Judas Priest's Rob Halford Reflects on Coming Out, Years Later

Heavy metal titans Judas Priest announced earlier this month that their forthcoming world tour will be their final go-round. But it was another statement made by their frontman, Rob Halford -- years ago -- that had a much more profound effect on their audience and, indeed, their genre altogether. In 1998, Halford outed himself on MTV News, publicly declaring his homosexuality.

While coming out is an act of bravery regardless of profession, Halford was plunging himself into unchartered waters as far as heavy metal was concerned. Nicknamed the "Metal God," his audience appeared to be largely populated by rowdy, young heterosexual men. Furthermore, heavy metal in the previous decade was often criticized for its misogynistic portrayal of women, sometimes depicting them as subservient sexual objects.

In an interview published by San Diego Gay and Lesbian News on Tuesday, Halford -- a longtime San Diego resident -- says that coming out was a personal triumph that didn't have a measurable effect on his musical career, per se. But, he claims, it did have a significant impact on the mentality of heavy metal at large.

"There are areas of music that are more compassionate, more tolerant, more open, more accepting and more aware," said Halford. "What I think I have done is destroy the myth that heavy metal bands don't have that capacity. It's a different world now. Heavy metal now is a completely different world compared to heavy metal in 1980."

In 1998 when Halford made the announcement, he was not currently a member of Judas Priest -- he left the band in 1992 and didn't reunite with them until 2003. Halford admitted in the interview that having some space from Judas Priest partially afforded him an easier opportunity to come out. "I probably would have not made the announcement had I been in Judas Priest at that time," he admitted. "I was always protecting Judas Priest, protecting the music, protecting the fans, protecting everybody except myself."

Originally formed in 1969, Judas Priest is without question one of the most influential heavy metal bands of all time. As mentioned, their upcoming Epitaph world tour is set to be their final bow. "With all guns blazing and amps cranked to eleven, the band will be giving all their fans one last chance to witness the ultimate metal experience that is Judas Priest," reads the announcement on their website. Spoiler alert: expect the shows to end with a standing ovation.