Tag Archives: Rob Halford

LISTEN: Top 10 Christmas songs by LGBT artists

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Yes, Bing Crosby and Nat King Cole will likely make appearances today singing their famous Christmas tunes, but queer artists have their signature contributions as well. I mean, Fred Schneider’s ridiculous humor may not compare with traditional carols, but he proves we need a little disco year round. And Pink Martini can croon just like the best of them.

Here’s a rundown of my top queer Christmas tunes for the day to add your to mix. Bing and Nat won’t mind the company.

10.  The Superions — “Christmas Disco” This album is a pure exercise in the absurd, but Fred Schneider’s side project turns the reverent holiday into a flat out house party.

Continue reading “LISTEN: Top 10 Christmas songs by LGBT artists” »

—  Rich Lopez

HGG 2011 Gift-A-Day: The Gaydar Gun

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RICK PERRY — YOU’D BETTER HOPE NO ONE AIMS AT YOU

“You have cocktail forks… and use them!” “You’d trade it all for a date with an ice skater.” These are just some of the assessments the Gaydar Gun can make when aimed at the people to detect the precise degree of their queerness (“No more guessing!” it promises) on the rainbow scale, from Rob Halford to Liberace’s poodles. A piece of novelty amusement, the Gaydar Gun is a great toy for parties, conversation starter while people watching and just a good source of bitchy comments.  (You can even switch the sex of the target to make sure the shade you’re throwing is gender-appropriate.)

Retails online at GaydarGun.com and other sites for $30.

—  Rich Lopez

Judas Priest farewell tour at Allen Event Center

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Let your rock ‘n’ roller out

This isn’t the priest you kneel down to and make your confessions. Judas Priest demands that you stand up, raise your arms and rock the hell out. Especially now as they hit the road on their Epitaph Farewell Tour. What will we do without our original leather daddy and out lead singer Rob Halford to scream into our ears?

DEETS: With Thin Lizzy, Black Label Society. Allen Event Center, 200 E. Stacy Road, Ste. 1350, Allen. 7 p.m. $40–$130. Ticketmaster.com.

—  Rich Lopez

LISTEN: Yacht ‘Breaking the Law’ with JP cover

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Paste posted this audio clip of eclectic duo Yacht covering Judas Priest’s “Breaking the Law,” today. The band, who has described themselves as “straight gays,” covered this song for their appearance on SiriusXMU. Yacht’s newest release, Shangri-La, drops Wednesday.

I’d love to hear what singer Rob Halford, who is gay, has to think about his heavy metal classic being turned into electro indie pop. Personally, it’s kinda growing on me.

—  Rich Lopez

Have a heavy metal holiday with Halford at House of Blues

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Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford makes one stop in Dallas

Last year, some of us (OK, one of us) were excited about Rob Halford’s eponymous-named band releasing a holiday album. Metal and Christmas? And with the lead singer from Judas Priest? It was gonna be awesome. But since then, Halford has released the album, Made for Metal, and the tour makes one stop in the whole state of Texas — and it’s here. The band stops at House of Blues tonight with Philm supporting. We’re hoping since it is December, the gay metal icon will whip out some Christmas carols as only he can. At the very least, we know he should be rocking the leather daddy look. We’re hoping anyway.

DEETS: House of Blues, 2200 N. Lamar St. 8 p.m. $20–$35. HouseOfBlues.com.

—  Rich Lopez

At least one gay wins a Grammy

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I mentioned last night that there hadn’t been anything particularly gay about the Grammys save for the fashion. But one out artist pulled in a win. In the pre-telecast event, Judas Priest led by gay frontman Rob Halford won best metal performance for “Dissident Aggressor.”

I like me some Priest but I can’t say this is one of my faves. But it’s still one for our team. You know, if anyone’s keeping count.

—  Rich Lopez

Rob Halford offers free song download

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Rob Halford's band, um, Halford, brings a hard rockin' Christmas this season.
Rob Halford’s band, um, Halford, brings a hard rockin’ Christmas this season.

This week I reviewed Halford’s holiday CD, Winter Songs. If you’re not sure about mixing heavy metal and Christmas carols but curious, click here for a free download of “Christmas For Everyone.” It’s  a fun song, actually, that’s less carol and more pop-rock.

Hard to believe from a heavy metal god, huh?

I also had a very pleasant phone converation with the out singer talking about the new album and his coming out experience 10 years ago. We’ll have that for ya in the new few weeks in the paper.

—  Rich Lopez

Judas Priest (and not Whitesnake) at Nokia Theatre last night

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Note to bear admirers: go to legendary ’80s heavy metal concerts. Eye candy for days. I’ll get to that in a bit.

It was disappointing to drive into Nokia’s parking lot and see a sign that Whitesnake had canceled. As a former pseudo-metalhead of the ’80s (sans mullet), I was excited about this double bill. Whitesnake has some pop sensibilities to their rock while Judas Priest are simply titans in heavy metal but both are iconic. Fortunately, Judas Priest made up for the loss. And basically kicked everyone’s ass in the nearly full venue.

The crowd itself was raucous from beginning to end. Middle-aged men rocked in the parking lot to music blaring from their cars. Ladies who should reconsider leather pants and hair bleach loitered in the smoking area. The inside lobby was a sea of black t-shirts displaying the Priest and every other hard rock band out there. Men were drunk already off their plastic cup beers and ladies were making their dates buy them a shirt. The concert hadn’t even begun and it was already loud and rowdy.

Rob Halford
Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford  proved gay men can rock hard too last night at Nokia.

Continue reading “Judas Priest (and not Whitesnake) at Nokia Theatre last night” »

—  Rich Lopez