“When that album came out, everybody wanted to throw it in the bin”: Turbo may have been Judas Priest’s most controversial album, but Rob Halford hints at plans to play more of it live

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By ( Metal Hammer, Classic Rock, Louder ) published

Judas Priest’s frontman argues that their 1986 album has undergone some serious reappraisal since it came out

Rob Halford singing live with Judas Priest in 2025
(Image credit: Jim Dyson/Getty Images)

Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford has spoken about the evolving reception of the UK metal band’s 1986 album Turbo.

Talking to Planet Rock, the 74-year-old admits that his band’s 11th album was met with venomous backlash when it first dropped, largely in response to the introduction of synthesisers and glam metal melodicism to their sound. However, later years have seen its material, especially the single Turbo Lover, undergo reassessment.

“You’ve got 30,000 metal maniacs singing, ‘I’m your turbo lover’ [at shows now],” the singer says (via Blabbermouth), referencing Turbo Lover’s chorus. “But when that album came out, everybody wanted to throw it in the bin. [Fans responded,] ‘What is this? This ain’t metal.’”

The fans’ stance on Turbo has transformed so greatly that Halford hints towards more of its material being pulled out at later concerts. The album turns 40 in 2026, and Judas Priest are booked to headline Derbyshire metal festival Bloodstock Open Air that August, alongside Lamb Of God and Slaughter To Prevail. The frontman teases using the opportunity to dust off some songs.

“Yours truly was going through some difficult moments in life,” Halford remembers, referring to the fact he gave up drink and drugs in 1986, “but here I am by the grace of God and so on and so forth. But it’s a good album. So we’re gonna see what's on that record that we can bring to Bloodstock, besides Turbo Lover.

“We’ll see if maybe [we can add] a couple of other tracks. And then you’ve got all of the others to look at. So it is gonna be special, this particular Bloodstock, in more ways than one.”

Judas Priest recently wrapped up a European tour with a co-headline show at the 20,000-capacity O2 Arena alongside Alice Cooper. The metal band and the shock rock legend are set to team up once again for a full tour of North America, which kicks off at Mississippi Coast Coliseum in Biloxi on September 16.

Matt Mills
Matt Mills
Online Editor, Metal Hammer

Louder’s resident Gojira obsessive was still at uni when he joined the team in 2017. Since then, Matt’s become a regular in Metal Hammer and Prog, at his happiest when interviewing the most forward-thinking artists heavy music can muster. He’s got bylines in The Guardian, The Telegraph, The Independent, NME and many others, too. When he’s not writing, you’ll probably find him skydiving, scuba diving or coasteering.

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