Judas Priest guitarist on band’s future & Parkinson’s diagnosis

This year has been bittersweet for Judas Priest. They’ve just released their highly anticipated 18th studio album Firepower to much acclaim, but they’ve simultaneously been forced to come to terms with the tragic news of guitarist Glenn Tipton‘s Parkinson’s diagnosis. In February, Tipton announced that he was stepping down from the band.

“I didn’t want to compromise the best heavy metal band in the world,” Tipton explained during a SiriusXM Town Hall with VOLUME (Ch. 106)‘s David Fricke. 

The band went on to discuss how they handled the news and what it means for the band to continue touring after decades on the road.

Frontman Rob Halford noted that “you’ve got to be a fighter,” to perform under the duress of old age.

When asked about the nature of his changing role with the band, Tipton says it’s an unanswerable question.

“I love this band, it’s been my life,” he said. “Each day is different for me.”

As for what’s next for Tipton, he said: “It’s in the hands of the metal gods.”

Elsewhere in the interview, Halford discussed the tolerance of the metal community and joked about his first time meeting art legend Andy Warhol.

Click here to listen online to SiriusXM VOLUME.