In an interview with Goldmine magazine, Judas Priest singer Rob Halford talked about when the band began to incorporate motorcycles into their live shows.
For years now, when entering the stage where the band perform, Judas Priest singer Rob Halford can be seen rolling in on a motorcycle. As the Judas Priest singer tells Goldmine magazine, this approach to the band’s performance stems from a neat little encounter that took place outside of a venue one random night years ago.
How motorcycles became part of Judas Priest concerts
“There was a moment when we first had the song ‘Hell Bent for Leather,’ and we’re at a club, somewhere in U.K., still making our sound happen in any venue we could play in. And we pulled up and there were bikers parked outside the venue, down the alley and stuff. I said out of the blue, ‘It would be very cool if we could bring a motorcycle out during “Hell Bent for Leather.”’ I go and speak to a couple of bikers and told them what the idea was. ‘Yeah, yeah. But his isn’t that big, use mine.’
“So, I had the bike, and I had a leather jacket. I put a leather jacket on, and it was like an epiphany. It was a very unplanned epiphany. Everything seemed to feel 100 percent connected at that particular show. And then, that was it. You walk off stage going, ‘Something’s happened’ — you know. Now we have the whole manifestation of the look, the sound, the feel, it has all coalesced through that bike. It was like a simple On the Waterfront moment. Marlon Brando and all these things that have already preceded you, but in a non-musical way. Here it is. And that’s all she wrote. The fans loved it. They totally went ballistic.”
That is a pretty rad story! Below you’ll find a video that features Judas Priest singer Rob Halford entering on stage while on a motorcycle.
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Words by: Michael Pementel