Longtime Judas Priest lead guitarist Glenn Tipton has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, the band has revealed.
According to a post on the legendary metal group’s website, Tipton had been living with the early stages of the disease for 10 years, but its progression has forced him to sit out on the band’s forthcoming tour, with veteran producer Andy Sneap stepping in.
I don’t rule out the chance to go on stage as and when I feel able to blast out some Priest!
Glenn Tipton
“I want everyone to know that it’s vital that the Judas Priest tour go ahead and that I am not leaving the band,” Tipton expands.
“It’s simply that my role has changed. I don’t rule out the chance to go on stage as and when I feel able to blast out some Priest! So at some point in the not too distant future I’m really looking forward to seeing all of our wonderful metal maniacs once again.”
Judas Priest’s 18th album, Firepower, is out on 9 March.
![Justin Hawkins [left] of the Darkness plays an open G on his offset electric and closes his eyes as he performs onstage; soul-reggae icon Johnny Nash [right] frets a chord on his acoustic and wears a patched denim jacket.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/hWzCjD9ZWQiPPjMtTWiFfa-840-80.jpg.webp)
“It was probably the first time I’d ever sort of listened to one and gone, ‘What is that? I want to learn how to do that!’”: How a soul and reggae legend introduced the Darkness' Justin Hawkins to diminished chords
“When I got the call to record with Michael, I was thinking, oh, there’s going to be an entourage, and the monkey’s going to be jumping around…”: How guitarist Steve Stevens recorded Dirty Diana with Michael Jackson
