Judas Priest have announced their first official book documenting a half-century of history behind the Rob Halford-led metal band.
Appropriately, it’s called Judas Priest – 50 Heavy Metal Years. Compiled by veteran rock photographer Ross Halfin along with David Silver and the band’s manager, Jayne Andrews, the tome also contains written retrospectives by the group’s current members. It’s due to be released in time for Christmas.
“I’ve photographed Judas Priest from 1978 until now,” Halfin says, “and of all the bands I’ve worked with they are one of the most enjoyable to me — you have to love the mighty Priest.”
Per a press release, the 648-page coffee table book contains “hundreds of unseen, unpublished photographs from rock’s greatest photographers including Ross Halfin, Neil Zlozower, Mark Weiss, Fin Costello, Oliver Halfin and many more. With a linking text by renowned journalist Mark Blake the book explores the band’s exciting history on stage and off in a unique photo documentary.”
Explains Priest guitarist Glenn Tipton, “We spearheaded the visual image of metal — breathing new life into it, and it has been captured forever in the pages of this book.”
Four different editions of the book will be printed, including a special charity version of 100 numbered, blue foil-covered copies that will benefit Tipton’s namesake Glenn Tipton Parkinson’s Foundation. (The guitarist made public his diagnosis with the disease in 2018.) Beyond that, a standard edition, deluxe edition and “Epic Leather and Metal Edition” will also be made available.
Pre-orders for Judas Priest – 50 Heavy Metal Years begin Sept. 11 at rufuspublications.com.
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