Judas Priest and Iron Maiden have a history of being rivals, but in recent years the legendary metal bands have shown mutual respect for each other. Case in point: Rob Halford's reaction to Iron Maiden's recent Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nomination.
“Iron Maiden’s nomination is absolutely overdue. I vote for them every day; you can do it by phone and it’s dead easy. It takes you to the list of nominees, then you pick the bands you are voting for – and I pick Maiden every single day,” the Judas Priest singer gushed during an interview with Metal Hammer.
Halford's referring to the fan vote, which only counts for a small percentage of the overall vote; however, he's also part of the Rock Hall's voting committee. “When you’re actually in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame you’re given a vote as a band and Maiden will get Priest’s vote without a doubt,” he explained. “That’s just what we do for each other – we’ve had very similar journeys in both bands, so let’s make it happen for Maiden. It’d be brilliant: Black Sabbath, Priest, and Maiden — what more could a metal maniac ask for?”
Judas Priest was inducted into the Rock Hall last year by way of the Musical Excellence Award. Kate Bush, Sheryl Crow, Missy Elliot, Joy Division/New Order, Cyndi Lauper, George Michael, Willie Nelson, Rage Against the Machine, Soundgarden, the Spinners, A Tribe Called Quest, the White Stripes and Warren Zevon are also up for induction into the 2023 class.