Judas Priest Postpones Tour Until Next Year

09/18/2001 12:00 PM, Yahoo! Music
Darren Davis

(9/18/01, 12 p.m. ET) -- Judas Priest has canceled all of its tour dates for the rest of the year due to the attacks on Washington D.C. and New York City last Tuesday (September 11). The band now plans to tour in early 2002.

In a statement, the band said, "We are sure everyone will understand the reason for this, and it goes without saying that our hearts go out to America and those who have suffered. Dates will be announced as soon as they are finalized and all tickets already bought will of course be valid."

Judas Priest singer Tim "Ripper" Owens told LAUNCH that his experience touring with the band isn't like what Mark Wahlberg's character experienced in Rock Star, which was loosely based on Owens's story. "Well, I didn't expect it to be such a job, really, as a business taken quite as serious all the time," he said. "I expected to have some parties going on and the craziness that comes along with it, which I thought was going to come along with it, all the stereotypes, but it's not. It is all stereotypes and it's not true a lot of the times. There's no drugs, no cigarette smoking in the tour bus or dressing room, it's really a good atmosphere. It's so professional."

-- Darren Davis, New York

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