HALFORD Drummer: I Never Said ROB Was Rejoining JUDAS PRIEST

HALFORD drummer Bobby Jarzombek has issued an official statement in an attempt to dispel some of the rumors surrounding frontman Rob Halford's possible return to JUDAS PRIEST.

The following is Jarzombek's message to the HALFORD fans, originally posted on the group's official message board on Tuesday, October 22:

"To all,

"I logged onto the boards to see what you guys have been discussing and was hit with some outrageous comments regarding Rob going back to PRIEST and me rejoining RIOT.

"First of all, the quotes that are being posted DO NOT come from me! Most of these rumors seem to stem from an interview with Mark (Reale) of RIOT. I was trying to remember when was the last time I spoke to Mark. I was thinking it was a couple of days before the HALFORD gig at Roseland in 2000, but I remembered I saw him here in L.A. at the same time as the Sept. 11 tragedy in 2001.

"Regarding his comments on Rob joining PRIEST, I could only speculate that maybe he said these things when referring to a conversation that he and I had when I quit RIOT and joined HALFORD in Dec. of 99. We both spoke about Rob and his contributions to the world of Heavy Metal and I told him, 'If I only get to record one CD with Rob and then he goes back with PRIEST, this will still be an awesome opportunity for me.' He agreed. Maybe Mark is holding onto this 'Rob/PRIEST someday possible reunion talk' as an opportunity for me to be available to rejoin RIOT. I don't know, I've never spoken to any member of RIOT about a possible reunion.

"I do know that I have plenty of things to keep me busy right now. I have joined fellow HALFORD bandmate Metal Mike for the band PAIN MUSEUM. I am in a daily routine of working out my drum parts for the 12 tracks, which will be recorded in Nov. at a studio on the east coast. PAIN MUSEUM presents a great opportunity for Mike and I to continue working together around our schedule with HALFORD. The music is very heavy, aggressive and challenging to play.

"As you probably also know, I have just finished my drum video. I'm still working on the packaging and other details. I'm looking for the video to open more options for myself such as more drum clinics, master classes, etc. You can go to bobbyjarzombek.com for more info. Also on my website I plan to add a FAQ section in a couple of weeks to answer some of those questions.

"Lastly, I'm looking forward to seeing you all in Vegas on the 29th of Dec. It's gonna be KILLER! Bobby"