studio. Scott looks like he's having a great time and is having fun. Hopefully, they'll update this every week or so and give the drooling fans more and more sound clips. Scott does an intro to one of the songs, but that's all! They leave you hanging for more!! = )

It's nice to see the band acknowledging the fans' desire for more news. People have been *very* impatient with what's been going on (I'm guilty of that, too), and the band's been catching a lot of shit from people. I think they're doing what they can, and posting video clips of themselves in the studio is pretty damn cool. Thanks, guys!

9/26/00- EVERYONE! Please head on over to VH-1's site (http://www.vh1.com/mymusic/)and write in Rob Halford into the categories he deserves! You have to register and then choose the categories you want to write in Halford's "Resurrection." As usual, the typical Top 40 crap is being recognized and it would be nice to see the Metal God get some recognition for once.

I'd also greatly appreciate it if you write in this site for best fan site! Thanks!!

9/4/00- As if there weren't enough rumors flying around about Priest these days... We have yet another one to add to the fire. HardRadio.com is reporting the following:

JUDAS PRIEST singer Tim 'Ripper' Owens and Rob Halford (ex-Judas Priest) met backstage at the IRON MAIDEN/QUEENSRYCHE/HALFORD/BREAKER concert in Cleveland on Wednesday, August 23rd. The two vocalists had a brief, but cordial time together. The above meeting has added fuel to the Priest-reunion fire. As well, other speculations and possibilities have been mentioned in metal circles. Please handle the following with CARE! Sources suggest that there are musical differences between Ripper and the rest of the band, Ripper wanting to go in the heavier Jugulator direction, the band wanting more of a traditional Priest sound. Remember that Ripper has been quite open about frustrations that the record has been stalled at the demo stage - Atlantic apparently refused their first demo. Priest then fired off a formal rebuttal to that rumour, saying that all is well with writing and recording.

8/29/00- Want to see a shocker? Head on over to the official Rob Halford site and see for yourself....

8/14/00- THE NATIVES ARE GETTING RESTLESS!! Well, it's certainly been an interesting few weeks over at the official site (JudasPriest.com). Why? Well, if you haven't been frequenting their Discussion board, you really should (although it would be nice if someone paid MINE a visit once in a while!). The reason being that the band an dits management are being hammered by fans almost every single day over their refusal to give out timely updates about rumors, reunions, and the new album. This veil of secrecy is usually brushed off with ambiguos comments from Jayne Andrews. That used to be OK. But after a two-year lull, the fans are tired of being put off. Nothing the band has stated makes sense with what's actually been happening.

BTW, if you decide to email the band or post to the discussion board, please keep your comments respectful and mature. I've seen some idiot statements coming from people claiming to be fans of Priest. If you're a true fan, you won't talk to them like they're your dirty trash neighbors.

8/12/00- If anyone has visited the Official Site at all during the past couple of weeks, you'll see that the Priest camp is being hounded by fans of all types regarding the band's "tight lip" policy about what's going on with the new album, etc. As usual, no one's been given any relevant updates from Jayne or anyone else.

As I mentioned in the update section, I saw Rob Halford twice this past week. To say he is in top form is an understatement. He simply blew everyone away with his performances singing "Riding on the Wind," "Tyrant," "Stained Class," and "Electric Eye," not to mention 4-5 songs off his new album. His album is one of the best I've heard from anyone in years. Period. And with all of the recent developments, I've come to accept the fact that Priest is unable to continue as it was without Rob Halford in the band. Why do I say this? Well, look at the obvious events. It's been nearly two years since since Priest ended its last tour. We've received ambiguos updates for more than a year now from Priest's management which give us no indication of where the new album stands. We even get conflicting reports from Tim Owens and other news outlets as to what's happening. Priest's refusal to clear things up just adds to the suspicion. (Keep in mind several statements Rob has made in interviews in the past few months and the fact that he has been working on patching up his damaged friendships with the members of Priest. He has hung out with them when he's been in the UK)

Contrast this with Iron Maiden. Their last tour ended last September or October. They wrote and recorded a new album, released it in less than six months, and have been on a world tour for more than 2 months supporting this great album. We are also blesed with Halford's "Resurrection" in the meantime, further proclaiming Rob's "Metal God" status in terms of writing and musical production. Looking back at Jugulator, you see the vast contrast in talent. I was excited about it when it first came out, but I haven't listened to it in over a year. It's a sub-par album for Judas Priest.

What's lacking? Put two and two together and you have the "Rob Halford Factor." It's now apparent that Rob's influence on song writing for Priest was a dominant one. And I think this is a reason we have been waiting so long for the new JP album. The band is stuck without him. And I want to make it clear this has nothing to do with Tim Owens. He is one of the most talented singers in the world, but we haven't yet seen his writing abilities with Priest. Who knows if we ever will?

Since it is now obvious we will not see a new Judas Priest album until some time in 2001, I am going to make a bold prediction: Rob Halford will be invited back to Judas Priest after his current tour is over. Tim will no longer be the lead singer for Judas Priest (perhaps for his own good, as he can step out of the shadow of Rob and showcase his own abilities).

There. I said it. I am willing to put my money where my mouth is. I will wager a valuable collectable item with the first person who challenges me on this.

I don't expect things to change any time soon. The Priest camp continues it's inexplicable silence about these issues. At best we will get more ambiguos statements on the Bulletin Board. Only time will tell...

7/31/00- Well, I wish I had better news about the forthcoming Judas Priest album. Roughly a year ago, the band stated that they were working to have the new album by Fall '99. Then, in December, word of problems with Glenn's father appeared, and the band then said they would have a new album out shortly. In April of this year, word was that everything was done and all that was needed were Tim's vocals. Well, it's now July 31st, and we have more news to report courtesy of Hard Radio:

Contrary to published reports, Tim 'Ripper' Owens, who hung out with the guys from PANTERA on the Cleveland stop for Ozzfest and a rowdy, 1800 person in-store appearance, claims the 'new' JUDAS PRIEST album has not gone beyond the demo stages, fuelling (sic) rumors of the inevitable JP reunion with the rejuvenanated metallion, ROB HALFORD. In related news, according to an online posting by Steve Shumake, here's the setlist to one of HALFORD's warm-up gigs before the IRON MAIDEN tour. Performing at the Royal Grove in Lincoln, NE Halford struck with the following: 'Resurrection', 'Locked And Loaded', 'Into The Pit', 'Stained Class', 'Made In Hell', 'Running Wild', 'Nightfall', 'Riding On The Wind', 'The Hellion', 'Electric Eye', 'Silent Scream' and 'Tyrant'.

To say this is discouraging for Priest fans is an understatement. Sadly, the band is rarely forthcoming with its fan-base, so we never really know what's going on. But the simple fact is that we aren't going to have a new Judas Priest album in 2000. I stand by that statement. Meanwhile, Rob Halford is re-taking the metal world by storm with perhaps the greatest metal album we've seen in years. Surely, this doesn't bode well for Priest at the moment....

6/24/00- WHOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA YEAH!!! Iron Maiden and Rob Halford (along with Queensryche) will be performing at Madison Square Garden for the first time in over a decade on August 5th!! The good news is, yours truly got his seat on the floor nice and early. The "bad" (actually EXCELLENT!) news is that....THE SHOW HAS ALREADY BEEN SOLD OUT!!! Wow! Who would've thought that veteran metal acts would once again draw enough fans to fill up arenas like they did in the 80s? I am psyched!! What an amazing show this is going to be. I can't wait.

I have a request into Rob's management to briefly interview the Metal God some time before the show. Let's keep our fingers crossed. If (BIG IF) it happens, I'll be compiling questions from site visitors. So be prepared!!

BTW, a special thanks to Ticketmaster for slapping on additional charges for the "privledge" of buying a ticket through them. They now add an $8 "convenience charge" to all tickets sold. Let me tell you, the process to buy a ticket through them is nowhere near convenient. Gone are the days when you could actually talk to a human being to get the seat you really want... Where's the Justice Department when you really need them?

5/23/00- A must-read interview with Rob Halford can be found at http://home.t-online.de/home/340067410153-0001/interview.htm. Some *very* interesting words from Rob that I am sure you will all be interested in reading for yourself. Some of the things he has to say might make you look at his, and Priests', situations a little differently...

4/20/00- Well, the band finally updated their site today. And, lo and behold, they posted some goodies!! First of all, it looks as if this whole flap over a summer tour with, well, anyone is non-existent at this time. Considering the band hasn't even finished the album, don't expect them to be performing near you any time soon (my words, not theirs). However, the guys posted some pictures of themselves in the studio! What I found particularly interesting is the guitar you see KK and Glenn playing. It's an old Gibson Explorer. Remember the old days? They both played Gibsons (and strats, too). I think when they say they are going for some of that melodic, classic Priest on the new album, they really mean it. As my girlfriend would say, it's "hellaaaaaaaaah" cool! Let's hope they spoil us and post a lot more pics on the site.

3/29/00- I got a short note from Jayne Andrews today about the status of a few things. Here's what she had to say:

We have been discussing remastering the back catalogue with Columbia - as soon as it is finalised we will announce it.

We haven't confirmed any tour dates yet with anyone - when we do we'll announce them on our page.

The album is going really - again when it's finished we'll announce it.

All is well with Glenn' s father.

Jayne Andrews

It's not much, but...

3/28/00- A few new tidbits for everyone....
First, a warning to Priest fans out there. I was just in Sam Goody buying a copy of the new Pantera (much better than the last album!). I saw yet another Judas Priest CD that Gull has released. It's called "The Original Masters." It has the same dark, troll character on the cover as one of the "Best Of" albums, but slightly different. I hope NO ONE wastes their money on yet another re-hash by a company that continues to sell Judas Priest material... which the band DOES NOT OWN AND RECEIVES NO ROYALTIES FOR. So, if you see it and are tempted to plunk down your cash for it, please don't.

Second, there is news from CBS/Columbia that a new Judas Priest 4-disc box set will be released some time this year. As of now, it's unclear what songs will be on the compilation, what the box will actually contain (besides the CDs, if anything), when it will be released, and whether or not the material will be remastered. So, it remains to be seen if this is a must-have for all Priest fans. I'll be sure to keep you posted.

Finally, I've been getting a lot of mail about my comments regarding the rumored summer tour (see below). I want to thank everyone (well, almost everyone...) for your thoughtful comments, whether you agree with me or not. However, Jayne Andrews ("personal coordinator" for the band) has been responding to several individuals that no tour has been announced and she wished that the rumors would basically disappear. I am attemtping to contact Jayne this week, so hopefully I'll have the last word on this. Maybe it's just a bad dream. ;-)

3/11/00- I've had a few days to digest the news of Priest touring with The Scorps and Nazareth. And you know what? I'm not at all happy about this and think the band is making a HUGE mistake. Here are some things to consider. How many of you even know who Nazareth is other than some band that existed back in the 70s? Can you name five of their songs? Name a couple of their albums? I can't. What this band is doing on the same bill as Judas Priest is a complete mystery to me.

The Scorpions? They are a great live band. In fact, I've seen them twice. Once back in 1986 on the Monsters of Rock Tour where they stole the show from Van Halen (we missed Metallica that day...). The second time was roughly back in 1995 or so, when I won 2 free tickets to see them in NY. However, The Scorpions of today are NOT the Scorpions of 1986. They've had a few big hits, like "Rock You Like A Hurricane" and the great song "Still Loving You." That was then. What about now? Well, the last few albums, besides a few "best of" releases, have basically been boring, run-of-the-mill ballad-fests. This band does nothing for me anymore. Their heyday was back in 1985 with World Wide Live. I haven't heard anything good from them since that time period. Have you?

So, what's the point of all this? Well, this tour is not going to be a big draw. Period. People want to see Judas Priest (is Priest even the headliner???). No one gives a hoot about Nazareth nor about the Scorpions anymore. Sure, the 30+ crowd will get a kick out of it (or will they?), but it's time Judas Priest started building up the younger fan base again. They've practically lost it, especially after being away from the music scene for most of the 90s and then having the unfortunate experience of being signed to the lame-duck CMC International Records.

As most of you know, the majority of people who saw Priest on tour last time were over 30. That's not a great fan base to have in heavy metal these days. Slowly, but surely, these people disappear from your radar screen. They don't go to a lot of shows. They don't buy a lot of albums. And they lose touch with bands because other things, like careers, kids and spouses, take priority in life. How many old Priest fans didn't even know about JUGULATOR? The net result? As a band with this kind of fan base, you just don't see the successes of old. And I hope Priest understands that.

Here are some comments that have appeared on the 'net in the past week regarding news of the tour:

"YUCK The Scorpions Are headlining the festivles in the u.s.a I hate that!!! I wanted Judas Priest WHO are a Whole lot better to headline the festivle. How the hell did that crap band Nazarath get on there TOO. I want Judas Priest"

"Anyways This is Damend Freaky! Who the hell Wants To see Judas Priest open up for the Scorpions. Shouldn't it be the other way around. Judas Priest are Metal....while Scorpions are good in concert they need to let the masters Headline the Bloody concert. The worst part is that fuckin Nazarth (the one hit wonder band) is performing with them instead of a cool band like Slayer. It actually better BE a double Bill performance.......Cause Priest are way awesome!!!!!"
- heavymeta5715013@aol.com

"Good gawd, the Scorps and Nazereth??? Yikes, who the hell came up with THIS pkg?? Jayne pls tell us this isnt so........LOL"
- topgunpics@aol.com

"No, I don't believe this....Priest not topping the bill ???
with Scorps..who played nowdays industrial....
NO WAY..."
- Michael Liljhammar

"Scorpions and Nazareth? That's going to be painful. Guess I'll bring my discman and a book."
-Quorthorn (quorthon666xxx@home.com)

"I see this as bad news for Priest. The Scorpions have been washed up for a while, they must be a hundred now, and Nazareth? Shouldn't they be playing state fairs and chili cook-offs at this point? I think Priest have more life left in 'em than either of those bands."
-Dave (daverite@erols.com)

There were a small number of the younger generation at one of the shows I saw (Roseland Ballroom, NYC). I was so happy that at least a few people hadn't been brainwashed by the trend pushers of today. And they couldn't believe what they had seen. Few newbies can put on a show of Priest's caliber. The sad thing is, most people don't know that and never will. And you can sure as hell bet that teenagers aren't going to be lining up outside of the box office to grab tickets for this summer's tour with The Scorpions, Judas Priest and Nazareth. I care to see only one of those bands.

I think Priest is making one of the biggest mistakes of their career. As if losing Rob wasn't enough, they hook up on an American tour with a bunch of old fart, yesterday has-been bands. What about hooking up with Pantera or Rob Zombie? Or some other more modern (and, frankly, better) band that large numbers of people actually WANT to see? Iron Maiden is going to storm the globe this summer, if the news reports are true. Do you know who is slated to tour with them in the States? Rob Halford. (Rob had to bail on the European leg due to recording conflicts) You can bet your ass that every show will be sold out, and very quickly. I'll be one fo those eager ticket-holders.

I hope Judas Priest strongly reconsiders this move. I think it's a PR (and possibly financial) disaster for them. So far, I haven't seen or heard one favorable comment about this tour. No one is excited about it. Priest fans are eager for the new album, and want to see them on tour. But with The Scorpions and Nazareth???? I don't think so.

Guys, please think about this a little more. This is a stupid move.

3/9/00- MAJOR NEWS!!!! According to Metal Edge Online, Judas Priest will be touring the States this summer with the Scorpions and Nazareth!!! (To be honest, I have never heard any of Nazareth's music...) Here is the full text:

"THE SCORPIONS, JUDAS PRIEST and NAZARETH will team up for a U.S. summer tour that will kick off the first week of July and run through Labor Day, playing mostly outdoor venues. Before then, the Scorps (taking a cue from METALLICA?) will record with a full orchestra in Vienna, Austria for an album that might be out during the tour. An unplugged album is also planned, and a new studio record on the list for next year. Meanwhile, drummer JAMES KOTTAK is playing around Los Angeles with his band KRUNK--their next gig is is April 19 at the Dragonfly in Hollywood."

1/16/00- Another little bit of news the band posted to their site the other day:

10 January 2000

"WE ARE REALLY PLEASED TO TELL YOU THAT WE HAVE NOW OFFICIALLY SIGNED WITH ATLANTIC RECORDS IN THE STATES AND WITH JVC IN JAPAN. WE ARE CONTINUING WITH SPV IN EUROPE. NOW WE HAVE EVERYTHING SORTED OUT IT IS ALL SYSTEMS GO TO FINISH THE RECORD!

GLENN, K.K., IAN, RIPPER & SCOTT"

Judas Priest Album/Video Sales Info:
(Courtesy RIAA)

I get a lot of requests regarding how many Platinum albums the band has. Well, below you will find your answer!

1/10/00- Even more juicy news about Rob Halford coming your way from the folks over at Hard Radio.com. The following is a nice update on Rob's new project, which is sounding better all the time. If you take a trip over to Rob's website, you can download one of the latest demo clips "Silent Screams." You'll see what direction Rob is heading back towards - and it sounds incredible. I am really excited about this new album. Let's hope we have our hands on it soon. Ok, here's what you're looking for...:

"...And currently, Roy Z. is in "full-on HALFORD mode" as he toils away producing the new solo album for the legendary JUDAS PRIEST singer. "We're just hammering away. We're done with all the drums and now we're going to go and do some overdubbing for awhile, and we'll start mixing in early February and we should be done early March. The music we're coming up with for the most part, sounds like classic Halford-era Priest. There's a little bit of his newer stuff in there, a little bit from the Painkiller era, and a very little bit of the FIGHT stuff. But that is the stuff I am trying to avoid, myself. I'm just steering the whole thing towards the killer classic stuff."

A total of 24 tracks have been demoed so far. Previous to Roy Z taking the production helm, there was talk of Neil Kernon taking the job, possibly Neil in conjunction with Tom Allom, Bob Marlette handling it alone, and then Roy in conjunction with Allom. It also looks like, due to Rob now being under the wing of Rod Smallwood and Sanctuary (Maiden's management), that Halford will be touring as support to Maiden.

Roy has also set BRUCE DICKINSON up in the same studio complex, and has given him virtually "months" of work to do for the next Bruce solo album, realistically not ready for launch until 2001.

"Actually, Bruce flies in today (ed. Jan. 6th). And I've already got a bunch of songs for him, and he's going to be at the studio I'm going to be at. He's going to be in the back room, singing his butt off. He's in town for a couple of weeks and he's just itching to get back to doing his solo stuff. I'm not sure of the exact dates, but he keeps telling me that we're going to record it in August, because he's going to have a break from IRON MAIDEN. And in the meantime we're looking for songs to put out for his compilation album, Catacombs, of the stuff he's never used. So we've been going through those songs, and talking about remixing a couple of things."

Has Roy heard any of the new Maiden material?

"Very little. I think people are really going to like it. I've only heard Bruce singing it to me (laughs). I go, 'how's it sound?' And he goes, 'like this', and then he sings. Bruce won't play it for me, and to be honest, I don't want to hear it. I try to stay away from it anything that I'm not supposed to know or hear. Plus I don't want that to interfere with what I'm doing. I've been listening to the 24 songs we'd demoed with Halford, and I've been listing all the way back to Sad Wings up to Screaming For Vengeance. That's all I've been listening to so my head is just way deep into Halford land." Roy indicates that there is a very real possibility of a Halford/Dickinson duet on one of Roy's songs called "The One You Love To Hate'.

"At first it was going to be for a soundtrack, and now we're talking about putting it on an album, because it's a really strong song. It has elements of both Priest and Maiden, and it also has that kind of Chemical Wedding sound."

Nice.....very very nice..... = )

---

1/8/00- Alright! This past week has been an interesting one for Priest fans! First item is a note directly from Glenn Tipton posted to the band's official site:

06 January 2000

MESSAGE FROM GLENN TIPTON
---------------------------------------

SO AS WE HAVE ALL MADE IT INTO THE YEAR 2000 I WOULD LIKE TO SAY A GIGANTIC THANKS TO ALL THE PRIEST FANS OUT THERE WHO HAVE SUPPORTED US ALL THESE YEARS AND GOT US THROUGH TO THE NEXT CENTURY TOGETHER!

WE ARE JUST ABOUT TO GO INTO THE STUDIO FOR THE FINAL STINT OF THE NEW ALBUM.

I KNOW A LOT OF YOU ARE FRUSTRATED BECAUSE WE SEEM TO HAVE BEEN VERY QUIET LAST YEAR, SO LET ME FILL YOU IN AS TO THE REASONS WHY AND BRING YOU UP TO DATE WITH EVERYTHING THAT'S HAPPENING:

ALTHOUGH WE COULDN'T BE HAPPIER WITH SPV OUR EUROPEAN RECORD COMPANY AND ARE CONTINUING WITH THEM, WE NEEDED TO CHANGE THE AMERICAN AND JAPANESE SIDE OF THINGS - WE FELT WE HAD TO GET BACK WITH MAJOR LABELS IN THESE TERRITORIES. BELIEVE ME THINGS LIKE THIS TAKE A LONG TIME TO SORT OUT. WE COULDN'T REALLY MOVE ON UNTIL WE HAD RESOLVED IT ALL BUT NOW WE ARE AT LAST FINALLY READY TO GO!

ATLANTIC RECORDS HAVE SIGNED THE BAND IN THE STATES AND JVC IN JAPAN - I THINK ATLANTIC WILL BE GREAT FOR PRIEST IN AMERICA - I ALREADY KNOW MANY OF THE PEOPLE THERE BECAUSE THEY WORKED WITH ME ON MY SOLO ALBUM 'BAPTIZM OF FIRE'. THIS WAS RELEASED ON ATLANTIC RECORDS WORLDWIDE. THE PEOPLE THAT I WORKED WITH IN THE U.S. NOT ONLY UNDERSTAND METAL BUT ARE ALSO BIG PRIEST FANS.

JVC SHOULD ALSO BE PERFECT FOR JAPAN - THEY HAVE WANTED TO SIGN THE BAND FOR A LONG TIME NOW AND THEY BELIEVE IN THE BAND AND OUR MUSIC - INCIDENTALLY WE WERE VOTED BEST LIVE BAND IN JAPAN LAST YEAR AND RIPPER WAS VOTED THE BEST SINGER, WHICH WAS A GREAT START.

YOU CAN PERHAPS IMAGINE HOW TIME CONSUMING IT HAS BEEN CONTRACTUALLY TO ACHIEVE THE RECORD COMPANY RE-SHUFFLES BUT THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER FACTORS THAT HAVE SLOWED US DOWN AS WELL. IT IS SOMETIMES EASY TO FORGET THAT BAND MEMBERS HAVE A LIFE AND THAT SOMETIMES THEY NEED TO TAKE TIME OUT. ON A PERSONAL LEVEL, LAST YEAR WAS GOOD AND BAD FOR ME. I MOVED HOME AND BUILT A STUDIO IN MY BARN WHICH WAS GREAT, BUT IT DID TAKE A BIG CHUNK OUT OF THE YEAR. ON THE BAD SIDE MY FATHER HAS BEEN ILL AND STILL IS AND HE NEEDS A LOT OF ATTENTION. THIS HAS MEANT THAT FOR ONCE IN MY LIFE PRIEST HASN'T EXACTLY BEEN A PRIORITY. THIS HAS SLOWED US DOWN A LOT AND I AM AFRAID THAT SOME OF THE DELAY HAS BEEN DOWN TO ME AND FOR THAT I APOLOGISE - BUT IT WAS UNFORTUNATELY, UNAVOIDABLE.

THE REST OF THE BAND HAVE BEEN VERY UNDERSTANDING ABOUT THIS BECAUSE WE ARE ALL ITCHING TO GO AND ARE EXCITED ABOUT THE NEW ALBUM AND THE FORTHCOMING 2000 TOUR. WE HAVEN'T BEEN DORMANT THOUGH AND ON THE UP SIDE WE HAVE HAD PLENTY OF TIME TO WRITE. I CAN'T DENY THAT I PERSONALLY PUZZLED OVER THE DIRECTION FOR A WHILE BUT EVENTUALLY I DECIDED TO JUST PUT IDEAS TOGETHER THAT COME NATURALLY AND LET INSTINCT TAKE CONTROL. I THINK THE NEW ALBUM WILL SURPRISE A LOT OF PEOPLE AND I THINK PRIEST FANS ARE GOING TO LOVE IT.

'JUGULATOR' WAS OBVIOUSLY MET WITH APPREHENSION ESPECIALLY AS WE HAD JUST TAKEN RIPPER ON BOARD, AND EVERYONE NEEDED PROOF THAT THE BAND WAS AS GOOD, IF NOT BETTER THAN EVER, ONSTAGE.

THE 'JUGULATOR' TOUR AND THE NEW LIVE ALBUM 'MELTDOWN' PROVED JUST THAT. RIPPER WAS TOTALLY ACCEPTED BY THE FANS. HE HAS A GREAT CHARACTER AND HIS ABILITY IS PHENOMENAL. FINDING HIM WAS NOTHING SHORT OF A MIRACLE. I CAN HONESTLY SAY THAT I HAVE NEVER ENJOYED PLAYING ON STAGE AS MUCH AS I DID ON THE LAST TOUR. THE REACTION AND REVIEWS WORLDWIDE WERE FANTASTIC AND THE COMBINATION OF OLD AND NEW CLASSICS THAT WE PERFORMED WAS INCREDIBLY EMOTIONAL. THE ENERGY AND ENTHUSIASM OF THE BAND AND THE AUDIENCE WAS THE MOST INTENSE THAT I HAVE EVER EXPERIENCED.

ALTHOUGH IT TOOK A LITTLE WHILE, NEARLY EVERYONE NOW LOVES 'JUGULATOR' AND UNDERSTANDS WHAT WE WERE TRYING TO DO AT THAT POINT IN TIME. YES IT IS BRUTAL BECAUSE WE FELT BRUTAL, BUT I'M PROUD OF IT AND IT WILL ALWAYS BE A WORTHY CHAPTER IN OUR CAREER, HAVING ITS' OWN UNIQUE CHARACTER JUST LIKE EVERY OTHER ONE OF OUR ALBUMS, BUT STILL BEING UNMISTAKABLE JUDAS PRIEST. TRACKS LIKE 'BURN IN HELL', 'CATHEDRAL SPIRES' AND 'BLOOD STAINED' HAVE ALREADY ESTABLISHED THEMSELVES AS PRIEST CLASSICS, AND WHEN RIPPER POINTS THAT MICROPHONE TOWARDS THE AUDIENCE EVERYONE SINGS ALONG TOGETHER IN ONE ALMIGHTY VOICE!

SO GOING BACK TO THE NEW ALBUM - ALTHOUGH WE HAVE MAINTAINED ELEMENTS OF 'JUGULATOR' WE HAVE ALSO MOVED TOWARDS A MORE MELODIC AND CLASSIC PRIEST FRAME OF MIND. I THINK EVERYONE'S GOING TO LOVE IT, EVEN THE ROUGH DEMOS WE DID ARE FULL OF CHARACTER! WHEN IT FINALLY COMES OUT I THINK YOU WILL AGREE IT HAS BEEN WORTH WAITING FOR AND I PROMISE YOU WON'T HAVE TO WAIT SO LONG FOR THE NEXT ONE!!

WE CAN'T WAIT FOR THE ALBUM TO BE RELEASED AND TO GET BACK OUT ON TOUR AGAIN THIS YEAR - THANKS FOR BEING PATIENT.

KEEP THE FAITH

GLENN TIPTON
JUDAS PRIEST

Most importantly, let's hope Glenn's dad is doing better. Family takes priority over music anyday, so any delays should be expected and respected.

Second, it's nice to get an update like this from the band. Things have been mighty quiet since they finished the last tour. I think everyone agrees that a more melodic album (More solos, please!) is something we are realy looking forward to!! Let's hope we hear something soon! (Hey, guys, how about some demo clips???)

Finally, at least the rumors about which label Priest would sign with have been put to rest. I told you almost a year ago Atlantic would be the label, but I understand certain things must go unsaid until everything is official. Let's hope Atlantic does a better job than CMC Int'l. did. While CMC deserves credit for picking the band up a few years ago, they didn't do ANYTHING in terms of promoting this band and getting them any airtime in the US. Atlantic certainly has deeper pockets, so I expect to see better promotional efforts behind the new album and tour.

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News from the eMpTyV file....

The folks over at our favorite music television station (yes, that was sarcastic...) provided a bit of interesting news this week about Rob Halford. Read it for yourself: (Courtesy MTV Online)

1.5.00 12:30 EST

Rob Halford Offers To Reconcile With Ex-Judas Priest Bandmates

Rob Halford

Rob Halford is not rejoining Judas Priest as rumored, says his current manager, but he has, at least to a minor extent, made an attempt to kiss and make up. Longtime Halford associate John Baxter reports on Halford's official Web site that while his client hasn't requested a return to the band (or vice versa), the singer has sent conciliatory letters to Priest's three original members in what's referred to as an attempt to recapture a 20-year friendship. The singer left under less than amicable circumstances almost nine years ago, and he hasn't spoken to his bandmates since the divorce. Baxter, responding to faked reports on the rowdy (but official) Judas Priest message board, took the opportunity to state his client's terms if a reunion was ever to take place, bringing to mind the old "If elected, I won't serve" joke. He wrote that Halford will never agree to return to Judas Priest as long as the group's current representatives are looking after the band's affairs, and that a mutually-agreed-upon management group would have to be selected by all four original members. Representatives for Judas Priest were not available for comment at press time. Oddly enough (or not), Baxter is stepping down from handling the music end of Halford's affairs. He will stay on as the singer's business manager; meanwhile, Halford is finalizing a deal with Sanctuary Management, the company behind Iron Maiden and (suspiciously) the recent Iron Maiden-Bruce Dickinson reunion (see "Dickinson, Smith Rejoin Iron Maiden"). After leaving Judas Priest in 1991, Halford formed Fight and most recently the industrial-tinged Two, a band he co-anchored with guitarist John Lowery, who later left to join Marilyn Manson. The singer is currently recording a new solo project which he's calling his first heavy metal release since leaving Judas Priest. According to posts by Halford on his site, he hopes to have the album finished by February and released by May, although he has yet to announce a new label after parting ways with Trent Reznor's Nothing Records (see "Rob Halford's Two Previews Demos; Judas Priest Writing New Album"). Roy Z, who produced Bruce Dickinson, is at the controls, and Halford has also mentioned plans to collaborate with Judas Priest producers Tom Allom and Attie Bauw and songwriter Bob Halligan. The remaining members of Judas Priest went on to hire a Halford impersonator from a Priest tribute band, a saga that's currently being fictionalized and turned into a major film, albeit without any involvement from the Judas Priest camp (see "Mark Wahlberg Weighing 'Metal' Role For Next Film"). That group is currently recording a new album which is expected out this spring, likely around the same time as Halford's.

Well, this is bound to turn a few heads and spark a lot of discussion about Rob's/Priest's future. Some people believe this is the beginning of a comeback to the band by the Metal God. Others see it for what it really is: a reconciliation among old friends. There are a number of stories floating around as to why the 'mates parted ways almost 8 years ago - ranging from management problems to feuding between KK and Glenn during the PAINKILLER TOUR - but it's nice to see that they are hopefully mending old wounds. It would be a shame if they couldn't at least be on friendly terms after all they accomplished during the course of 20+ years together.

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---

3/23/99- There have been two very important developments in the Priest camp in the past few weeks that fans everywhere would be interested in knowing about. The first, which has been quietly reported by yours truly, is that Judas Priest has left CMC Records. This was discovered in an email by Priest's former representative Laura Kaufman last week. Here's the exact copy of the email exchange:

Date: Wed, 17 Mar 1999 13:38:51 -0500
From: "Kaufman, Laura, CMC International"
Subject: RE: Judas Priest at OzzFest
To: 'DC'
MIME-version: 1.0

Judas Priest are no longer on CMC. I have no idea what their immediate plans
are. (Emphasis mine)
> -----Original Message-----
> From: DC [SMTP:dcomiskey@delphi.com]
> Sent: Tuesday, March 16, 1999 5:37 PM
> To: laura.kaufman@bmge.com
> Subject: Judas Priest at OzzFest
> Importance: High
>
> Laura,
> I was wondering if you could forward any more information surrounding the
> inclusion of Judas Priest in this year's OzzFest. I contacted Mazur PR,
> but they said they know nothing other than what they've read and to contact
> you. I'd like to include all info, including a press release on my web
> site as soon as possible.
> Could you let me know?
>
> Thank you!!
> -Devin Comiskey

I see this as a good and bad thing for the band. Let me say right off the bat that CMC deserves a LOT of credit for what they have done for older, hard rock/metal bands over the past few years. While many bands, like Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Motorhead, Overkill, and W.A.S.P, either parted with or were dumped by major labels like CBS/Sony and Capital Records in the late 80s/early 90s, CMC International became home to many of these bands. The "money making, no-talent, trendy bands" (read: Grunge/Alternative Rock) became the latest flavors of the week with the major labels and the old school was basically tossed into the dumpster. They were left with no label support OR distribution channels. CMC, for all intents and purposes, came to their rescue.

However.....we all know that the record biz is a cruel one. And the sad fact is that CMC never had, nor ever will have, the marketing muscle needed to successfully promote these bands, especially when it comes to radio/TV exposure. What it comes down to is who has the most money. Geffen Records has the money and the political power to make sure Peral Jam is played at least once an hour on every rock station across the US. CMC is left knocking on these radio stations' doors. You can make your own conclusions as to who gets more exposure and air play, who will sell more records and who will fill up 20,000 seat arenas. The bands signed with CMC have never really had much success in the U.S. It's a pathetic testimony to our culture (as it is different in Europe and Japan, where they actually appreciate REAL talent...), but it's something we are just going to have to live with.

So, is it good or bad that Priest has "parted ways" with CMC? I say yes. The simple fact is that the band just wasn't getting the support it needed, especially as they were making a comeback. The only airplay they could get was/is on late-night, weekend metal shows. A conversation with a well-known DJ on New York's WXRK (Home of Howard Stern!) confirmed this last year. The under-21 crowd is not aware of this monstrous band. Priest's fan base is now primarily 25-40 year-olds. Every time they come around, the crowds are smaller and smaller. There was been no way Priest could have filled up any of the arenas on their American tours last year. They need a lot of exposure to the younger audiences. Many of us became fans of the band at a young age. Priest needs to start that cycle over again. (Did someone say Atlantic? Shhh...)

ITEM #2

- Where will Priest (hopefully) gain this new exposure? The 1999 OzzFest! Yes, Judas Priest will be appearing at this summer's OzzFest!!! They will be joined by Primus, Coal Chamber and a host of other, uh, lesser-known bands. This is going to be a great show!!! Unfortunately, Judas Priest is being stuck on the second (read: smaller) stage! This is wrong!!!! ;-) This *should* be Priest' one and only opportunity to gain a whole new generation of fans. Judging from what I saw at some of the JUGULATOR shows, this should be an easy task. Let's hope it's a success for the band and puts them back on top where they belong.

That's it for now. Keep an eye on the Shrine for more news.....

-Devin (3/23/99)