Judas Priest's Rob Halford has married his long-term partner Thomas

Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford has revealed he married his long-term partner Thomas Pence last December.

The 74-year-old Metal God said he and Thomas tied the knot in an “intimate” and “simple” ceremony by the “heavy metal cactus” at his home in Arizona – the gnarly plant that often appears in Rob Halford’s social posts.

Rob told the Scissor Sisters’ Jake Shears on the Queer the Music podcast: "We got married by the cactus outside on December the something or other, about a year or so ago.

"He's from Alabama. Extremely conservative. I stopped asking, 'Let’s get married.' 'No, I don’t want to get married.' 'Oh, let’s just get married. We’ve been together forever.' 'No, I don’t want to get married.'

"And then suddenly on one of our night walks, he goes, 'I think we should get married.' Straight home, on the phone to get a pastor."

Revealing the intimate nature of the ceremony, Rob went on: "It was obviously me and him and an officiant, as they call them, who are legalised to marry people.

"Two of my dearest friends, Jim Silvia, who was Priest's manager forever, and his wife. There were just four of us around the pool, around the cactus, the heavy metal cactus. And it was over in an instant. But it was just a beautiful, simple ceremony."

In the same interview, Rob lamented how rife homophobia still is in America.

“America is still incredibly homophobic,” Rob said. “I’ve lived here for a long time and I’ve seen a lot happen since the 80s. It really gets me angry and upset.

“When I go onstage and perform with Priest, some guys will say, ‘I love Judas Priest, but I’m not gay,’” he continues with a laugh. “You know that thing – ‘I’m a huge fan of Priest, but I’m not a gay guy’ – that still lives with me now to some extent. It might be a fraction.”

He added: “This labelling, it shouldn’t be a part of anything,” the singer says. “They shouldn’t care. It’s about what you’re doing. It’s about your art and your craft and your work. That’s all that matters.”

Judas Priest headline Bloodstock at Catton Park in Derbyshire on Sunday 9th August. Tickets are on sale RIGHT HERE.

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• Judas Priest
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