Former Judas Priest Drummer Dave Holland Dies at 69 Years Old

Former Judas Priest drummer Dave Holland passed away on January 16th at Hospital Universitario Lucus Augusti in Lugo, Spain, where he lived. He was 69 years old. The cause of death has not been revealed. The Spanish newspaper El Progreso first reported the death.

Why was Holland living in a small town in northwest Spain, you ask? We can only guess he found solace in the remote location after being released from jail in 2012; he had just completed an eight-year sentence for the sexual assault of his mentally handicapped seventeen year-old drum student.

Holland joined Judas Priest in 1979 and played with them for ten years. Despite performing on some of their most popular and iconic albums — British Steel, Point Of Entry, Screaming For Vengeance, Defenders Of The Faith, Turbo, and Ram It Down — Holland often caught flack from fans for the simplicity of his drumming style. The band also tried to distance themselves from Holland after the sexual assault allegations, effectively erasing his contributions to British Steel when they reissued the album in 2010.

Holland consistently denied the allegations against him. And regardless of what you think of him as a person, his role in heavy metal history is undeniable. Sending the best wishes to his family and friends on behalf of everyone at MetalSucks.

[via Blabbermouth]