The bond between Rob Halford and Ozzy Osbourne was forged in the steel mills of the Midlands, cemented by decades of shared history, and defined by a mutual reverence for the genre they helped build. In a poignant new feature with Metal Hammer, the Metal God reflected on the recent passing of the Prince of Darkness, revealing that he is still struggling to process a world without his friend.
Catching up with Halford midway through Judas Priest‘s blockbuster tour with Alice Cooper, the conversation was a mix of triumph and tragedy. The tour has been a sensation, particularly a “magical” show in London, but the timing was undeniably heavy.
“The London show was magical, but also bittersweet because just a few days prior Ozzy had passed,” Halford shared. “I’m still grieving the loss of him. I can’t really accept it because, like a lot of people, I don’t want to think about him not being here.”
While Halford clarified that he wasn’t in Ozzy‘s “inner circle” in the same way as someone like Zakk Wylde, the connection they shared was profound. It was a relationship built on the unpretentious reality of their working-class roots.
“I wish I could tell you for certain the first time we actually spoke, it felt like I always knew him,” Halford recalled. “Our first chat was, ‘Are you sleeping alright?’ We’d both been on the road a few years by that point, and both of us had terrible insomnia. Then we’d be talking about our voices – usually complaining! …just very casual, genuine banter between the two of us.”
He described Ozzy as a singular force of nature with a notoriously short attention span, recalling a chaotic dressing room encounter where Ozzy pivoted from asking about in-ear monitors to throwing sleeping pills at him in the span of seconds. Yet, the admiration remains absolute.
“I reckon even the Gallaghers feel different going out onstage than they do having a fag [cigarette] and a pint… That was always the same with Ozzy – we toured with him and something just happened when he was about to go on, he becomes Ozzy Osbourne.”
In a twist of fate, Judas Priest‘s recent cover of Black Sabbath‘s “War Pigs“—originally recorded because the band couldn’t attend the “Back To The Beginning” tribute show—became a posthumous duet. What started as a respectful nod to their peers evolved into a historic collaboration when Sharon Osbourne heard the track.
“We sent it to Sharon and she came back straight away, ‘This is fantastic… it’d be amazing if maybe we could work something out to get Ozzy on the track,'” Halford revealed. “We made it all happen and it’s a thrill for yours truly because I’ve never done a song with Ozzy in my life… to actually be on a song with him was indescribable, as both a singer and a friend of his.”
The result is a heavy metal bookend: the first music released featuring Ozzy after his death sees him singing alongside Priest. “It must’ve been destined to happen. It’s also amazing that the first thing you’ll hear of Ozzy, after he passed, is him singing with Judas Priest. That’s mad.”
Despite the sorrow, life on the road continues. Halford had high praise for his current touring partner, Alice Cooper, noting that the shock rocker remains as grounded as ever.
“We went out and had dinner about a week into the tour and ended up having a gab-fest,” Halford said. “The things he’s been through in his life and the stories he can tell you… it’s just remarkable. He’s the first and last of his kind. It’s a bit like us yam-yams I suppose; it doesn’t matter how many gongs he’s got, he’s still just this kid from Detroit.”
Earlier this month, Judas Priest have revealed the dates for their “Faithkeepers European Tour 2026”, which will see the heavy metal legends performing across several major European cities.
Faithkeepers European Tour 2026
- July 26: Neu-Ulm, Germany – Wileysportpark
- July 28: Warsaw, Poland – Torwar
- August 2: Ostrava, Czech Republic – Ostrava Arena
- August 4: Bratislava, Slovakia – Nepala Arena
- August 6: Halle, Germany – Messehalle
- August 12: Tilburg, The Netherlands – O13
- August 16: Carhaix-Plouguer, France – Motocultor Festival
- August 18: Pamplona, Spain – Navarra Arena
- August 20: Valencia, Spain – Roig Arena
- August 23: Goarshausen, Germany – Loreley Amphitheatre
