Quotes from Rob Halford

It doesn't matter how many records you've made; there's always a new experience you can get with a new producer.

Making a record is an intimate experience. A good producer can get things out of you that you can't get out of yourself.

Running away from something doesn't do anything except put distance.

It's fun for musicians to step into each other's world. It's like different football teams - it's the same game but a different play.

I was a huge Rick Astley and Bananarama fan.

I like Avenged Sevenfold and Five Finger Death Punch, with whom I did a single.

It's very tempting for certain generations to say, 'Well, I just want to be in a band, and I want to be a rock star,' or whatever. That's not what it's about. Firstly, you've got to be in it for the love and the passion that you have for the music, and then you take it from there.

When I was a kid, dealing with trying to discover myself, I didn't have anybody to talk to. I didn't have any Internet and didn't have any friends. You felt very alone and very frightened.

I'm not a frugal person, but I find it difficult to be extravagant materially.

The great thing about Priest, in all the years that we've been making heavy metal music, is that we've always kind of carried this metal flag, if you will - this beacon of hope that, no matter what you may be going through in life, there's always a sense of overcoming difficulties, a sense of winning, a sense of coming out on top.

I kind of blew the doors off the myth that all heavy metalheads are Neanderthal and very limited in their ability to take on subject matter of any human depth.

The first thing I will say about looking after your voice is get a pair of in-ear monitors because one of the most common problems singers have is trying to hear themselves on stage.

This band isn't mostly about being a political protest band. We want to entertain; we want to give you a good time. At the same time, if you look through the history of Priest, there's always been an intelligent factor.

If you look at the history of the LGBTQ community, from my perspective growing up as I did in the U.K. in the '50s, there was just terrible, terrible discrimination, you know? It was extremely difficult to live your life as you should have been allowed to do.

Criticism, maybe cynicism, is just rampant in music, in creativity. Everybody has a perception and a set of opinions based on what that piece of music is doing to them internally.

I think I'm still a lone wolf, internally. And I always will be.

I love early blues like Bessie Smith, Muddy Waters, and Howlin' Wolf. I listened to the way these people sang, and it was just beautiful - straight from the soul. That, for me, was an inspiration.

As far as putting a rating on music like you do movies, I can see the common sense in that.

I've always felt that where Priest has been able to get to, it's been down to discipline, our real love and commitment to making the best music that we can make, and never forgetting our fan base.

I love all that kind of gothic Bram Stoker kind of thing. I love to get lost in that kind of escapism.

There's always someone that's dealing with a bigger challenge than you are. You've gotta have perspective.

The fact that there are now gay men and women who can openly serve their country is a wonderful thing.

When you have the thrill and the pleasure to do something that means so much, you'll do whatever you've gotta do to get to that next gig and play that next song.

It's a myth that I received any flak from the metal community over my decision to come out. I have, in fact, received numerous positive responses from fans, as well as e-mails from people who were going through much the same thing. It's horrible to keep something like that secret, and I felt I had to make it public.