Why Building Judas Priest’s Set Lists Can Be So Frustrating: Exclusive Video Interview
Judas Priest boast a prolific career spanning 18 studio albums, 10 of which have gone either gold or platinum. That's a lot of material to narrow down into a workable set list for the band's upcoming tour in support of Firepower.
In the above video, singer Rob Halford and drummer Scott Travis admit that the situation can be frustrating. "We'd love to be able to do two or three songs off each album live," Travis said, "but you just don't physically have the time to do that."
The drummer was quick to add that "it's a good problem to have," before the pair delves into the selection process. Halford and Travis also named songs from Judas Priest's latest album that they'd love to see on future set lists, while Halford discusses whether they ever tire of playing the band's best-known tunes.
Firepower is due this Friday. Judas Priest's 2018 tour dates then begin April 13 at Wilkes Barre, Penn., and continue through North America into May. Stops include Washington, D.C., Detroit, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Dallas, along with four Canadian cities.
Firepower follows 2014's Redeemer of Souls, a Top 10 Billboard hit. This new project was co-produced by Tom Allom and Andy Sneap, the latter of whom was later tapped to fill in for Glenn Tipton on tour as the guitarist continues to battle Parkinson's disease.
That's the second shift for Judas Priest's familiar twin-guitar attack in as many albums. Founding guitarist K.K. Downing quit in 2011 and was replaced by Richie Faulkner.