Judas Priest looking forward to James Durbin debut

Form the very first week of live performance on American Idol last season, where rocker James Durbin covered Judas Priest’s “You’ve Got Another Thing Coming,” to the season finale months later – where the metal gods actually joined James for a live double-shot, it’s safe to say the Judas Priest-James Durbin connection is solid and growing stronger all the time.

Durbin’s debut, “Memories Of A Beautiful Disaster,” is due November 21 and many fans await the album’s release – including the members of Judas Priest.

“I can’t wait to hear it,” says Priest frontman Rob Halford. “Apparently, the underground vibe is that, again, he’s staying true to his course and he’s making some great songs.”

“We love James,” Halford continues, “because he’s really what metal is about. He really stood his ground [on Idol]; if you saw some of those interviews [where] they wanted him to do this song or that song…he’s like ‘no, I’m a metal singer and I want to do my own thing.’ James said, ‘When I do my thing, it’s going to be metal: it’s going to be strong, powerful music.’ James, alone, introduced that attitude into 30-something million homes in America and then, of course, it goes around the world.”

As far as their appearance on the finale, there was no hesitation of the part of the metal legends.

"For us," Halford sums up, “it was an opportunity to do that thing that we call 'flying the flag for heavy metal,' and it was a big success.”

Priest are currently on the North American leg of their farewell Epitaph world tour.


Judas Priest

Judas Priest – Livin’ After Midnight / Breaking The Law
With guest James Durbin
American Idol season 10 finale – May 25, 2011


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