JUDAS PRIEST's ROB HALFORD Thought He Would 'Get Rejection' From Fans After Coming Ou

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JUDAS PRIEST singer Rob Halford says that he expected to "get rejection" from the band's fans after revealing he was homosexual more than 15 years ago, but received "amazing" support instead.During a 1998 interview with MTV, Halford addressed the subject of his sexuality publicly for the first time, telling the music channel: "I think that most people know that I've been a gay man all of my life, and that it's only been in recent times that it's an issue that I feel comfortable to address, and an issue that has been with me ever since recognizing my own sexuality."Asked if he expected metal fans to alienate him when he first spoke about his homosexuality, Halford told The Press Of Atlantic City in a brand new interview: "I probably deluded myself into thinking I would get rejection. Nothing could have been further from the truth."He continued: "When you make that choice of stepping out and facing the issue of disclosure, you do create this kind of self-imposed negative fear. It's unfortunate it still happens today. 'Do I step out and say I'm a gay guy?' But you have got to do it and live your life on your terms and no one else's terms. Don't say you can't do this and you are worried about people being offended. If they push you away, then they push you away. Grab life by the horns and tell them, 'Take me for what I am and who I am and if you don't like it, that's your thing. Not my thing.'"He added: "If I had been in the band at the time … I think when it happened was a good moment. The fans were amazing."After the release of JUDAS PRIEST's 1990 album "Painkiller", Halford wanted to do a solo record, but the rest of the group wouldn't let him. So he left the band and did it anyway, while his bandmates continued without him. PRIEST recruited vocalist Tim "Ripper" Owens in 1996 and released two studio albums, 1997's "Jugulator" and 2001's "Demolition", before reuniting with Rob in 2003.

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