- Nov 24, 2002
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THIS year marks the 40th anniversary of the formation of Judas Priest and guitarist Glenn Tipton hopes it is celebrated with some extra special shows.
The 61-year-old who was born in Blackheath, Birmingham, but now lives in Worcestershire, says there are plans for the bands latest album, Nostradamus, a concept double album, to be performed in its entirety.
Our ambition is to perform Nostradamus from start to finish when everyones got used to it and they all know it, says Glenn who is joined in the band by vocalist Rob Halford, guitarist Ken KK Downing, bassist Ian Hill and drummer Scott Travis.
Well certainly pick some special venues as wed like to make an event of it. Well be looking at venues around the world that would contribute to the classical and operatic side of the project.
Glenn says hes unsure where in Birmingham the 100-minute record could be showcased.
The Bull Ring would be a good place to do it its probably there in his prophecies if we look, he jokes. Nostradamus visits Birmingham Bull Ring!
Symphony Hall would be the obvious place to emphasis the operatic qualities of the double album but Glenn says the bands reputation may deter the halls owners from hiring it out.
An incident on their 1984 Defenders of the Faith tour means theyre unable to play at one of the worlds top arenas.
Madison Square Garden banned us for life, he recalls. The audience went berserk and ripped all the seats out. They cost more that quarter of a million dollars to replace. Me and Ken went back there to see a tennis match which John McEnroe was playing in. We went incognito, wearing hoodies so no one would recognise us but the ushers came up to us and said Thanks for the new seats, guys.
Before the full Nostradamus shows Judas Priest join Megadeth and Testament for the Priest Feast at Birminghams LG Arena at the NEC on February 14.
Glenn reveals that there will be snippets from the latest album on display: The intro tape will be Dawn Of Creation from Nostradamus, then Prophecy and Death, and for our playout theres the title track so the fans will get plenty of Nostradamus as such.
He adds that there will also be plenty of oldies, including some that havent been played live before.
Theres Hell Patrol, Devil Child, Sinner classic Priest, plus the unmissable Painkiller and Hell Bent For Leather.
As for the next project...
We might do a live album . Weve recorded quite a few shows so we have to get together and listen to those and a think about that.
But with us you never know whats around the corner. We never really plan. We finish a tour, take a break, then we go into a room and start to write. Were very lucky in this band that we have a great writing formula, we never know what were going to come up with.
Thats the beauty of Priest, you never know whats coming next.
Banned from the MSG for life, that's tough :zombie: