“This disease will not defeat me and I will continue,” assures Glenn Tipton, iconic member of Judas Priest
There are several examples of artists in music who do not let themselves be brought down by illnesses or physical conditions. The case of Glenn Tiptonhowever, is worthy of note.
Since 1974 the Englishman born in Blackheath has been one of the guitarists of Judas Priestone of the most important and longest-running bands in the history of heavy metal. However, around 2008, he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s, a degenerative disease that directly affects the body’s movements.
This could have meant his definitive retirement from music. That wouldn’t have been a bad thing, after all, since he was around 60 years old at the time and had more than three decades of service to heavy music. However, he resisted. He kept the diagnosis a secret until 2018, when Priest announced that the veteran would not be on the tour promoting his eighteenth studio album, Firepower.
Glennof course, was unable to maintain the same schedule of commitments as in the past. For the band to have continuity, the producer Andy Sneap took the instrument alongside Richie Faulkner. However, the original guitarist remained involved with the band: he participated in the recordings of Firepower and was at a few select shows on the tour, usually playing the encore songs.
A few more years passed and the Priest announced another album, Invincible Shieldlaunched last March. Even with its even more advanced framework, Tiptonnow 76 years old, was still scheduled to perform. It’s no wonder he’s still listed as a member of the band: the veteran, according to the band, recorded all the parts he could and collaborated on the compositions.
In her first interview since revealing her diagnosis in early 2018, Glenn I told Guitar World that receiving the news from the doctor was “disturbing, but not shocking.” The reason? He already imagined — although he didn’t want to — that he had Parkinson’s. He also stated:
Hearing that I had Parkinson’s for a long time made me even more determined to fight. I just kept recording and touring.
Glenn Tipton in 2024
Glenn Tipton reinforced the speech of his colleagues and assured, Total Guitarhaving played as much as he could in Invincible Shield. The album was recorded between 2022 and 2023, after its initial writing sessions in 2020 were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I played what I could and I’m very proud of the whole album. Richie Faulkner helped a lot. I think his strongest attribute is his ability to adapt to different styles while still maintaining a very strong character. Priest needs a guitarist who can switch from straight metal to more melodic tracks.”
Even though I recognize the limitations imposed by the disease, Tipton remains willing to work as long as he can. He said:
“Obviously the downside for me now is Parkinson’s and I’ve had to pass a lot of the work on to Richie’s shoulders. I keep pushing because I believe in not giving up. This disease will not defeat me and I will keep writing and playing as long as I can.”
To the website The Aquarian, Faulkner spoke about the contributions of Tipton for Invincible Shield. The instrumental partner, now 44, said the veteran was involved in the songwriting process from the beginning, bouncing his ideas off of him and the vocalist. Rob Halford.
Source: Rollingstone
Earl Johnson is a music writer at Gossipify, known for his in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the industry. A graduate of USC with a degree in Music, he brings years of experience and passion to his writing. He covers the latest releases and trends, always on the lookout for the next big thing in music.
