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Confess: The Autobiography
The legendary frontman of Judas Priest, one of the most successful heavy metal bands of all time, celebrates five decades of heavy metal in this tell-all memoir.
Most priests hear confessions. This one is making his.
Rob Halford, front man of global iconic metal band Judas Priest, is a true "Metal God." Raised in Britain's hard-working, heavy industrial heartland, he and his music were forged in the Black Country. Confess, his full autobiography, is an unforgettable rock 'n' roll story-a journey from a Walsall council estate to musical fame via alcoholism, addiction, police cells, ill-fated sexual trysts, and bleak personal tragedy, through to rehab, coming out, redemption . . . and finding love.
Now, he is telling his gospel truth.
Told with Halford's trademark self-deprecating, deadpan Black Country humor, Confess is the story of an extraordinary five decades in the music industry. It is also the tale of unlikely encounters with everybody from Superman to Andy Warhol, Madonna, Jack Nicholson, and the Queen. More than anything else, it's a celebration of the fire and power of heavy metal.
Rob Halford has decided to Confess. Because it's good for the soul.
Most priests hear confessions. This one is making his.
Rob Halford, front man of global iconic metal band Judas Priest, is a true "Metal God." Raised in Britain's hard-working, heavy industrial heartland, he and his music were forged in the Black Country. Confess, his full autobiography, is an unforgettable rock 'n' roll story-a journey from a Walsall council estate to musical fame via alcoholism, addiction, police cells, ill-fated sexual trysts, and bleak personal tragedy, through to rehab, coming out, redemption . . . and finding love.
Now, he is telling his gospel truth.
Told with Halford's trademark self-deprecating, deadpan Black Country humor, Confess is the story of an extraordinary five decades in the music industry. It is also the tale of unlikely encounters with everybody from Superman to Andy Warhol, Madonna, Jack Nicholson, and the Queen. More than anything else, it's a celebration of the fire and power of heavy metal.
Rob Halford has decided to Confess. Because it's good for the soul.
355 pages, Hardcover
First published September 29, 2020
297 people are currently reading
2,061 people want to read
About the author
Rob Halford
16books78followersRob Halford is a British musician, songwriter and an author. He is best known as the lead vocalist of the Grammy Award-winning heavy metal band Judas Priest. He is famous for his powerful wide-ranging voice and his trademark leather-and-studs image.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 475 reviews
November 23, 2020
Rob Halford is the Greatest Heavy Metal Vocalist that ever lived. There must be something crazy going on in this dude's throat for him to be able to scream the way he does it is a physical aberration that sounds like nothing else any of us have ever heard from a human being ever in history before. Rob Halford is also a great friend. I was honored to host a discussion of his book Confess with Changing Hands bookstore which was a lot of fun even though I couldn't really work my zoom call although I have figured it out since then thank you very much. This book spares no detail which is why I have given it five stars. It's like Rob is talking to you straight from the page and just as is the case with Judas Priest songs you will learn words you've never known existed before. You will also learn a lot of other things you never knew existed too in this book! How Rob Halford carried the secrecy of his personal life throughout the mayhem of the eighties heavy metal scene is astonishing as a story in its own right. Go behind the scenes of making all the incredible Priest + solo records and get all the details from the Metal God himself on the history of Judas Priest! No One better to tell it than Rob Halford. Thank you for an incredible book and an incredible life!!!🎤
October 9, 2020
I don't usually seek out memoirs from celebrities. They are often poorly written and ultimately far too reliant on anecdote instead of thoughtful analysis. However, given Halford's unique role in heavy metal I wanted to see how this story unfolded. I'll also say upfront that I read this with Bruce Dickinson's memoir very much in mind. Both men are absolute icons of metal as vocalists of hugely successful groups and I had found Dickinson's book to be hit and miss. Would Halford's be any better?
The short answer is yes. Much better? Not really. Halford avails himself of a ghostwriter to smooth things out and the writing is certainly competent. Unlike Dickinson, Halford is very keen to include information about his family and his personal relationships in the story, and his openness regarding not just his sexuality but his overall loneliness throughout much of his life is compelling. At times, unfortunately, that openness is unnecessarily explicit for a general purpose memoir. The precise mechanics of how men hook up in public restrooms is simply irrelevant to the larger story. The role of such hookups in Halford's life absolutely needs to be told, but the explicit details of various sexual encounters often came off as TMI.
Like most rock musician memoirs, the life told here is largely a cycle of touring and recording albums. And with Judas Priest, there are *a lot* of albums to get through. Each one is given some space and there are little anecdotes throughout, but they really do run together, especially in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Alas, like most musician memoirs, discussion of the actual music or insights into the drama presented by the songs is lacking. I don't know what it is about rock musicians' inability to tell us more about their art beyond saying "the riff was great". In this case, Halford could have talked about his voice, as it's one of the most unique in metal and that uniqueness surely had something to do with the band's commercial success over the years. For example, why did he gravitate toward such a high, piercing range? Part of his musical identity is the very high tessitura on songs as far back as "Victim of Changes" and especially on most of the _Painkiller_ album. What's going on there and how did his high voice shape the drama of his songs? How does he view his voice in the greater context of metal vocalists? At one point, Halford notes that touring for the first Fight album was really rough on his voice. Why? Did he ever seek out a vocal coach to help him sing in the more aggressive style of Fight without hurting himself?
The story of Rob Halford is also the story of Judas Priest, and Rob's take on various events in the band's history is definitely worth reading. Moreover, as so many rock musicians "live to tell the tale" (and are doing so these days), there are naturally going to be different viewpoints about various moments in a band's history. In this case, Halford's memoir is very good about acknowledging the existence of guitarist Ken "K.K" Downing's own memoir (I have not read it). Halford never states that he's read Downing's memoir, but there are moments in his own book where Halford diplomatically writes things like "Ken remembers it this way...". Given the awkward way Downing quit Judas Priest in the mid 2010s but then expressed surprise at not being asked to return, and what we sense is a general tension between Halford and Downing, Halford's approach to Downing's version of various things was welcome and adult.
Overall, I can recommend this book for any metalhead looking for some good stories by one of metal's most important performers. I'm glad Halford decided to write it.
The short answer is yes. Much better? Not really. Halford avails himself of a ghostwriter to smooth things out and the writing is certainly competent. Unlike Dickinson, Halford is very keen to include information about his family and his personal relationships in the story, and his openness regarding not just his sexuality but his overall loneliness throughout much of his life is compelling. At times, unfortunately, that openness is unnecessarily explicit for a general purpose memoir. The precise mechanics of how men hook up in public restrooms is simply irrelevant to the larger story. The role of such hookups in Halford's life absolutely needs to be told, but the explicit details of various sexual encounters often came off as TMI.
Like most rock musician memoirs, the life told here is largely a cycle of touring and recording albums. And with Judas Priest, there are *a lot* of albums to get through. Each one is given some space and there are little anecdotes throughout, but they really do run together, especially in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Alas, like most musician memoirs, discussion of the actual music or insights into the drama presented by the songs is lacking. I don't know what it is about rock musicians' inability to tell us more about their art beyond saying "the riff was great". In this case, Halford could have talked about his voice, as it's one of the most unique in metal and that uniqueness surely had something to do with the band's commercial success over the years. For example, why did he gravitate toward such a high, piercing range? Part of his musical identity is the very high tessitura on songs as far back as "Victim of Changes" and especially on most of the _Painkiller_ album. What's going on there and how did his high voice shape the drama of his songs? How does he view his voice in the greater context of metal vocalists? At one point, Halford notes that touring for the first Fight album was really rough on his voice. Why? Did he ever seek out a vocal coach to help him sing in the more aggressive style of Fight without hurting himself?
The story of Rob Halford is also the story of Judas Priest, and Rob's take on various events in the band's history is definitely worth reading. Moreover, as so many rock musicians "live to tell the tale" (and are doing so these days), there are naturally going to be different viewpoints about various moments in a band's history. In this case, Halford's memoir is very good about acknowledging the existence of guitarist Ken "K.K" Downing's own memoir (I have not read it). Halford never states that he's read Downing's memoir, but there are moments in his own book where Halford diplomatically writes things like "Ken remembers it this way...". Given the awkward way Downing quit Judas Priest in the mid 2010s but then expressed surprise at not being asked to return, and what we sense is a general tension between Halford and Downing, Halford's approach to Downing's version of various things was welcome and adult.
Overall, I can recommend this book for any metalhead looking for some good stories by one of metal's most important performers. I'm glad Halford decided to write it.
January 14, 2025
Epic. Touching and funny. And brutally honest.
Like most people, I knew a few of the Priest songs (hell - they're on my travelling playlist for the car) but I didn't know much about the band. Well, this book has given a new insight and it wasn't like your typical rock star autobiography.
Rob has detailed the struggles in his life with a refreshing honesty, and it was well worth reading. It didn't read like a pharmaceutical textbook, and he has shown that at heart, he is still a proud Yam-Yam.
Like most people, I knew a few of the Priest songs (hell - they're on my travelling playlist for the car) but I didn't know much about the band. Well, this book has given a new insight and it wasn't like your typical rock star autobiography.
Rob has detailed the struggles in his life with a refreshing honesty, and it was well worth reading. It didn't read like a pharmaceutical textbook, and he has shown that at heart, he is still a proud Yam-Yam.
June 11, 2022
When I first heard Judas Priest they seemed like the most ultra-macho metal I'd ever heard. I imagined Rob Halford would be a 7-foot tall Viking type with a leonine mane. In fact, although he has a tremendous stage presence, he's had short hair, a mullet, and for most of my time as a Priest fan, no hair at all. In my teen years, I continued to associate metal with masculinity - I suppose it's a bit related after all - and was surprised when, then out of Priest and in a weird techno industrial act called 2wo, he came out.
By then, Freddie Mercury had long ago come out, and it was known that there were other big musicians who were gay. I was and am not a homophobe, but also I didn't really think about this revelation one way or the other. When Halford released the album Resurrection, I finally realised how much camp there was in his dramatic brand of heavy metal. Looking back, I realised he was always hiding in plain sight - the song Raw Deal has a reference to Fire Island, for crying out loud.
But Halford definitely fronted as straight for a long time. This chatty, engaging memoir takes us into his own private hell, hiding his sexuality, finding oblivion in drugs and alcohol, and what he describes as relationships with straight men who made an exception for him.
He became sober in 1986, but years of confusion still followed as he felt he needed to remain in the closet for the sake of the band. He's out now, and reading this book showed me how psychologically crippling, life-destroying really, the closet our societies force LGBTQ people into is.
There's more than enough material on Priest and his other musical ventures here for any fan, but ultimately I liked this book for being the unabashed, hard-won testimony - confession if you prefer - of a resilient gay man who survived alcoholism, addiction, heartbreak and the closet.
By then, Freddie Mercury had long ago come out, and it was known that there were other big musicians who were gay. I was and am not a homophobe, but also I didn't really think about this revelation one way or the other. When Halford released the album Resurrection, I finally realised how much camp there was in his dramatic brand of heavy metal. Looking back, I realised he was always hiding in plain sight - the song Raw Deal has a reference to Fire Island, for crying out loud.
But Halford definitely fronted as straight for a long time. This chatty, engaging memoir takes us into his own private hell, hiding his sexuality, finding oblivion in drugs and alcohol, and what he describes as relationships with straight men who made an exception for him.
He became sober in 1986, but years of confusion still followed as he felt he needed to remain in the closet for the sake of the band. He's out now, and reading this book showed me how psychologically crippling, life-destroying really, the closet our societies force LGBTQ people into is.
There's more than enough material on Priest and his other musical ventures here for any fan, but ultimately I liked this book for being the unabashed, hard-won testimony - confession if you prefer - of a resilient gay man who survived alcoholism, addiction, heartbreak and the closet.
March 31, 2021
I already loved Halford... now even more! (if possible!) 🤘🤘🤘
October 13, 2020
I have to say I really liked this book. I found it very insightful of the Metal God's life. But I want to say right off the bat, I am a huge fan of Judas Priest and Rob's solo work as well, so that might make me biased. Still I found it a great book.
Rob gives us a full view of his life. From a young boy in the Black County, right up to having to put the 50th anniversary tour for Priest on hold due to Covid. He gives us a very uncensored view of what it was like to build up the band. He also gives us a very uncensored look at what it was like growing up gay and having to hide it because at first it was a crime in the UK, and then being the lead singer in a huge heavy metal band. Now, I am not saying it gets into the description of sex, but you do get an education on the lengths he went though to hook up with guys. It was really sad to see the crap he, and other gay men, had to go through just to connect physically for a few minutes even.
I did connect with this book on a personal level, since I was a fan of the band since the 80's. When he talked about certain albums or tours I was able to go "I remember that! I saw that tour." Rob also has a very easy to read style of writing, and a great sense of humor throughout the book. I never knew how hard his life had been. There were some confessions of things that happened that would break me into pieces if they happened to me. You really get a sense of the torment he went though, and came out stronger because of it.
I would recommend this book for anyone wanting a peak into the life of a heavy metal singer. One who hid his sexuality, and his addiction, from the rest of the world. Some amazing little stories of the people he met and places he went. A very fun read.
May 15, 2021
I've been a Judas Priest fan since 1982. Always loved the band and followed their career. This book gave me further insight into not only what Priest was doing but what Rob was going through as a closeted gay man in a macho heavy metal band. Lots of revelations, good and bad, and it gives a deeper understanding about his life.
October 28, 2020
I am more than an average Priest fan- I have several of their Cds, including the Ripper Owens' ones, and have always wondered why Halford isn't mentioned more in the debate of best singers in music. I have written reviews for websites stating that "British Steel" is one of the perfect albums that is flawless.
I was really excited to read this book, after reviewing KK 's book (one of the former guitar players of the band). However, as much as I wanted to enjoy the book, there isn't much new information in the book, and there is tons of parts where Rob wants to talk more about how informing the reader about dating in the gay community than tell about inspirations and behind the scenes music tales. I am not bashing his sexuality- It is his choice to write the book he wants, although there were a few humorous tales (like in his childhood, his mother went nuts at a pro wresting event) , I expected more music tales from him. His tale of growing up near the coal industry to becoming a world wide rock legend ( and his struggles wanting to come out and be a public gay man), is a great tale. Die hard fans will love the book, but I thought it was OK and wasn't as great as I expected the hype would be from someone in the business for 40 plus years.
I was really excited to read this book, after reviewing KK 's book (one of the former guitar players of the band). However, as much as I wanted to enjoy the book, there isn't much new information in the book, and there is tons of parts where Rob wants to talk more about how informing the reader about dating in the gay community than tell about inspirations and behind the scenes music tales. I am not bashing his sexuality- It is his choice to write the book he wants, although there were a few humorous tales (like in his childhood, his mother went nuts at a pro wresting event) , I expected more music tales from him. His tale of growing up near the coal industry to becoming a world wide rock legend ( and his struggles wanting to come out and be a public gay man), is a great tale. Die hard fans will love the book, but I thought it was OK and wasn't as great as I expected the hype would be from someone in the business for 40 plus years.
July 14, 2024
Quite an exceptional read all in what the author says, doesn't say and what he most probably lies about. Never been a huge Priest fan, but now I'm going to definitely refresh some of their material for myself. Overall worth reading.
October 4, 2020
Задължително четиво за всеки любител на метъла! 😍
June 8, 2021
This is one of the best autobiographies I have read. It’s more than metal and yes I am a fan. Not the biggest fan ever, but I have been to at least 2 or 3 of their shows.
I would recommend this book if you want to understand how difficult it is to be a gay man. I would recommend this book if you have ever struggled with drink or drugs. If you have survived bad relationships, if you aspire to be a vocalist, if you are a writer.... so many surprises in this book. So much history. I’m so glad I read it. Multiple confessions have set him free. He writes with pretty amazing clarity from his soul.
At times I didn’t fully understand some of the English terms he used. That kept it interesting too, hypothesizing what he meant.
Regardless, I think this book can appeal to others whether they are a fan or not. Highly recommend.
I would recommend this book if you want to understand how difficult it is to be a gay man. I would recommend this book if you have ever struggled with drink or drugs. If you have survived bad relationships, if you aspire to be a vocalist, if you are a writer.... so many surprises in this book. So much history. I’m so glad I read it. Multiple confessions have set him free. He writes with pretty amazing clarity from his soul.
At times I didn’t fully understand some of the English terms he used. That kept it interesting too, hypothesizing what he meant.
Regardless, I think this book can appeal to others whether they are a fan or not. Highly recommend.
November 27, 2022
I have listened to parts of many audiobooks on long car rides with my husband, but this is the first one I have listened to in its entirety. An added bonus was having it read by Rob Halford himself.
Halford’s humble beginnings in the industrial “Black Country� of Walsall and his struggles as a gay man in the heavy metal music world captivated me and I found his life story to be quite interesting despite the fact that I’m not usually drawn to autobiographies.
Halford’s humble beginnings in the industrial “Black Country� of Walsall and his struggles as a gay man in the heavy metal music world captivated me and I found his life story to be quite interesting despite the fact that I’m not usually drawn to autobiographies.
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October 27, 2020O Judas Priestu ne znam bukv ništa sem što sam slušao albume i eto osmozom poslednjih decenija što se vuklo po novinama - da je Halford gej i da Glen ima parkinsonovu... Eto, iako bez ijednog BDSM laguma, i dalje zanimljiva, pitka i opuštena knjižica. Sad nekako da nađem KK Downingovu pa da ukrstim...
October 5, 2020
I have to admit that I am not the most devoted Heavy Metal fan out there but I do have a weakness for Judas Priest, especially for the classic albums British Steel and Painkiller.
I knew very little about frontman Rob Halford before I came to his memoir but from the first few pages I was totally hooked. Halford's journey from struggling Black Country singer to literal Metal God is absolutely fascinating.
Halford writes about his battles with drink, drugs and his own sexuality in a very honest and straight-talking manner. Putting his most painful memories down on paper cannot have been an easy experience and I thank him for that.
Ever since I was a kid I’ve loved reading about rock stars and their unworldly lives, and this book didn’t disappoint: getting handcuffed to Andy Warhol, an awkward encounter with Madonna, opening for Led Zeppelin and meeting Gaga and superfan Johnny Depp - Confess was an absolute blast!
I knew very little about frontman Rob Halford before I came to his memoir but from the first few pages I was totally hooked. Halford's journey from struggling Black Country singer to literal Metal God is absolutely fascinating.
Halford writes about his battles with drink, drugs and his own sexuality in a very honest and straight-talking manner. Putting his most painful memories down on paper cannot have been an easy experience and I thank him for that.
Ever since I was a kid I’ve loved reading about rock stars and their unworldly lives, and this book didn’t disappoint: getting handcuffed to Andy Warhol, an awkward encounter with Madonna, opening for Led Zeppelin and meeting Gaga and superfan Johnny Depp - Confess was an absolute blast!
October 11, 2020
I tend to stick to literary novels and poetry collections, but in recent years I've discovered that my guilty pleasure is reading rock-star biographies and memoirs. I would have to say that this one is my favorite so far, depicting Rob Halford's early years al the way through fifty years as lead singer of Judas Priest and a few other bands. Halford's warm, conversational style (when depicting good times and bad) leaves the reader feeling as if having a conversation with a dear friend over coffee. He describes his life with a sharp, often self-deprecating sense of humor, depicting himself not only as the lion tamer of a heavy-metal but also, perhaps, the world's most inept gay man struggling at every turn to deal with his sexuality. His adventures are fun, hilarious, sad, beautiful. His meditations go deep and hold no punches. This autobiography is everything a reader will want, being a fan of the band or not.
Highly recommended.
Highly recommended.
October 5, 2020
Халфорд не спестява нищо в своята автобиография. Личният му живот, още от детството му в Уолсоу, не е бил от най-леките. Книгата е задължителна за всеки уважаващ себе си фен на Прийст, тъй като разкрива много любопитни факти около историята на групата и създаването на албумите. Няма да разкривам нищо конкретно от сюжета, но е ясно, че няма да сгрешите ако разлистите страниците на изданието (препоръчвам прекрасните твърди корици).
Също така е редно да похваля издателство и преводача Сибин Майналовски за професионално свършената работа, която само подсилва удоволствието от четенето.
Също така е редно да похваля издателство и преводача Сибин Майналовски за професионално свършената работа, която само подсилва удоволствието от четенето.
November 9, 2020
A really honest and straightforward account of the Metal God's life! I felt like Halford's personality and humour really came across in this. As someone who was raised listening Judas Priest, I know the music but wasn't familiar with a huge amount of the context for their albums so I enjoyed getting a glimpse into the songwriting process and the line-up changes. Halford has battled some demons throughout his life and I appreciated the candour with which he discusses his experiences. I'm thrilled he's able to live his life as the openly gay rock god that he is and I'd heartily recommend this to metal fans everywhere!
April 2, 2021
Gikk inn i denne boken med høye forventninger - og den leverte på alle punkter selv om det var noen småting jeg kunne ønske ble gått mer inn i dybden på.
Rett og slett en virkelig fantastisk biografi. Halford fremstår veldig troverdig og ærlig. Som biografi trodde jeg at den kom til å være litt tung, og tross noen litt tunge kapitler helt i starten tror jeg aldri jeg har kost meg så mye med en sakprosa før. Den er trist, morsom, tidvis mørk, og enormt inspirerende. Virkelig, virkelig verdt å lese av enhver metalhead.
Rett og slett en virkelig fantastisk biografi. Halford fremstår veldig troverdig og ærlig. Som biografi trodde jeg at den kom til å være litt tung, og tross noen litt tunge kapitler helt i starten tror jeg aldri jeg har kost meg så mye med en sakprosa før. Den er trist, morsom, tidvis mørk, og enormt inspirerende. Virkelig, virkelig verdt å lese av enhver metalhead.
November 24, 2020
You don’t need to be a Priest-fan to love this book!
This autobiography is amazing, one of the most candid personal stories I have read in a very long time! And you really don’t have to be a Priest fan... if you want to understand what it means to have to live your life closed not in a closet but in a heavy metal vault, this book will touch you deeply. Glad you made it out, Rob!
This autobiography is amazing, one of the most candid personal stories I have read in a very long time! And you really don’t have to be a Priest fan... if you want to understand what it means to have to live your life closed not in a closet but in a heavy metal vault, this book will touch you deeply. Glad you made it out, Rob!
January 9, 2024
I'm a sucker for any musician's autobio, but make them closeted gay and at the forefront of heavy metal, and Katy bar the door. One thing that perplexes me is that he just sort of joins Judas Priest and starts referring to them as heavy metal... I expected a bit more about being obsessed with heavy, or taking Sabbath further, or anything other than being into Zeppelin. Laugh out loud in parts, but I feel sadness when I read how hard he had to hide his gayness, not just for him but he kept quiet mostly for his band; to find out this macho metal band was led by a "puffter" would ruin things for everyone. That was a lot to shoulder. When he DID make things very obvious in his lyrics, the homophobic heschers didn't even notice one bit! All the better to look like morons, which unfortunately the ones in my town sort of were. Funny though is that once he would come out, everyone assumed the leather and studs stuff was his fetish. Nope. "I'm vanilla," he writes! Other surprises: he's a Queen-loving monarchist, Christian, had a happy childhood, and only dabbled with alcoholism and cocaine addiction briefly. The only time he -broke the law-broke the law- was when he got busted in a men's room because he had a hard time meeting other gay men. I like the guy. E's an a'right bloke, 'e is.
December 2, 2022
4/5 - solide. Genau das bekommen, was ich erwartet habe.
October 24, 2020
The bulk of this book is about a gay man who comes to front one of the biggest heavy metal bands in the world; not to be confused with “a heavy metal frontman who happens to be gay.� Halford’s homosexuality is the vehicle for this book above all else. Yes, the tale of Priest is plenty detailed, but what we learn about tour life orbits around his obstacles: how does he partake in typical rock star antics? Evade loneliness? It makes sense, as these are the details less told; what begs to be confessed by such a high profile man who put the band’s reception over his own needs for decades.
Halford truly seizes the challenge to tell-all in writing this book. The good and the bad, all sprinkled with some grandpa humor; if it hadn’t been told, it needed to be here. Even at 70, Rob is as excited about life and metal as ever.
Halford truly seizes the challenge to tell-all in writing this book. The good and the bad, all sprinkled with some grandpa humor; if it hadn’t been told, it needed to be here. Even at 70, Rob is as excited about life and metal as ever.
October 21, 2020
Excellent rock bio with the right mix of personal and band history. There’s a LOT about Rob’s sexuality, both hiding it and exploring it, and the book maybe could have subbed a few hook up stories for Priest anecdotes. For that matter, why are so many rock stars compelled to include the grossest road memories they can think of? Yes to nearly freezing to death in a broke down tour van, no to shitting in an envelope and throwing it out the window. All that being said, I loved getting to know Rob on such intimate terms. Plus, contrasting his account of the band’s past with KK’s was fascinating. Neither can deny KK liked to complain, but there’s a wide gap in their perception of any band issues.
January 21, 2023
Pelle nera, borchie, chitarre che urlano, batterie tonanti, e sul palco arriva lui, il dio dell'heavy metal, in sella a una Harley e rade tutto al suolo con la sua voce.
Musica da duri, da veri maschi alfa? Beh a dire il vero per la gioia della band le prime file pullulano anche di belle signorine non meno borchiate e fasciate in pelle e Latex, e molte di loro non vedono l'ora di essere invitate a far festa con i loro idoli nel backstage.
Tutto alla grande, solo che dopo lo spettacolo, Rob Halford, la voce, il metal God, scompare sempre, se ne sta per conto suo, solo nella sua camera, vittima di un "terribile segreto" che potrebbe distruggere i Judas Priest.
La sua biografia, scritta un po' a sorpresa in tempo di covid per sopravvivere agli infiniti lockdown, si intitola "confess" non a caso. Richiama il potere salvifico della confessione, la libertà che dona il riuscire a rivelarsi per quel che sei davvero, avere il coraggio di dire la verità e smettere di fingere e di nasconderti.
Confess racconta la storia di una delle più grandi band metal di sempre, i Judas Priest, album dopo album, tour dopo tour, con guest star tra le pagine che vanno dai Led Zeppelin agli Iron Maiden, dai Guns'n'Roses agli Steel Panther, da Lady Gaga alla regina Elisabetta. E insieme il dramma di un uomo che ama la musica e le luci del palco, ma sogna un compagno che non può avere perché... Cosa penserebbero i suoi fan? Cosa accadrebbe se qualcuno lo riconoscesse in un gay bar?
E così arranca tra alcool, droghe e glory hole, in cerca di un briciolo di consolazione e contatto fisico, ma il massimo che ottiene è qualche compagno di sbronze più affettuoso, che a dirla tutta ama di più la voce dei Priest che Rob come persona.
Finché si accorge di averne abbastanza e lo grida al mondo. Anche in posti in cui l'omosessualità è reato, niente lo ferma e non deve fare niente per "sostenere la sua causa", non si considera un attivista, ma il semplice fatto di essere lì è la sua forza. "Here i am. This Is me. Deal with it. I am the rainbow flag of metal."
Biografia intensa ed intima, che dà un bel quadro della carriera musicale dell'artista ma lascia anche un bel messaggio sull'importanza di accettarsi, amarsi e combattere per la propria felicità, essere sempre sè stessi, perché se qualcuno non ci accetta per quel che siamo... Beh, probabilmente quel qualcuno è meglio perderlo che averlo tra i piedi.
Musica da duri, da veri maschi alfa? Beh a dire il vero per la gioia della band le prime file pullulano anche di belle signorine non meno borchiate e fasciate in pelle e Latex, e molte di loro non vedono l'ora di essere invitate a far festa con i loro idoli nel backstage.
Tutto alla grande, solo che dopo lo spettacolo, Rob Halford, la voce, il metal God, scompare sempre, se ne sta per conto suo, solo nella sua camera, vittima di un "terribile segreto" che potrebbe distruggere i Judas Priest.
La sua biografia, scritta un po' a sorpresa in tempo di covid per sopravvivere agli infiniti lockdown, si intitola "confess" non a caso. Richiama il potere salvifico della confessione, la libertà che dona il riuscire a rivelarsi per quel che sei davvero, avere il coraggio di dire la verità e smettere di fingere e di nasconderti.
Confess racconta la storia di una delle più grandi band metal di sempre, i Judas Priest, album dopo album, tour dopo tour, con guest star tra le pagine che vanno dai Led Zeppelin agli Iron Maiden, dai Guns'n'Roses agli Steel Panther, da Lady Gaga alla regina Elisabetta. E insieme il dramma di un uomo che ama la musica e le luci del palco, ma sogna un compagno che non può avere perché... Cosa penserebbero i suoi fan? Cosa accadrebbe se qualcuno lo riconoscesse in un gay bar?
E così arranca tra alcool, droghe e glory hole, in cerca di un briciolo di consolazione e contatto fisico, ma il massimo che ottiene è qualche compagno di sbronze più affettuoso, che a dirla tutta ama di più la voce dei Priest che Rob come persona.
Finché si accorge di averne abbastanza e lo grida al mondo. Anche in posti in cui l'omosessualità è reato, niente lo ferma e non deve fare niente per "sostenere la sua causa", non si considera un attivista, ma il semplice fatto di essere lì è la sua forza. "Here i am. This Is me. Deal with it. I am the rainbow flag of metal."
Biografia intensa ed intima, che dà un bel quadro della carriera musicale dell'artista ma lascia anche un bel messaggio sull'importanza di accettarsi, amarsi e combattere per la propria felicità, essere sempre sè stessi, perché se qualcuno non ci accetta per quel che siamo... Beh, probabilmente quel qualcuno è meglio perderlo che averlo tra i piedi.
January 6, 2025
This autobiography with its themes of confession and redemption struck me as something of a love letter to Judas Priest’s fans. I identified so much with Halford’s experiences and feelings as a gay metalhead; and I truly enjoyed his conversational style of writing, so frank and laidback, yet so achingly honest. I’m sure all fans of Judas Priest will love this well written memoir. And if you’re not yet a fan, read it and let the Metal God himself convert you. Rock on, metal maniacs.
October 31, 2020
Heartfelt and very entertaining- also, full of surprises that I did not expect. As a long time fan of the man and the band, this is everything I could have wanted in a memoir. Thank you Rob.
January 28, 2022
Great read, and that comes from a fan of all music who only really knew Breaking The Law before they started the book.
Entertaining, honest, witty and - of course- fascinating: the leathered-up lead singer of a top metal band being unable to be honest about his sexuality during much of his career.
I know more than Breaking The Law now...
Entertaining, honest, witty and - of course- fascinating: the leathered-up lead singer of a top metal band being unable to be honest about his sexuality during much of his career.
I know more than Breaking The Law now...
September 14, 2024
Kapłaństwo. Ciężar rogatej korony.
Rzadko czytam autobiografie, natomiast muzyki słucham bardzo często, i choć bardzo zróżnicowanej, to ciężkie brzmienia dominują na moich playlistach. A, że muzyka metalowa jest immanentną częścią mojego życia - są nią również Metalowi Bogowie. Zespół Judas Priest, który od 50 lat rozgrzewa serca i porusza fanów na całym świecie dał mi o sobie przypomnieć w wigilię Wielkanocy, kiedy to w Krakowie byłem na koncercie Kapłana Judasza.
Wokalista tego zespołu, Brytyjczyk Rób Halford, jak sam na wstępie książki zaznacza, szczerze i bezpardonowo opisuje swoją muzyczną życiową drogę, ale też nie stroni od zwierzeń bardzo osobistych. Na łamach autobiografii z właściwym sobie humorem opisuje kolejne kroki muzycznej kariery, tak swojej, jak i już w jej właściwym wymiarze, czyli jako wokalista w Priest. O kilku aspektach wiedziałem, ale jako fan nigdy tak daleko nie zagłębiałem się w historię zespołu czy wydarzenia towarzyszące nagrywaniu poszczególnych płyt czy zmianom składu kapeli. Opisano też wiele sytuacji dotyczących innych zespołów czy gwiazd tego samego formatu, z którymi Halford przecinał się na ścieżce swojej kariery. Łącznie z pogawędką z Królową Angielską.
Książka raczej dla fanów Judas Priest niż przypadkowych osób, ciekawie uzupełnia wizerunek Roba, napisana jest przystępnie, ciekawie i prosto. Bez nadmiernej egzaltacji czy zadzierania nosa. Autor opisuje też swoje słabości. Nakreśla swoje Błędy czy to życiowe czy w karierze, drogę wejścia i... wyjścia z nałogu (łącznie z próbą samobójczą) aż po ujawnienie swojej orientacji i związanej z tym ulgi. Co ciekawe, nakreśla też obraz najmłodszych lat, choć bardziej skrótowo niż kronikarsko, poznajemy rodzinne strony Roba. Robotnicze klimaty fabryk i dzielnic rodzinnego Wallsall, a także mentalność tamtych ludzi (która nigdy go nie opuściła).
Rob Halford to człowiek, który pomimo już 73 lat na karku, nadal swoim głosem głosi Judaszowe słowo drąc japę na koncertach niemiłosiernie, co jest aż nie do uwierzenia ale nadal niesamowite. Bardzo polecam. Judas Priest oczywiście.
Metalowy Bóg jest jeden. I nosi koronę. Z rogami.
14.09.2024 r.
Rzadko czytam autobiografie, natomiast muzyki słucham bardzo często, i choć bardzo zróżnicowanej, to ciężkie brzmienia dominują na moich playlistach. A, że muzyka metalowa jest immanentną częścią mojego życia - są nią również Metalowi Bogowie. Zespół Judas Priest, który od 50 lat rozgrzewa serca i porusza fanów na całym świecie dał mi o sobie przypomnieć w wigilię Wielkanocy, kiedy to w Krakowie byłem na koncercie Kapłana Judasza.
Wokalista tego zespołu, Brytyjczyk Rób Halford, jak sam na wstępie książki zaznacza, szczerze i bezpardonowo opisuje swoją muzyczną życiową drogę, ale też nie stroni od zwierzeń bardzo osobistych. Na łamach autobiografii z właściwym sobie humorem opisuje kolejne kroki muzycznej kariery, tak swojej, jak i już w jej właściwym wymiarze, czyli jako wokalista w Priest. O kilku aspektach wiedziałem, ale jako fan nigdy tak daleko nie zagłębiałem się w historię zespołu czy wydarzenia towarzyszące nagrywaniu poszczególnych płyt czy zmianom składu kapeli. Opisano też wiele sytuacji dotyczących innych zespołów czy gwiazd tego samego formatu, z którymi Halford przecinał się na ścieżce swojej kariery. Łącznie z pogawędką z Królową Angielską.
Książka raczej dla fanów Judas Priest niż przypadkowych osób, ciekawie uzupełnia wizerunek Roba, napisana jest przystępnie, ciekawie i prosto. Bez nadmiernej egzaltacji czy zadzierania nosa. Autor opisuje też swoje słabości. Nakreśla swoje Błędy czy to życiowe czy w karierze, drogę wejścia i... wyjścia z nałogu (łącznie z próbą samobójczą) aż po ujawnienie swojej orientacji i związanej z tym ulgi. Co ciekawe, nakreśla też obraz najmłodszych lat, choć bardziej skrótowo niż kronikarsko, poznajemy rodzinne strony Roba. Robotnicze klimaty fabryk i dzielnic rodzinnego Wallsall, a także mentalność tamtych ludzi (która nigdy go nie opuściła).
Rob Halford to człowiek, który pomimo już 73 lat na karku, nadal swoim głosem głosi Judaszowe słowo drąc japę na koncertach niemiłosiernie, co jest aż nie do uwierzenia ale nadal niesamowite. Bardzo polecam. Judas Priest oczywiście.
Metalowy Bóg jest jeden. I nosi koronę. Z rogami.
14.09.2024 r.
April 29, 2022
When I started reading Confess I knew it was going to be five stars, so this review is just me singing praises to the Metal God - though unfortunately my praises are much more off-key; I also don’t have a thesaurus at hand.
My goodness how much I loved this book. It’s funny, it’s heartbreaking, it’s incredibly well-written. I geeked out at the mentions of Queen and Sabbath and Ozzy and Alice Cooper - Alice hosts a Christmas Pudding charity concert and Rob performed once?!?! Holy shitcakes I would’ve loved to be there. I’m not usually a fan of name-dropping, but if the names are those of my favourite musicians� safe to say it changes my attitude.
It’s a wild ride, because a lot can happen in 70 years. Rob Halford has nearly suffocated daily on his school journey, brought home a used dildo, managed a porno shop - well, not quite, but eh close enough - bought multiple houses in multiple continents, driven a motorcycle onto a stage multiple times, had lovers and ended relationships, OD’d, been an addict and recovered, been Ozzy Osbourne for a night, met the Queen, fallen in love and this time it’s for real and I’m so happy for him � and of course, throughout this all, he’s been the one and only Metal God.
Even though a lot of things happen, two things are present throughout the book: his sexuality and Judas Priest. I can fully understand that, because they are both such important aspects of what make Rob Halford Rob Halford. He is the Metal God, he is the singer of one of the biggest metal bands ever - and he is an openly gay man.
That takes a lot, kiddos.
Mad respect for him. I’m grateful he has shared his story with us, and fully recommend this to everyone; it has music, history, humour, and quuuuueeeerness! Even my mum, a 50+ straight lady, liked it, so you should totally give it a chance.
My goodness how much I loved this book. It’s funny, it’s heartbreaking, it’s incredibly well-written. I geeked out at the mentions of Queen and Sabbath and Ozzy and Alice Cooper - Alice hosts a Christmas Pudding charity concert and Rob performed once?!?! Holy shitcakes I would’ve loved to be there. I’m not usually a fan of name-dropping, but if the names are those of my favourite musicians� safe to say it changes my attitude.
It’s a wild ride, because a lot can happen in 70 years. Rob Halford has nearly suffocated daily on his school journey, brought home a used dildo, managed a porno shop - well, not quite, but eh close enough - bought multiple houses in multiple continents, driven a motorcycle onto a stage multiple times, had lovers and ended relationships, OD’d, been an addict and recovered, been Ozzy Osbourne for a night, met the Queen, fallen in love and this time it’s for real and I’m so happy for him � and of course, throughout this all, he’s been the one and only Metal God.
Even though a lot of things happen, two things are present throughout the book: his sexuality and Judas Priest. I can fully understand that, because they are both such important aspects of what make Rob Halford Rob Halford. He is the Metal God, he is the singer of one of the biggest metal bands ever - and he is an openly gay man.
That takes a lot, kiddos.
Mad respect for him. I’m grateful he has shared his story with us, and fully recommend this to everyone; it has music, history, humour, and quuuuueeeerness! Even my mum, a 50+ straight lady, liked it, so you should totally give it a chance.
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October 24, 2021things i knew about rob halford and judas priest prior to this book: nothing (well i’d heard breaking the law. i’m more of a metalcore person than more traditional metal). reasons i wanted to read this: i heard halford is gay, and god knows metal scene needs lgbt representation. and i always like a good biography. this book was great and i want to see priest next year when they come to my country. so, job well done, sirs halford and ian gittins.
i wish i’d read this in english, as the finnish translation was not very good, and as halford’s black country accent was a thing that played a role so translating that sure wasn’t easy, but it also didn’t work very well. also, the chapter names were probably the worst part of this � i’m sure translating them didn’t help but the original were just as silly (and often if not detached from the chapter but the names were some very minor details of the chapter).
as i don’t know judas priest or halford’s history, i don’t know what things told in the book were news or possibly shocking to people who have followed their career. i mostly thought confess as a novel and as that it worked very well. despite some strange choices in words and formatting the book went on smoothly without too much repetition and was hard to put down.
as none of the albums of judas priest were familiar to me it was sometimes hard to follow the stories about all 20 ish of them and there’s MANY names in the book. while slightly confusing, that didn’t bother me much. the reading experience was a blend of wow-the-story-is-great and well-the-writing-kinda-not-so-much and but-i-still-can’t-put-it-down. so interesting to read about the life of a gay metal icon in times when being gay was classed criminal or sickness.
it wasn’t told what happened with the person who replaced halford when he wasn’t in priest. the band probably sacked him but this wasn’t mentioned at all. also, what happened with ken after his departure? in general, i’d like to have read more about the bands internal relationships as they’ve been together forever.
tl;dr: a memoir so good it works really well also for people who aren’t familiar with priest or halford.
i wish i’d read this in english, as the finnish translation was not very good, and as halford’s black country accent was a thing that played a role so translating that sure wasn’t easy, but it also didn’t work very well. also, the chapter names were probably the worst part of this � i’m sure translating them didn’t help but the original were just as silly (and often if not detached from the chapter but the names were some very minor details of the chapter).
as i don’t know judas priest or halford’s history, i don’t know what things told in the book were news or possibly shocking to people who have followed their career. i mostly thought confess as a novel and as that it worked very well. despite some strange choices in words and formatting the book went on smoothly without too much repetition and was hard to put down.
as none of the albums of judas priest were familiar to me it was sometimes hard to follow the stories about all 20 ish of them and there’s MANY names in the book. while slightly confusing, that didn’t bother me much. the reading experience was a blend of wow-the-story-is-great and well-the-writing-kinda-not-so-much and but-i-still-can’t-put-it-down. so interesting to read about the life of a gay metal icon in times when being gay was classed criminal or sickness.
it wasn’t told what happened with the person who replaced halford when he wasn’t in priest. the band probably sacked him but this wasn’t mentioned at all. also, what happened with ken after his departure? in general, i’d like to have read more about the bands internal relationships as they’ve been together forever.
tl;dr: a memoir so good it works really well also for people who aren’t familiar with priest or halford.
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