Biography
Who is Rob Halford?
Early life and background
Born Robert John Arthur Halford on August 25, 1951, he spent his childhood in Walsall, United Kingdom. His birthplace was the town of Sutton Coldfield. Before establishing himself in the music industry, he held employment as a manager at a men's clothing store. He also worked in an adult movie theater during this period. These experiences occurred prior to his entry into the professional music world.
Rise with Judas Priest
Rob Halford joined the band Judas Priest in 1973 after an introduction to bassist Ian Hill by his sister, Sue. He brought drummer John Hinch from his previous musical group, Hiroshima, to join the lineup. The band played their first show in May 1973 at the Townhouse in Wellington, Shropshire. His recording debut arrived on the 1974 studio album Rocka Rolla.
Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, he fronted the group as they secured their reputation in heavy metal. In 1990, he altered his visual style, which included shaving his head and getting several tattoos, such as a cross on his right arm. During a 1991 tour date in Toronto, he was injured while riding a motorcycle onstage. He broke his nose after colliding with a drum riser, though he finished the performance after briefly being unconscious.
Solo projects and other bands
Following personal challenges, he departed from his main band and formed the group Fight in the early 1990s. They released the album War of Words in 1993, followed by the EP Mutations in 1994 and the album A Small Deadly Space in 1995. In 1997, he worked with John Lowery to form an industrial-influenced group called 2wo, releasing the album Voyeurs in 1998 on Trent Reznor's label.
He returned to his heavy metal roots in 1999 by forming a solo band simply called Halford. This project produced the album Resurrection in 2000, followed by Crucible in 2002 and Halford IV: Made of Metal in 2010. He also founded Metal God Entertainment in 2006 to produce and license his own material.
Reunions and later career
After years of speculation, he rejoined Judas Priest in July 2003. The band celebrated this return with a tour and released the album Angel of Retribution in 2005. They continued to record and perform, releasing Nostradamus in 2008 and Redeemer of Souls in 2014. Despite announcing a final tour in 2011, the group continued to produce new music, including the 2018 album Firepower. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with the band in 2022.
Throughout his career, he has appeared on stage with groups such as Black Sabbath, Metallica, Sum 41, and Pantera. He also voiced characters in the 2009 video game Brütal Legend and appeared in the 2022 film Metal Lords. He published an autobiography titled Confess in 2020.
Birthday and age
Rob Halford was born on August 25, 1951, which makes Rob 75 years old today. That birthday falls under the Virgo sign. Rob shares the date with 66 other famous people.
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