Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford finally details his incredible life story with ‘Confess’

Legendary Judas Priest frontman and self-proclaimed “Metal God” Rob Halford has finally detailed his incredible life story with Confess, his long-awaited autobiography (Hachette Books). From his early life growing up in a Walsall council estate deep in Britain’s coal country to his decades-long run as the leather-clad frontman of one of the biggest heavy metal bands of all time, Halford recounts the highs and lows of his life and career in an open and self-deprecating way, including his decades of living in the closet before coming out as a gay man in the ’90s.

Written in a conversational manner and peppered with loads of working-class British slang, the appropriately-titled Confess feels like Halford finally unburdening himself after decades of keeping his thoughts and feelings to himself. Though as far as rock bios go, there isn’t that much to confess. Even during Judas Priest’s ’80s heyday, when the band was selling out arenas around the world behind albums like British Steel and Screaming for Vengeance, Halford led a fairly chaste life, in long-term relationships with partners that may or not have actually been gay, an issue Halford would contend with numerous times over the years.

While the rest of the band was hooking up with women left and right, Halford had to resort to risky secret hookups in order to potentially meet men and keep his sexuality under wraps, fearing it would ruin the band if the truth were to come out. Even with the band’s massive success, Halford would run from a sold-out arena show to patiently wait in the stall of a men’s public bathroom, on the off-chance that another willing participant would show up (one great moment in the book has Halford accidentally bumping into the partner on the other side of a glory hole, only to discover a fan in a Judas Priest shirt who had also just left the show).

Priest fans will love the deep dive into the band’s writing and recording process and the behind-the-scenes look at their legendary tours, including Halford revealing how he came up with the iconic entrance idea of riding out on a motorcycle to kick-start the band’s shows. There are plenty of anecdotes about touring with the likes of Ozzy Osbourne (and even replacing him on vocals for a reunited Black Sabbath), along with plenty of surprise encounters, including handcuffing himself to Andy Warhol, and his hilarious exchange with Queen Elizabeth about heavy metal (who would’ve pegged the Judas Priest frontman as a staunch royalist?).

Apart from the thrilling and occasionally ridiculous rock star moments (Halford maintains that This Is Spinal Tap was based on Priest’s many misadventures) and the decades of substance abuse, which, thankfully, Halford was eventually able to step away from, what fuels Halford’s story is a very relatable search for love and acceptance.

Confess is an endlessly entertaining ride through Halford’s whirlwind life and career, and serves as a poignant reminder of how difficult it was to openly express one’s sexual preference in the mainstream rock world just a few short years ago. Ultimately, Halford’s book is an inspiring story of a working-class kid who broke out from his small town and took the rock world by storm on his own terms, kicking in the door for countless others waiting in the wings.

Confess is out now via Hachette Books.