Who is Rob Halford

Rob Halford is best known as the lead vocalist for the British heavy metal band Judas Priest, but he has also had an illustrious solo career as the frontman of his own bands Fight, 2wo and Halford. He is also an accomplished songwriter.

Rob has an impressive vocal range spanning almost four octaves (D2-B5) and is reknowned for his trademark high pitched screams and dramatic, almost operatic style of delivery when singing.

Rob mainly lives in Phoenix, Arizona, USA but has several other homes, including one in the Netherlands and one in his native Walsall in England.



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Robert John Arthur Halford was born on August 25 1951 in Walsall, Birmingham, England and began singing when he was a teenager, fronting a local band called Hiroshima. In 1973, Rob's sister was dating Ian Hill, Judas Priest's bass player. Priest had just parted company with their vocalist and were looking for a replacement. Whilst at his girlfriend's house, Ian Hill heard Rob singing along to songs on the radio and suggested that he audition to be Judas Priest's vocalist. He did and history was made!

With Rob on board, Judas Priest started to develop a more "heavy" sound and released their first album Rocka Rolla in 1974.

This album was followed a quick succession of further releases over the next few years; Sad Wings of Destiny (1976), Sin After Sin (1977), Stained Class (1978) and two albums in 1979, Killing Machine (titled Hell Bent for Leather in the USA) and Unleashed in the East.

By the end of the 1970's, Judas Priest had developed a cult following, and Rob had become established as an icon of Heavy Metal performing clad head to foot in studded black leather and riding a Harley Davidson onto the stage.






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The 1980's saw Priest seeking commercial success by adopting a more "mainstream" sound which resulted in the albums British Steel (1980), Point of Entry (1981), Screaming for Vengeance (1982), and Defenders of the Faith (1984), Turbo (1986), Priest Live (1987) and Ram It Down (1988). Priest enjoyed several hit singles and TV appearances and became one of the world's best known Heavy Metal bands. They also played several headlining concerts and tours, including an appearance at "Live Aid" in 1985.

Priest started the 90's by releasing their heaviest ever album Painkiller (1990), but in 1992, Rob shocked the world of metal by announcing that he was leaving Judas Priest to form his own band Fight.

Rob released two albums with Fight, War of Words (1994) and Small Deadly Space (1995).

He then formed a band called 2wo which heralded a change in direction for Rob, towards a more industrial sound. 2wo released one album Voyeurs in 1997.

Just before the release of Voyeurs, Rob put an end to years of speculation and rumour by confirming that he was gay during an interview with MTV.

Rob returned to metal in 2000 with another project Halford. Halford's debut album was 2000's Resurrection which was met with much approval by the metal community. Further interest was focused on the band, when they opened for Iron Maiden on their Brave New World tour.

Halford went on to release a double live album called Live Insurrection in 2001 and another studio album Crucible in 2002.

In 2003, having finally patched up all their differences, Rob Halford and Judas Priest joined forces once again.

In 2005, Priest fronted by Halford released Angel of Retribution and celebrated their 30th anniversary with a world tour to accompany the album release.



In 2008, Priest released a concept album called Nostradamus based around the life of the 16th century prophet, Nostradamus and embarked on yet another highly successful world tour.

Aside from his work with Judas Priest and his own bands, Rob Halford has performed onstage as the vocalist for Black Sabbath replacing Ronnie James Dio for two nights in November 1992, and again on August 25, 2004 standing in for Ozzy Osbourne who was suffering from bronchitis.

Rob Halford also had a small role in the film Spun (2002) playing a shop worker in a sex store!

He also provided the voice of the character General Lionwhyte in the video game Brütal Legend.

In April 2009, Rob launched his own clothing company - Metal God Apparel, followed in May 2009, by his own record label Metal God Records

Rob has an awesome multi-octave vocal range. He can hit amazingly high notes...for a man :)

Rob came out as gay in the very heterosexual world of metal

Rob has been singing for over 40 years

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