JUDAS PRIEST Guitarist Glenn Tipton -

JUDAS PRIEST Guitarist Glenn Tipton - "Madison Square Garden Banned Us For Life"

The following story is courtesy of Sundaymercury.net:

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the formation of JUDAS PRIEST – and guitarist Glenn Tipton hopes it is celebrated with some extra special shows.

The 61-year-old who was born in Blackheath, Birmingham, but now lives in Worcestershire, says there are plans for the band’s latest album, Nostradamus, a concept double album, to be performed in its entirety.

‘‘Our ambition is to perform Nostradamus from start to finish when everyone’s got used to it and they all know it,’’ says Glenn who is joined in the band by vocalist Rob Halford, guitarist Ken ‘KK’ Downing, bassist Ian Hill and drummer Scott Travis.

‘‘We’ll certainly pick some special venues as we’d like to make an event of it. We’ll be looking at venues around the world that would contribute to the classical and operatic side of the project.’’

Glenn says he’s unsure where in Birmingham the 100-minute record could be showcased.

‘‘The Bull Ring would be a good place to do it – it’s probably there in his prophecies if we look,’’ he jokes. ‘‘Nostradamus visits Birmingham Bull Ring!’’

Symphony Hall would be the obvious place to emphasis the operatic qualities of the double album but Glenn says the band’s reputation may deter the hall’s owners from hiring it out.

An incident on their 1984 Defenders of the Faith tour means they’re unable to play at one of the world’s top arenas.

‘‘Madison Square Garden banned us for life,’’ he recalls. ‘‘The audience went berserk and ripped all the seats out. They cost more that quarter of a million dollars to replace. Me and Ken went back there to see a tennis match which John McEnroe was playing in. We went incognito, wearing hoodies so no one would recognise us but the ushers came up to us and said ‘Thanks for the new seats, guys’.’’

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