JUDAS PRIEST To Hold Discussions About Music For New Studio Album

JUDAS PRIEST frontman Rob Halford recently spoke with RecordOnline.com on the state of heavy metal, being ripped off, and the queen of England. Read on:

Q: How has the tour been going?

Rob Halford: "It's been great really. We just finished a successful tour of South America. We were in Brazil, Buenos Aires. It's simply amazing down there, and it showed us that metal is still a worldwide phenomenon.

Q: What place do you think metal has in the realm of music?

Rob Halford: "It's still on the radio, and it's still a powerful force in rock 'n' roll. Music develops through different players, and I'm inspired to see new metal acts."

Q: For fans who haven't seen the band since the '70s or '80s, how have the band and the show changed?

Rob Halford: "It's the same as it ever was. It's the same tradition and heritage. It's still a monster metal show with costumes and lights. It's as great as it ever was and is more intense than ever."

Q: What was making this album like? Did you have the songs all set before you went into the studio?

Rob Halford: "The first order of the day was to write new metal. We couldn't rest on our past glories. Fans are so rabid, they always want more."

Q: In March, to recognize the excellence of British music and its contribution to the culture and economy of the U.K., you were invited to meet the queen at Buckingham Palace along with 500 other people from the entertainment industry. What was that like?

Rob Halford: "I absolutely love the royal family. They're just like the Osbournes to a different extent. It was such a trip! Buckingham Palace is absolutely mind-blowing. It was unbelievable for the royal house to recognize the existence of metal. The queen actually asked me, 'Why do you have to play the heavy metal so loud?' The words 'heavy metal' actually came out of the queen's mouth!"

Q: What's going on with Gull Records? I read you're bring ripped off. What should your fans know so they don't get scammed?

Rob Halford: "You can only control so much. Our music keeps getting repackaged, which leads fans to believe it's something new. All of it does not come with our approval."

Q: What are your plans after the tour? Will there be another album?

Rob Halford: "We'll be doing some shows in Russia, and we should be done by Christmas. I've never been to Russia, so I'm looking forward to it. The plan is, we're going to get together and talk about music for the new album. We don't want people to get the impression it's a grab-the-money-and-run thing. We missed making the metal together, and when we got back together, it was never for a quick fix. It was all about doing what was left to be done. There's more metal to make."