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The lead singer of Judas Priest, Rob Halford, is a homosexual. That doesn't bother me in the least. They are my favorite band and I absolutely love their music.
However, I'm against homosexuality as a practice and as a lifestyle.
Is this normal?
The sexual orientation of anyone in any band should have no bearing on your tastes for whatever music they play.
I have always loved Judas Priest and listened to them and tons of other hard rock/metal bands of the 70s/80s. Back then I was a homophobe because that's just how it was then, when gay people were shunned and persecuted by society, and it was also cool to hate on gays back then.
I was somewhat put off by finding out that Rob Halford was gay, but this revelation did not change my opinion of the band, Rob himself, or their music in spite of my reluctance to accept gay people at that time.
Tchaikovsky was gay, but knowing that that never reduced my appreciation for his contributions to the classical music world.
Like much of society today, we have since advanced and have come to understand and accept gay people more openly and a lot of really cool and friendly people I have known are gay and I have no reason to hate them (and never really did). All in all, they are people like the rest of us and they deserve to be treated with respect like any other decent citizen.
Oh, and Rob Halford has one hell of a singing voice and an impressive range (at least he did when Judas Priest was in its heyday).
I say "normal" because homosexuality and heavy metal typically do not go hand in hand. I have no problem with Rob's orientation.
It is about the music. Besides, Priest is arguably one of the best metal bands out there.
I think a lot of folks do or did have problems when he "came out" but that does not change the quality of their music.
What i think is not normal is that so many people were shocked by his coming out. Leather and his whole presentation is more of a gay thing. Shocking?
It would be like being shocked that Dave Mustaine had some drug addictions.
If it were, say, James Hetfield "coming out" then it might be like WTF?! But Rob Halford? Please.
How do you feel about Satanism? If my memory serves me well he is a Satanist as well.