In a new interview with Anne Erickson of Audio Ink Radio, JUDAS PRIEST singer Rob Halford revealed the inspiration behind the title of his autobiography, “Confess”, which is being released today (Tuesday, September 29) via Hachette Books.
“It comes from ‘Game Of Thrones’, season eight — I think season eight,” he said (hear audio below). “And Cersei [Lannister] is in jail, and the matriarch nun of that jail keeps coming into her and looking at her and she just goes, ‘Confess. Confess.’
“So, I’m watching that with Thomas, my other half, because we were mad on ‘Game Of Thrones’, and I’m watching that, and I said to Thomas, I go, ‘You know what she just said?’ And he goes, ‘Confess.’ I said, ‘That’s gonna be the title of my book,'” he recalled. “And that’s where it came from. It was the perfect, perfect, simple statement, because it’s so loaded. It’s such a powerful, powerful word — just thinking of that word and what can come from it. And I thought, ‘That’s it.’ That’s the simple ‘Confess’. And, of course, the cool thing about it kind of rubbing up against JUDAS PRIEST — Judas Priest, confess. So, there you go. That’s where the title came from.”
Asked if he has another book in him down the road, Halford said: “Yes, I think so. There’s an idea that’s already brewing after this experience. I don’t know what it’ll be, but there’s an idea that’s kind of in a nebula stage right now. And then it depends.
“I don’t know how this is gonna go,” he continued. “It’s like when you make a record — you have no idea how it’s going to be accepted. No idea. This is the first time I’ve done anything like this. It’s like virgin territory for me. I don’t know what’s gonna happen. I’m excited. I’m also a little bit scared.
“New experiences really interest me, and I can’t wait to get the feedback for ‘Confess’, in however shape or form that might come. And I’ve already been getting it from some of my friends who have said that it’s a good read. And what I mean by that, it’s not flippant. A good read is a good read. I think a good read is a great thing to say about a book. So, we shall see.”
Last year, the JUDAS PRIEST singer confirmed that he was finally working on a book, after having previously insisted he would never do so because of privacy concerns.
In a recent interview with Robert Cavuoto of Sonic Perspectives, Halford stated about the book’s title: “I would like to feel there are parts of this book which are relatable to others. Everybody is the same, as we all share similar life experiences. There are so many things that happen to us; we are almost identical no matter where we are from. I’ve traveled the world and seen how our music can touch people from all walks of life and professions. Confessing these stories or episodes is important, and it gives the reader a look-see into this guy that you only see from one point of view.”
Halford is not the first member of PRIEST‘s classic lineup to release a book. Former JUDAS PRIEST guitarist K.K. Downing released his autobiography, “Heavy Duty: Days And Nights In Judas Priest”, in September 2018 via Da Capo Press.
In 2009, original JUDAS PRIEST singer Al Atkins released his autobiography, titled “Dawn Of The Metal Gods: My Life In Judas Priest And Heavy Metal”. JUDAS PRIEST bassist Ian Hill penned the foreword to the book, which was written with Neil Daniels — a freelance rock writer and heavy metal fan who befriended Atkins during the writing of Neil‘s book “The Story Of Judas Priest: Defenders Of The Faith” (Omnibus Press).
