ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- Legendary heavy metal vocalist Rob Halford has
reunited with Judas Priest, the singer told CNN Friday, speaking by
phone from his Birmingham, England, home.
The band, one of heavy metal's most popular groups and a leader in the
late-'70s wave of British metal bands, plans to release a full-length
studio album in the spring of 2004. Judas Priest will also embark on a
global concert tour, the band's first with Halford in more than a
decade, the group's management team said.
"Rob Halford, along with band members K.K. Downing, Glenn Tipton and Ian
Hill felt a heightened level of intensity," a member of the management
team told CNN, speaking of recent meetings with the four. "Rob said they
were all very excited and they have re-established their friendship.
These guys grew up together from their early 20s on, so this means a lot
to them personally and professionally."
Tipton also told CNN the band has reunited.
Judas Priest is best known for its songs "Breaking the Law" and "You've
Got Another Thing Comin' " and the albums "Screaming for Vengeance" and
"Defenders of the Faith."
Ahead of the band's first studio release since 1990's "Painkiller," Sony
Music plans to release a two-DVD set with all the band's music videos
and a DVD version of "Priest ... Live!" filmed in Dallas, Texas, during
the 1986 Turbo Tour.
Work on the new album is scheduled to begin in October.
The original band members have been re-establishing their personal and
professional relationships since 1999, along the way sparking reunion
rumors.
"Rob and the other Judas Priest members are so happy this is all a go,"
the management team member said. "We've worked so hard over the last
four years to make this happen."
Judas Priest formed in the gritty, working-class city of Birmingham in
1970. By the late '70s, they were one of the biggest bands in Britain,
and had great success in the United States in the 1980s.
Downing is the group's lead guitarist, Travis the drummer and Tipton the
bassist. Halford left the band in the early '90s in a bitter split. He
recorded four studio albums and released a live album without Judas
Priest.
The band has continued to perform as Judas Priest, with Ripper Owens'
vocals, since Halford's departure. The 2001 movie "Rock Star" was partly
based on Owens' experience as a fan and leader of a Priest tribute band
who later joined his heroes.
