Editing Rob Halford (section)

==Personal life==

===Hobbies===
Halford divides his time between homes in the United States and his home town of [[Walsall]].<ref>{{cite web|first=Sarah|last=Probert|title=Tuba-s Priest: Heavy metal icons plan to play with a classical orchestra|url=https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/judas-priest-heavy-metal-icons-7459217|work=Birmingham Live|date=20 July 2014|access-date=16 January 2019}}</ref>

Halford owns a 1970s [[Aston Martin DBS]], a [[Chevrolet Corvette]], and a [[Mercury Cougar]]. He did not get a driving licence until the age of 38.<ref>[http://www.motortrend.com/features/consumer/1006_judas_priest_rob_halford_celebrity_drive/first_car.html Rob Halford, Judas Priest Lead Singer First Car] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629062817/http://www.motortrend.com/features/consumer/1006_judas_priest_rob_halford_celebrity_drive/first_car.html |date=29 June 2011 }}. Motor Trend. Retrieved 21 May 2011.</ref> In 2010, he said that his main car was a 2006 [[Cadillac DTS]].<ref>[http://www.motortrend.com/features/consumer/1006_judas_priest_rob_halford_celebrity_drive/index.html Rob Halford, Judas Priest Lead Singer Celebrity Drive] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629062841/http://www.motortrend.com/features/consumer/1006_judas_priest_rob_halford_celebrity_drive/index.html |date=29 June 2011 }}. Motor Trend. Retrieved 21 May 2011.</ref>

In May 2021, Halford was made a [[Kentucky Colonel]] by Governor [[Andy Beshear]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/CQF29YRDGQ1/  |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/s/instagram/CQF29YRDGQ1 |archive-date=26 December 2021 |url-access=registration|title=Thank you governor and the people's of Kentucky a great honour and organisation that's making good things happen |author=robhalfordlegacy |date=14 June 2021 |website=Instagram |access-date=24 July 2021}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

===Sexuality===
Halford publicly revealed his homosexuality on [[MTV]] in 1998.<ref name="invented" /><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1429870/19980205/halford_rob.jhtml|date=5 February 1998|title=Rob Halford Discusses Sexuality Publicly for the First Time|publisher=[[MTV News]]|access-date=24 May 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100704043119/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1429870/19980205/halford_rob.jhtml|archive-date=4 July 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref> He broke down in tears saying, "It's a wonderful moment when you walk out of the closet. Now I've done that and I've freed myself. It's a great feeling for me to finally let go and make this statement—especially to ''[[The Advocate (magazine)|The Advocate]]'', because this magazine has brought me so much comfort over the years. Obviously this is just a wonderful day for me."<ref name="Wieder">{{cite book|title=[[Celebrity: The Advocate Interviews]]|last=Wieder|first=Judy|year=2001|publisher=Advocate Books|location=New York City|isbn=1-55583-722-0|page=94}}</ref> Halford later explained that he did not have a plan or an agenda when coming in to do his interview with MTV. He mainly spoke about and promoted the ''Voyeurs'' album he made with guitarist [[John 5 (guitarist)|John 5]], when he slipped out his sexuality after being asked a question from the studio's producer. He cited it being "kind of a big leap forward".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://player.fm/series/music-vibes-with-dc-hendrix/interview-rob-halford-of-judas-priest|title=Interview: Rob Halford of Judas Priest|website=player.fm|date=27 November 2019 |access-date=27 November 2019}}</ref>

At the time Halford revealed his sexuality, he was concerned that he would lose his fanbase as a result. He explained that he cannot return to certain places of the world in fear of stoning. He described the 1970s and 1980s as "incredibly difficult", but not counting it as important music-wise. Halford jokingly claimed that he cannot be replaced by a straight man, bringing up late [[Queen (band)|Queen]] vocalist [[Freddie Mercury]], saying that "if Freddie hadn't have been gay, Queen would've been a totally different band. But that's a really important part of my life that I have to get down on paper at some point."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://edmontonjournal.com/entertainment/music/judas-priests-halford-on-firepower-and-fantasy-headed-for-maniacs-in-edmonton-tuesday|author=Griwkowsky, Fish|title=Judas Priest's Halford on Firepower and fantasy headed for "maniacs in Edmonton" Tuesday|work=[[Edmonton Journal]]|access-date=6 June 2019}}</ref>

Halford describes himself as "the stately homo of heavy metal", and said that coming out was accidental but "the greatest thing I could have done for myself". He also explained that he did not do so sooner due to the fear that it was going to be troublesome for him.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/jul/03/judas-priest-rob-halford-quentin-crisp-interview-redeemer-of-souls|title=Judas Priest's Rob Halford: 'I've become the stately homo of heavy metal'|author=Petridis, Alexis|work=[[The Guardian]]|date=3 July 2014|access-date=25 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170825105536/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/jul/03/judas-priest-rob-halford-quentin-crisp-interview-redeemer-of-souls|archive-date=25 August 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>

Halford speaks negatively about the discrimination homosexuals still face in some parts of the world. Halford said that after he completed his interview, he began to fear negative reactions, but was quickly inundated with messages of support from colleagues and fans.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/judas-priests-rob-halford-on-his-life-as-gay-man-in-some-parts-of-the-world-people-like-me-get-thrown-off-buildings/|title=Judas Priest's Rob Halford on His Life as Gay Man: 'In Some Parts Of The World, People Like Me Get Thrown Off Buildings'|date=26 August 2017|website=Blabbermouth.net|access-date=26 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170827031316/http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/judas-priests-rob-halford-on-his-life-as-gay-man-in-some-parts-of-the-world-people-like-me-get-thrown-off-buildings/|archive-date=27 August 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2018, Halford stated that society has not changed as much{{clarifyme|date=March 2025}} as he hoped since his coming out: "You'd think there would have been some kind of change and people would have moved on after such a long time. Now that I'm moving through my [[Pensioner|OAP]] heavy metal years (laughs), I thought a lot of it would be gone by now. And it's a shame. We don't really get to spend a lot of time on this planet together, so there's no point in wasting it being divided."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kerrang.com/the-news/judas-priest-its-2018-and-we-still-talk-about-sexual-orientation-skin-colour-my-religions-better-than-yours/|title=Judas Priest's Rob Halford: "It's 2018 and we still talk about sexual orientation, skin colour, 'my religion's better than yours...'"|work=[[Kerrang!]]|date=8 August 2018 |access-date=8 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180808154154/http://www.kerrang.com/the-news/judas-priest-its-2018-and-we-still-talk-about-sexual-orientation-skin-colour-my-religions-better-than-yours/|archive-date=8 August 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

The subject matter of his lyrics had not changed since his coming out, and he avoided addressing it in Judas Priest's lyrics. However, the song "Raw Deal" from the 1977 album ''Sin After Sin'' speaks about [[Fire Island]] in New York, which was famous in the 1970s and 1980s as a community for gay men. He felt that the lyrics were "just too much", but they were approved by the other members of the band. "But you listen to that song, it really is almost like a coming-out experience for me. And it never really registered. It's only been in recent years that people have picked up on that song," he said.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.kcalfm.com/2019/12/04/listen-judas-priests-rob-halford-releases-new-christmas-album/|author=Preston, Nikki|title=(LISTEN) Judas Priest's Rob Halford Releases 'Celestial' Christmas Album|website=[[KCAL-FM]]|access-date=4 December 2019|archive-date=23 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191223212930/https://www.kcalfm.com/2019/12/04/listen-judas-priests-rob-halford-releases-new-christmas-album/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In September 2020, Halford revealed how in 1992 he had a "[[George Michael#Legal troubles|George Michael moment]]" when he was arrested for [[Indecent exposure in the United States|public indecency]] in a men's bathroom commonly used for casual sex in [[Venice Beach, California]]. An officer who was a fan of Judas Priest helped keep the arrest from wide publicity.<ref>{{Cite web |date=28 September 2020 |title=Judas Priest's Rob Halford on public-sex arrest: 'I've f–ked up!' |url=https://nypost.com/2020/09/28/judas-priests-rob-halford-on-public-sex-arrest-ive-f-ked-up/ |access-date=21 October 2022 |website=New York Post |language=en-US}}</ref>

He is currently married to his husband Thomas.<ref>{{Cite web|last1=DiVita |first1=Joe |title=Interview: Rob Halford Dissects Hiding Identity as a Gay Singer |url=https://loudwire.com/judas-priest-rob-halford-confess-book-interview-2020/ |date=29 September 2020 |access-date=23 June 2021 |website=[[Loudwire]]}}</ref>

Halford has previously spoken about the level of acceptance of his sexuality within the metal community, calling it accepting and inclusive.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://tonedeaf.thebrag.com/judas-priests-rob-halford-inclusive-metal-community/|title=Judas Priest's Rob Halford loves how 'inclusive' the metal community is|author=Gawne, Holley|date=26 October 2020 |access-date=16 November 2021}}</ref>

===Health===
In the ''[[Behind the Music]]'' documentary series, Halford said that hiding his sexuality during Judas Priest's career caused him a lot of depression and isolation which led to his alcohol and drug abuse.

During the making of the band's 1986 album ''Turbo'', Halford struggled with increasing substance abuse and violent feuds with his romantic partner. The singer entered rehab in January 1986 following a painkiller overdose<ref>{{cite book|title=Confess: The Autobiography|last=Halford|first=Rob|year=2020|publisher=Hachette Books|location=New York City|isbn=978-0306874949|page=210}}</ref> and even managed to stay sober after his partner died by suicide. He says that he has been clean and sober since then.<ref name=Perusse>{{cite web|last=Perusse|first=Bernard|title=Q&A with Rob Halford|work=[[The Gazette (Montreal)|The London Gazette]]|date=1 August 2007|url=http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/spotlights/story.html?id=b78b4958-bf9c-4d93-85b8-16ed6546e29d|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080117224416/http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/spotlights/story.html?id=b78b4958-bf9c-4d93-85b8-16ed6546e29d|archive-date=17 January 2008}}</ref> He made an energetic recovery and his live performances during the subsequent [[Fuel for Life Tour]] were described as some of his strongest ever.

He was born and raised in a Christian household, and said that his upbringing "has become more important since I became clean and sober on 6 January 1986. That was 25 years ago and I think that's probably more important to me now, on a daily basis."<ref name=Perusse />

When asked in 2016 what part sobriety has played in the band's longevity, he responded, "Without it? Oh, I'd be dead. Literally, I would be dead."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/oct/13/rob-halford-judas-priest-id-be-dead-without-sobrie|title=Rob Halford of Judas Priest: 'I'd be dead without sobriety'|work=[[The Washington Times]]|access-date=13 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161014114550/http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/oct/13/rob-halford-judas-priest-id-be-dead-without-sobrie/|archive-date=14 October 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>

Despite being clean and sober since 1986, he confessed that he did have the desire to "have a drink" and "have a smoke and do a line. I wish I could do all that, but I can't. I've done all that. I've done all that and it nearly killed me. I wish I could do that because when I'm with my friends and they're having a good time and there's this little devil on your shoulder, 'Just have a quick shot. Do a shot of [[Jack Daniel's|Jack]].{{'"}} He pointed out to those who are recovering from their abuse about dealing with the "little devil on your shoulder or the monkey on your back", and that being clean and sober was "the greatest gift I was given. It was a gift. I can't do this by myself. There's another source helping. That's just a thrill to share with the music at this point."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://knac.com/article.asp?ArticleID=34134|author=Francisco Zamudio, Metal X Candy 2.0|title=Screaming For Christmas: An Exclusive Audio Interview With The Metal God Rob Halford|publisher=[[KNAC]]|access-date=8 October 2019}}</ref>

Halford underwent back surgery in 2013<ref>{{cite web|url=http://loudwire.com/rob-halford-successful-back-surgery-responds-to-bruce-dickinson/|author=Childers, Chad|title=Rob Halford Undergoes Successful Back Surgery, Responds to Bruce Dickinson Diss|date=3 July 2014 |publisher=[[Loudwire]]|access-date=3 July 2014}}</ref> and [[umbilical hernia]] surgery in 2014.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://loudwire.com/judas-priest-rob-halford-surgery-umbilical-hernia/|author=Hartmann, Graham|title=Judas Priest's Rob Halford to Undergo Surgery for Umbilical Hernia|date=12 May 2014 |publisher=[[Loudwire]]|access-date=12 May 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.metalinsider.net/in-memoriam/judas-priest-update-halford-gets-surgery-original-guitarist-dies|author=Teitelman, Bram|title=Judas Priest update: Halford gets surgery; original guitarist dies|date=14 May 2014|publisher=Metal Insider|access-date=14 May 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/judas-priests-rob-halford-talks-about-his-back-surgery-it-was-a-very-very-difficult-time/|title=Judas Priest's Rob Halford Talks About His Back Surgery: 'It Was A Very, Very Difficult Time'|date=17 November 2014|publisher=[[Blabbermouth.net]]|access-date=17 November 2014}}</ref>

Halford battled prostate cancer during the [[COVID-19 lockdowns]] after experiencing symptoms in 2017. He underwent [[prostatectomy]] in July 2020. After more cancer was found, he went through radiation treatments in April and May that year and was cleared in June before travelling to England to visit family. He also had an [[appendectomy]] after a tumour was discovered in his appendix.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://consequence.net/2021/10/judas-priest-rob-halford-cancer/|author=Graff, Gary|title=Judas Priest's Rob Halford Quietly Battled Cancer During the Pandemic|website=[[Consequence (publication)|Consequence]]|date=15 October 2021|accessdate=15 October 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/judas-priests-rob-halford-shares-hospital-photos-taken-during-cancer-battle/|title=Judas Priest's Rob Halford Shares Hospital Photos Taken During Cancer Battle|website=[[Blabbermouth.net]]|date=17 October 2021|accessdate=17 October 2021}}</ref>