Judas Priest’s Rob Halford Explains ‘Metal God’ Trademark
Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford made the news a few years back when word got out that he'd applied for a trademark covering his 'Metal God' nickname. During a recent appearance on the long-running BBC talk show 'Later with Jools Holland,' he opened up about the reasons why.
"I would never put myself on that pedestal," explained Halford when Holland broached the subject. "That's the title the fans started to give me after the famous 'British Steel' album, where we had 'Breaking the Law' and 'Living After Midnight.'" Nevertheless, he added, "It's something I really cherish, and I don't want anybody else to be the Metal God but me."
Much as he might love the nickname, Halford's never made much secret of his bashfulness regarding his reign. "I still feel uncomfortable, quite frankly," he admitted in a 2007 interview. "I suppose it is just the British reserve. You get a bit embarrassed. It is wonderful to be recognized like that, particularly from fans, but you are just like, 'Okay, thank you. Can we talk about something else now?' People go, 'You changed my life,' or 'You saved my life.' That is a big thing for somebody to say. You realize then how passionate the fans are about what you do. Certain songs may have had a dramatic impact on their life."
Halford will need to cope with that British reserve a little more often in the near future; he can expect to hear a few more screams next month, when Priest's new album 'Redeemer of Souls' arrives in stores.
Watch Judas Priest Talk About 'Redeemer of Souls'