Judas Priest’s Glenn Tipton is Defiant in the Face of Parkinson’s: “This Disease Won’t Beat Me”
Six years ago, Judas Priest was dealt a blow when guitarist Glenn Tipton announced his retirement from touring with the band because he’d been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. It forced the band to seek outside help for their live shows, resulting in Andy Sneap becoming a part of the band’s live lineup, leaving just Rob Halford and Ian Hill as the remaining founding members.
In the years since, Tipton’s been able to join the band on stage occasionally and contribute to the writing of both Firepower and Invincible Shield, because as he said in a recent interview with Total Guitar, he’s not going to stop doing what he loves.
“Obviously the drawback for me now is Parkinson’s, and I’ve had to pass a lot of work onto his shoulders. I keep pushing myself because I believe in ‘no surrender’. This disease won’t beat me, and I will continue writing and playing for as long as I can.”
Hell yeah, Glenn! Fuck Parkinson’s disease.
According to Tipton, he worked hard and “played what he could” during the Invincible Shield sessions, saying he was thankful to have guitarist Richie Faulkner around to help out when needed.
“I played what I could and am very proud of the whole album. Richie helped a lot. I think his strongest attribute is his ability to adapt to different styles whilst maintaining his own very strong character. Priest require a guitarist who can shift from out-and-out metal to more melodic tracks.”
To his credit, Faulkner sounds like he’s one hell of a team player. After all, when he’s not finishing “Painkiller” as his heart practically explodes, he’s in the studio supporting a legendary guitarist in his twilight years like Glenn Tipton.
“We didn’t want him to worry. He brought songs to the table like ‘Sons of Thunder’ which is a classic three-minute track in the style of ‘Hell Bent For Leather’. Glenn is the master of that stuff.”
We’re still taking votes for March’s best album, so you’ve got time to vote for Judas Priest’s Invincible Shield if that’s your prerogative. God knows it’s one hell of a release.
