text:
Wikipedia:Piped link

A piped link is an internal link that displays text different from the title of the page to which the text links. It is created with wikitext (markup code) that results in hyperlinked (underlined, clickable) text. It is called "piped" because it uses the pipe character ("") or vertical bar.

For example, the wikitext  displays as station but links to the Wikipedia article about train stations.

Do not confuse piped links and redirects: they are two very different mechanisms. Both allow the displayed text of a link to differ from the title of the final destination page (the page that a reader will see after clicking that link). However, a piped link conceals the destination page's title only in that single line on the single page where its wikitext is used, while on any page throughout Wikipedia any link, piped or not, to a specific redirect page will always lead to the same destination page.

Use
Piped links are useful for preserving the grammatical structure and flow of a sentence when:
 * 1) the wording of the exact link title does not fit in context (see here as an example), or
 * 2) there are multiple meanings of the word (see "Mercury" example on the Disambiguation page).

The pipe ("|") character is also known as a vertical bar.

There are two ways to create the pipe ("|") character: using the keyboard or choosing from a list of symbols. On English-layout keyboards, you may press. On Spanish keyboards, the pipe character can be obtained by pressing. On French (AZERTY) keyboards, the pipe character can be obtained by pressing. Or note that, when you are in "edit this page" mode, the "pipe" appears as the third character in the "Wiki markup" section at the bottom of the page, among the list of symbols. (You may need to choose "Wiki markup" on the pull-down menu.) Clicking on the pipe symbol there inserts it at the cursor spot, just as happens for any symbol chosen from this page.

For full details on how to use this feature, see Help:Piped link.

When not to use
First of all, keep links as simple as possible:

 * Avoid making links longer than necessary:

 * It is generally not good practice to pipe links simply to avoid redirects:

 * Unnecessary piping makes the wikitext harder to read.
 * Furthermore, the number of links to a redirect page can be a useful gauge of when it would be helpful to spin off a subtopic of an article into its own page, and such links would also continue to work correctly after the spin-off.
 * For example:  currently redirects to Saint Petersburg, but one day it could be decided to spin off a dedicated article about the old city of Leningrad; when that happens, all existing links   will automatically point to the correct article, while the unnecessarily piped ones   will point to the wrong place.

 * Given the option to pipe a link or to "blend" an affix, preferred style is to use a blended affix:

 * In a link, the first letter of a page title (after the namespace prefix) is never case-sensitive. This means: It is not necessary to pipe a link to convert the first letter to lower case. So, never do this:

 * Both correctly link to the Public transport article.

Transparency
Keep piped links as transparent as possible. Do not use piped links to create "Easter egg" links that require the reader to open them (or, at least, to hover their mouse pointer on those links to get page previews in the form of navigation popups) before understanding where they lead. Wikipedia is not an Advent calendar.

Also remember there are people who print the articles. For example, do not write this: ...and by mid-century the puns and sexual humor were (with only a few exceptions ) back in to stay. The readers will not see the hidden reference to Thomas Bowdler unless they click or hover over the piped exceptions link. In a print version, there is no link to select, and the reference is lost. Instead, reference the article explicitly: ...and by mid-century the puns and sexual humor were (with only a few exceptions, such as Thomas Bowdler ) back in to stay.

Similarly, instead of: After an earlier disaster ... consider: After an earlier disaster, the 1944 Bombay explosion, ... or simply: After the 1944 Bombay explosion, ... It will occasionally be useful to link to a fuller explanation of a phrase; when this is done, link the phrase, not a single word.

For example: If Pontiac's War is defined as having been
 * a war launched in 1763 by a loose confederation of elements of Native American tribes,

and there is no space for further explanation in that context (this is a quote from the lead of the article), then some readers will value a link to a description of the confederation. This should not be linked from the word confederation; the link in the following phrase:
 * a war launched in 1763 by a loose confederation of elements of Native American tribes

looks like a link to the article Confederation.

At a minimum, link something that, obviously, wouldn't be the title of an article under our article title conventions:
 * a war launched in 1763 by a loose confederation of elements of Native American tribes''.

Further, it is inappropriate to contain veiled and uncited interpretations of fiction through piped links, as in this excerpt from the The Iron Dream article, which contained over 30 interpretations of the book's allusions hidden in links:
 * The pure and strong young "Trueman" (so named for the lack of mutations in his DNA) Feric Jaggar returns from the outlands of Borgravia where his family was exiled by the Treaty of Karmak with the surrounding mutant states ...

...and in wikitext: The pure and strong young "Trueman" (so named for the lack of mutations in his DNA) Feric Jaggar returns from the outlands of Borgravia where his family was exiled by the Treaty of Karmak with the surrounding mutant states ... Such interpretation, if properly sourced, should be placed in its own section and citations provided. If the interpretation is purely that of the editor, it is original research and should be removed.

Piped category links
In the case of a category link, a piped link overrides the alphabetical sort order of the article, as shown on the linked category page.

For example, in a hypothetical new article Albert Einstein, using  places him in Category:Theoretical physicists. And that category page will list him as "Albert Einstein". But if this link is used in this simplest form, it will list the title (lemma) among the "A"s, instead of the "E"s (where he belongs), because it sorts on the article's name, "Albert Einstein".

One way to impose correct sort order is to use, which makes that category page list "Albert Einstein" among the "E"s (between "Martin B. Einhorn" and "Leonard Eisenbud"), by sorting it as if it were "Einstein, Albert" rather than "Albert Einstein".

However, the actual Albert Einstein page has 83 category links. Piping every category link would be unattractive. As is standard for most "person" pages, that page uses the template  to override the default sorting for category links. Thus  on that page, places him in Category:Theoretical physicists as "Albert Einstein", and makes that category page sort him as "Einstein, Albert", without need of a piped link, and likewise for 81 other category links.

But because of this template that page needs to pipe the category link,, to place him in Category:Einstein family and make (only) that category alphabetize him under "Albert".

Templates
The pipe character is also used when supplying parameters to templates; this is not the same thing as a piped link.

title: Wikipedia:Piped link


text:
Weissenstein

The Weissenstein (1,395 m) is a mountain of the Jura, located north of Solothurn in the Swiss canton of Solothurn. The culminating point of the chain is distinguished by the name Röti. It is the easternmost summit above 1,300 metres in the Jura Mountains.

Until the end of 2009 there was a chairlift (length: 2339 m) from Oberdorf to the spa hotel on the 1,284 metre-high summit near the Weissenstein Pass. It was replaced by a gondola lift at the end of 2014. The tunnel of the railway line Solothurn-Moutier from Oberdorf to Gänsbrunnen on the other side was opened in 1908. The gondola lift crosses the railway track in front of the tunnel portal at Oberdorf, which is the only setting of this kind in Switzerland.

The pass road leading from the village of Oberdorf across the Weissenstein Pass (1279 m) to Gänsbrunnen is one of the steepest in Switzerland (22%).

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Weissenstein


text:
Talk:Jia Qinglin

Untitled
I moved this from Jia Qingli. See http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/data/people/jiaqinglin.shtml. --Jiang 00:39 7 Jul 2003 (UTC)

About the really political role of Jia
In reality,he is the fourth ranking member of the Poliburo Standing Committee,and he's also the leader of People's Political Consultative Conference which is largely ceremonial in nature.I don't know by which way he can perform his real power as the forth ranking man?Only through his presence and co-solving the political work of the Poliburo Standing Committee?

Can anyone show me the answers? Thanks, --Redflowers 05:14, 25 June 2006 (UTC)

Xiamen smuggling cases
"Jia was pivotal in dealing with the Xiamen smuggling cases in the late 1990's as the Party Chief in Fujian."

Can anyone show me somemore detail about this problem?How was Jin alleged accused? Thanks, --Redflowers 05:45, 25 June 2006 (UTC)

See the following for more information:

Fewsmith, Joseph (2001): China since Tiananmen. The politics of transition (= Cambridge modern China series), Cambridge Univ. Press, pp. 223-226. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 141.35.179.227 (talk) 17:46, 23 July 2008 (UTC)

Is he corrupt? And does he spend party dollars in overseas entertainment complexes such as those in Australia? 49.229.115.25 (talk) 12:39, 7 April 2011 (UTC)

Indicted for Genocide
If an official has been indicted for Genocide, I see no reason why that information and the number of other officials also indicted for Genocide in the same case shouldn't be included in their article.Aaabbb11 (talk) 01:08, 2 April 2015 (UTC)
 * The FLG spammed lawsuits everywhere, and a judge in Spain with absolutely no jurisdiction picked it up. This is inappropriate content as per WP:NOTNEWS and WP:BLP policies. Simonm223 (talk) 13:17, 2 April 2015 (UTC)

i thought that it would not only be bo xilai. can you explain precisely how this information violates either of those policies? simply 1) dismissing the material because the judge has no jurisdiction over China, and 2) referring to the policies, does not therefore mean that the material violates those policies. thanks Happy   monsoon  day   03:55, 3 April 2015 (UTC)
 * See Talk:Wu_Guanzheng my objections to all of the "five officials" having this piece of trivia is clarified there. Simonm223 (talk) 14:58, 3 April 2015 (UTC)

see Biographies_of_living_persons/Noticeboard/Archive220 Aaabbb11 (talk) 08:19, 10 April 2015 (UTC)

title: Talk:Jia Qinglin


text:
R. Lee Ermey

Ronald Lee Ermey (March 24, 1944 – April 15, 2018) was an American actor and U.S. Marine drill instructor. He achieved fame for his role as Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in the 1987 film Full Metal Jacket, which earned him a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Ermey was also a United States Marine Corps staff sergeant and an honorary gunnery sergeant.

Ermey was often typecast in authority figure roles, such as Mayor Tilman in the film Mississippi Burning, Bill Bowerman in Prefontaine, Sheriff Hoyt in the fifth and sixth installments of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise, Jimmy Lee Farnsworth in Fletch Lives, a police captain in Seven, plastic army men leader Sarge in the first three films of the Toy Story franchise (1995–2010), Lt. "Tice" Ryan in Rocket Power and John House in House.

On television, Ermey hosted two programs on the History Channel: Mail Call, in which he answered viewers' questions about various military issues both modern and historic; and Lock n' Load with R. Lee Ermey, which concerned the development of different types of weapons. He also hosted GunnyTime on the Outdoor Channel.

Early life
Ermey was born in Emporia, Kansas, on March 24, 1944, to John Edward (1924–2016) and Betty (née Pantle) Ermey (1926–2004). A few years after his birth, his father moved the family (including Ermey and his five brothers) to a small farm outside of Kansas City, Kansas. Then, in 1958, when Ermey was 14, his father moved the family to a rural home between Zillah, Washington, and Granger, Washington.

As a teenager, Ermey was an admitted "troublemaker and a bit of a hell-raiser", and frequently got into trouble. In 1961, when Ermey was 17, his mother took him to a judge in an attempt to correct his behavior. The judge gave the young Ermey a choice between military service or jail; Ermey chose military service.

Military career
Ermey enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1961 at age 17 and went through recruit training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego in San Diego, California. He served in the aviation support field for a few years before becoming a drill instructor in India Company, 3rd Recruit Training Battalion, at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, where he was assigned from 1965 to 1967.

Ermey then served in Marine Wing Support Group 17 at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma on Okinawa, Japan. In 1968, he was ordered to South Vietnam with MWSG-17, and spent 14 months in-country. The remainder of his service was on Okinawa, where he was advanced to Staff Sergeant (E-6). He was medically retired in 1972 because of several injuries. On May 17, 2002, he received an honorary promotion to Gunnery Sergeant (E-7) by Commandant of the Marine Corps General James L. Jones.

Ermey regularly took the opportunity to speak with new recruits, visiting the Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego in San Diego, California, and the Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island (located within Port Royal, South Carolina, approximately five miles (8.0 km) south of Beaufort). An episode of Mail Call was filmed at the latter of these two training bases.

Early technical advice and first roles
After his discharge from the Marine Corps, Ermey attended the University of Manila in the Philippines, using his G.I. Bill benefits. While there, he was cast in his first film role, playing a Marine drill instructor in Sidney J. Furie's The Boys in Company C (1978). Then, while serving as a technical advisor to director Francis Ford Coppola, he was also cast as a First Air Cavalry helicopter pilot in one scene in Apocalypse Now (1979). He also appeared as a Gunnery Sergeant in 1984's Purple Hearts shot, like all his early films, in the Philippines.

Full Metal Jacket
Ermey had infrequent film roles until 1987, when he was cast as drill instructor Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in Stanley Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket. As with The Boys in Company C and Apocalypse Now, he was initially hired by the production only as a technical advisor.

Ermey recorded several 30 minute sessions on videocassette with the first casting choice for Hartman, Tim Colceri, in which they hurled insults at a group of extras. Kubrick had intended these rehearsals as a venue for Colceri to learn how drill instructors could remove the civilian mindset from the personalities of new recruits. Ermey, realizing that Kubrick was watching the tapes he recorded with Colceri, treated the recordings as an audition for the role of Hartman. To this end Ermey not only continued berating recruits long after Colceri's 30 minute practice session had ended, but had stagehands pelt him with tennis balls and oranges as he did it, showing a real DI's level of concentration while at work.

Kubrick grew fascinated with Ermey's performances, which sometimes ran to two hours—the maximum time that could be recorded on VHS cassettes. The director later said to Rolling Stone that Ermey's intense familiarity with the role had perfected his delivery and fluency of improvisation to a level he could not hope to discover in a professional actor, no matter how many takes they were given. Colceri was replaced by Ermey before filming. In consolation for his months of preparation for the role of Hartman, Colceri was given the smaller role of a helicopter door-gunner.

Seeking authenticity for the war movie, Kubrick allowed Ermey to write, edit and improvise his own dialogue. His was the only performance in a Kubrick film that had a significant proportion of improvised dialogue, with Ermey writing more than 50 percent of his dialogue. Kubrick later praised Ermey as an excellent performer. Despite the technical demands of Ermey's extended dialogue scenes — his character has by far the most lines in the film — the actor sometimes satisfied Kubrick after only three takes, because he was prepared. This was extremely unusual on a Kubrick production, where the director would regularly demand 40 takes, and in some circumstances considerably more due to actors focusing more on remembering their lines than delivering believable emotions. Ermey's performance was extremely well-received and he was nominated for a Golden Globe Award as Best Supporting Actor.

Later films
Ermey eventually appeared in about 60 films, often in roles of authority figures similar to his character in Full Metal Jacket. These include Mayor Tilman in Mississippi Burning (1988), Sergeant Major Bill Hafner in The Siege of Firebase Gloria (also a Vietnam film, 1989), Jimmy Lee Farnsworth in Fletch Lives (1989), General Kramer in Toy Soldiers (1991), a police captain in Se7en (1995), the ghost of a drill instructor in The Frighteners (1996), Bill Bowerman in Prefontaine (1997), Frank Martin in the remake of Willard (2003), and Sheriff Hoyt in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003) and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning (2006). He also appeared in Sommersby, Naked Gun $33 1/3$: The Final Insult, On Deadly Ground, Murder in the First, Leaving Las Vegas, Dead Man Walking, Switchback, Life, Saving Silverman, The Salton Sea, Man of the House, and The Watch.

Ermey also lent his voice as plastic army men leader Sarge to Toy Story (1995), Toy Story 2 (1999), and Toy Story 3 (2010), as well as a sergeant in X-Men 3 (2006). His voice was also briefly heard through a voice disguise machine in Recess: School's Out (2001).

Television

Ermey hosted two programs on the History Channel. The first program, Mail Call (2002-2009), consisted of him answering viewers' questions about various military issues both modern and historic. Ermey frequently discussed weaponry, tactical matters, and military history. Mail Call's subject matter was dictated by viewer emails; one episode focused on an M1 Abrams tank, while others involved World War II secrets, and others focused on elements of medieval warfare. The set consisted of a military tent, other military gear and weapons, and a World War II jeep. According to a 2005 episode of Mail Call filmed at Whiteman Air Force Base, he was the 341st person to fly in the B-2 stealth bomber.

Ermey hosted a second History Channel program entitled Lock n' Load with R. Lee Ermey (2009), which discussed the history of various weapons used by militaries of today.

Ermey served as host of GunnyTime, a show that debuted on Outdoor Channel in 2015.

Ermey guest-starred on a number of shows, usually appearing in a commanding military role. The shows included Kim Possible, The Simpsons, Roughnecks, Family Guy, SpongeBob SquarePants, The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy, Rocket Power, The Angry Beavers, Fillmore!, Miami Vice, Human Target, All Dogs Go to Heaven: The Series, Rough Riders, Cracker, My Life as a Teenage Robot, and Invader Zim.

In 1993, Ermey appeared as the father of Bruce Campbell's character in The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. for two episodes (1 and 8) of season one. On December 14, 1994, Ermey played a sheriff in Tales from the Crypt, season six, episode nine, "Staired in Horror". In 1995, Ermey played Sergeant Major Frank Bougus, USMC in the pilot episode of Space: Above and Beyond. He also played the role of Reverend Patrick Findley, a minister, on The X-Files season 3, episode 11, "Revelations".

Ermey also made guest appearances on the television drama House, playing the role of Dr. Gregory House's father, who was a decorated naval aviator while serving in the Marine Corps ("Daddy's Boy", "Birthmarks"), and the sitcom Scrubs, playing the Janitor's father. He also voiced Wildcat in several episodes of Batman: The Brave and the Bold.

Ermey voiced Colonel Leslie "Hap" Hapablap in two episodes of The Simpsons ("Sideshow Bob's Last Gleaming" and "Waiting for Duffman"). In the episode of SpongeBob SquarePants "Inmates of Summer", he voiced an irate warden of a maximum-security island prison who demoralized the inmates whenever he could. In the episode of The Angry Beavers "Fancy Prance", he voiced the Lipizzaner stallions' instructor, Drill Sergeant Goonther.

Ermey was also featured each week on ESPN's College GameDay. His role was to insult the experts' incorrect picks from the previous week. In 2010, Ermey appeared in the Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episode "Trophy" as a paroled sex offender. In 2011, Ermey starred as a drill instructor on the X-Play special on Bulletstorm. In the Family Guy episode "Grumpy Old Man", Ermey guest-starred, again as a drill instructor.

Video games
In 1993, Ermey played Lyle The Handyman in the full motion video game Mega-CD/Sega CD game Double Switch. In 1996, he was the player character's superior officer in Earthsiege 2.

Ermey lent his voice to several video games, including Fallout Tactics: Brotherhood of Steel (as General Barnaky) and Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex (as Wa-Wa). He also made a cameo in Real War: Air, Land, Sea, a real-time strategy video game based on the official Joint Chiefs of Staff training game. In 2014, he did voice-over work for Call of Duty: Ghosts.

Several characters have made references to Ermey and the character of Hartman. In the game Fallout 3, a recruitable companion is named Sergeant RL-3, a modified military robot with a personality very similar to Ermey (the companion's name is a reference to Ermey's initials wherein the 3 is leetspeak for the letter E). In the World of Warcraft: Cataclysm expansion there is a character named "Lieutenant Emry" that speaks some of Ermey's signature lines from Full Metal Jacket. In Half-Life: Opposing Force, the drill sergeant from the initial boot camp stage had dialogue and mannerisms very similar to Ermey's character in Full Metal Jacket.

Commercials
Ermey was an official spokesman for Black Book (National Auto Research), Glock firearms, TRU-SPEC apparel, Tupperware, Victory Motorcycles, Hoover, SOG Specialty Knives, WD-40, Young Marines, and appeared in commercials for Coors Light, Dick's Sporting Goods, GEICO, and pistachio nuts. In late 2010, Ermey starred in a GEICO commercial as a drill-instructor-turned-therapist who insults a client, in a parody of some of his iconic characters. He provided the introduction for the Professional Bull Riders. He can be seen giving a service announcement for Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas, demanding that viewers be quiet during the film. He was a board member of the National Rifle Association of America.

Personal life
Ermey married his wife, Nila, in 1975. They had four children and remained married until his death.

Business venture
Ermey was a co-founder of Bravery Brewing in Lancaster, California.

Military appearances
On May 17, 2002, Ermey received an honorary post-service promotion to gunnery sergeant (E-7) from the Commandant of the Marine Corps General James L. Jones in recognition of his continuing support to Americans in military service.

Ermey traveled to Kuwait in June 2003 during the first phase of Operation Iraqi Freedom to film mail distribution by the Defense Department to service personnel for an episode of Mail Call.

He conducted morale tours, visiting United States troops in locations such as Al Kut, Iraq, and Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, in which he filmed parts for his television show Mail Call. While at Bagram Airfield, he held a USO-type show in which he portrayed GySgt Hartman and conducted a comedy routine. He also did the same at Doha, Qatar and Camp Doha, Kuwait City, Kuwait, in 2003.

Political views
Ermey described himself as an independent. In the 2008 presidential election, Ermey voted for Barack Obama, but subsequently criticized his economic policies, accusing him of attempting to "impose socialism" on the American people and "destroying the country." Ermey said in a 2015 interview that he supported Texas Senator Ted Cruz for president. He said, "You know what, I just watched Ted Cruz – I mean, what a tough act to follow. I'm not going to tell you who I'm going to vote for, but I'm going to let you guess [...] and the first two guesses don't count!" He endorsed presidential candidate Donald Trump.

Ermey was a supporter of the Second Amendment and a board member of the National Rifle Association.

Death
Ermey died at a hospital in Santa Monica, California, from complications related to pneumonia on the morning of April 15, 2018, at the age of 74. His funeral was held in Arlington National Cemetery on Friday, January 18, 2019.

Awards and decorations
Ermey was retroactively awarded the Marine Corps Drill Instructor Ribbon after he retired from the military due to his prior service as a Marine Corps recruit training instructor. Ermey's military awards included:

Other media

 * Ermey recorded voice lines for a "talking" 12-inch tall "motivational action figure" depicting him in USMC drill instructor uniform, which replays his signature put-downs with the press of an electronic button on the back. Sideshow Collectibles manufactured the figure in two versions, one with (somewhat) family-friendly language and one with "extra-salty" remarks that include profanity; the latter is packaged with an R rating as a warning to consumers. One of these figures appears occasionally on Mail Call, wherein it is often referred to as 'Mini-Lee' by the host, and is sometimes seen berating a G.I. Joe.
 * In the early 1990s, he appeared as a Martian pilot in a training video for Virtual World Entertainment's game Red Planet.
 * In the Green Lantern series of comics published by DC, it is revealed that Green Lantern Kilowog, who trains all new Green Lantern recruits, was in turn trained by a Green Lantern named Ermey.
 * He had a notable appearance on The Howard Stern Show in October 2002, appearing on the show as GySgt Hartman.
 * He provided the voice of the DLC drill instructor in Call of Duty: Ghosts.
 * He starred in an instructional training video for Lockheed Martin dealing with the problems caused by Foreign Object Damage in manufacturing military equipment.
 * Avenue N in Palmdale, CA was successfully petitioned to be renamed "R. Lee Ermey Avenue" in memoriam of the Antelope Valley resident. On 10 November 2023, at 1110 hours, an eastbound stretch of Avenue N east of El Camino Sierra was officially opened as the R. Lee Ermey Musical Highway. By driving over the grooved pavement at 45 mph, the road will play 30 seconds of the Marine Corps Hymn.

title: R. Lee Ermey


text:
Katie Price

Katrina Amy Alexandra Alexis "Katie" Price (née Infield; born 22 May 1978 ) is an English media personality, model, and author. She gained recognition in the late 1990s for her glamour modelling work, under the pseudonym Jordan.

Price appeared on the third series of the reality television show I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! in 2004, and the following year, she was runner-up in the search for the UK's entry for the Eurovision Song Contest. In 2006, she released her debut studio album, A Whole New World, in collaboration with her then-husband Peter Andre. Price returned to I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! for its ninth series in 2009, and was the winner of the fifteenth series of Celebrity Big Brother in 2015. She has also starred in her own reality television series, including Jordan (2002–2005), Katie & Peter (2004–2009), Signed by Katie Price (2011), Katie (2011–2012), and Katie Price: My Crazy Life (2017–2019).

As an author, Price has released six autobiographies, eleven novels, one fashion book, and two series of children's books. In 2023, she began presenting The Katie Price Show, a podcast available to online streaming platforms.

Early life
Born Katrina Amy Alexandra Alexis Infield in Brighton, East Sussex, in southeast England, Price was the only child of Ray and Amy Infield (née Charlier). Her father left the family when she was four, and in 1988 her mother married builder Paul Price, after which she acquired his surname. She has an older brother named Daniel and a younger sister named Sophie. She is of Italian, Spanish, English and Jewish descent. Price's maternal grandmother was Jewish, but she is not religious.

Price attended Blatchington Mill School in Hove in East Sussex. She excelled at sport, swimming for Sussex in regional competitions. During her childhood, she also developed a passion for horses and horse-riding. She began modelling as a child, and at 13 she modelled for a clothing line.

At the age of 17, she changed her name, dropping the surname of her birth father Ray, who had left home when she was four, and taking the last name of her mother's second husband, Paul Price.

Modelling
At a friend's suggestion, Price had professional photographs taken and decided to pursue a modelling career. The pictures were sent to a modelling agency in London, and in 1996 she appeared, billed as "Jordan", on Page 3 in the British newspaper The Sun.

As Jordan, Price was famed for her surgically-enhanced breasts. At 20, she had the first in a succession of breast-enhancement surgeries, increasing her natural 32B to a 32FF.

Price also regularly appeared in the Daily Star, FHM, the British edition of Playboy, Nuts, Maxim, Loaded, Vogue and Esquire and also ran as a candidate in Stretford and Urmston during the 2001 UK general election, receiving 713 votes, 1.8% of the votes cast. In 2002, she appeared on the September cover of the American edition of Playboy magazine.

Television
Price made cameo appearances as herself in the television dramas Dream Team and Footballers' Wives in 2004. She also appeared on Top Gear's "Star in a Reasonably Priced Car" in 2004, completing the lap in one minute and fifty-two seconds.

Early in her career, Price appeared on The Big Breakfast, and she was a guest host on the first series of The Friday Night Project. In December 2005, she released an exercise fitness DVD, The Jordan Workout, featuring "The Juice Master" Jason Vale.

Price was a contestant on the third series of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!, between the months of January and February in 2004. It was there that she met Peter Andre, whom she would eventually marry and later divorce. In 2007, with Andre, she hosted the short-lived late-night chat show Katie & Peter: Unleashed. In November 2009, Price made a return visit to I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! in its ninth series. Presenters Ant & Dec insinuated during the broadcast that the surprise of her return had been ruined by the media, and she left the show voluntarily after nine days.

Price has also been the subject of many reality television series that chronicle her domestic life. This started with a trio of Channel 4 documentaries by film-maker Richard Macer: Jordan: The Truth About Me (2002), Jordan: The Model Mum and Jordan: You Don't Even Know Me (both 2004), and was followed by Jordan Gets Even on Five in 2004. She later appeared in the documentary Jordan: Living With a Dream  (Channel 4) and then launched the Katie & Peter franchise on ITV2, which documented the lives of Price and Andre and included several fly-on-the-wall reality series: When Jordan Met Peter, Jordan & Peter: Laid Bare and Jordan & Peter: Marriage and Mayhem between 2004 and 2005; Katie & Peter: The Next Chapter, Katie & Peter: The Baby Diaries and Katie & Peter: Unleashed in 2007; Katie & Peter: Down Under and Katie & Peter: African Adventures in 2008; and Katie & Peter: Stateside in 2009. The pair's separation in 2009 resulted in their individual shows being recorded: What Katie Did Next continued on ITV2 until 2011.

Price was runner-up in the selection contest for a representative for the United Kingdom at the 2005 Eurovision Song Contest. In 2006 she released her debut studio album, A Whole New World, in collaboration with Peter Andre.

Between 2015 and 2018, Price was a regular panellist on the talk show Loose Women.

Price danced with her then-boyfriend Leandro Penna on the Argentine television programme Bailando por un Sueño 2012, a spin-off of Strictly Come Dancing.

In 2015, Price appeared on the fifteenth series of Celebrity Big Brother. She had been previously invited to appear on the show. On 6 February 2015, Price finished as the winner of the series.

Business ventures
Price has launched a range of nutrition supplements, including meal replacement shakes, that are promoted with unsupported claims about their wholesomeness and benefit. The British Dietetic Association named Katie Price Nutritional Supplements as constituting one of the "top 5 worst celeb diets to avoid in 2018", noting they were expensive and unnecessary for anybody wanting to lose weight.

In 2007 Price launched her first perfume, "Stunning".

In 2008 she signed a deal with Derby House to launch her equestrian range of clothing named "KP Equestrian". In 2009 Price was named as the patron of a charity polo match played near Epping, Essex.

Music
Price was runner-up in the selection contest for a representative for the United Kingdom at the 2005 Eurovision Song Contest. The selection process, named Making Your Mind Up, was broadcast live on television in March 2005. Price sang a song titled "Not Just Anybody".

In July 2010, Price released "Free to Love Again", a non-album single. About the release, she explained: "I'm not a singer, this is just something that I'm doing for fun. It's not like I'm worried about getting a chart position or number one, this is purely for fun. Whether people like it or not, I'm doing it."

Books
Price was in the top 100 best-selling authors of the decade for book sales between 2000 and 2009, with nearly three million sales.

Price released her first autobiography, Being Jordan, in May 2004. Price conducted a 10-day book-signing tour which helped to propel her to first position in the Nielsen BookScan hardback sales chart and to sell 97,090 copies in one year, and over 1,000,000 as of January 2007. Her second autobiography, A Whole New World, was published in January 2006. It reached number two in the hardback general category and sold 198,105 copies by 1 April 2006.

Price's second novel, Crystal, about a young woman's efforts to become a singer, sold 159,407 copies during the first three months after its release in June 2007. In July 2008, Price released her third novel, Angel Uncovered. In July 2009, Price released a novel entitled Sapphire, which was number 1 on the hardback fiction chart for four consecutive weeks and sold 42,215 copies in its first two weeks in the UK alone. Price released her fifth novel, Paradise, in July 2010. In 2014, she released her tenth novel, Make My Wish Come True.

In 2006 Price signed a £300,000 advance with Random House for Katie Price's Perfect Ponies, a series of children's books, with the first six released in 2007. New books in the series have been released to a total of 12 as of 2017.

Price's daughter Princess was signed by publishers for her own book deal at the age of nine in 2017.

Price had a regular advice column in OK! magazine until 2009. In 2012, she obtained her own column in The Sun on Sunday.

Politics and campaigning
In the 2001 UK general election, Price stood as an independent candidate in the Stretford and Urmston constituency. She gained 713 votes. The seat was won by Labour's Beverley Hughes with 23,836 votes.

Following online abuse focused on her son Harvey, Price began a campaign to make online abuse a criminal offence. She took her campaign to Parliament in 2018. Helen Jones, chairman of the parliamentary Petitions Committee subsequently commented: "The law on online abuse is not fit for purpose and it is truly shameful that disabled people have been forced off social media while their abusers face no consequences. There is no excuse for the continued failure to make online platforms as safe for disabled people as non-disabled people. Self-regulation has failed disabled people and the law must change to ensure more lives are not destroyed." and went on to make recommendations for legislation. The Government was expected to respond to the recommendations by the end of March 2019.

Relationships
Price gave birth to her first child, son Harvey, in May 2002. His father is since-retired footballer Dwight Yorke. Harvey was found to be blind with septo-optic dysplasia. He has additionally been diagnosed as autistic and has Prader–Willi syndrome.

Price and Peter Andre, a British singer and television personality, began a relationship after appearing on I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! and married in September 2005 at Highclere Castle, Hampshire. In June 2005, Price gave birth by Caesarean section to her second son, Junior Savva Andreas. In June 2007, she gave birth to her third child, daughter Princess Tiaamii Crystal Esther.

In April 2009, Price suffered a miscarriage 10 weeks into pregnancy. In May 2009, Price and Andre announced that they were separating and divorced in September 2009.

In July 2009, Price began dating MMA fighter and actor Alex Reid. They married on 2 February 2010 in a private ceremony at Wynn Hotel on the Las Vegas Strip. Reid and Price separated in January 2011 and their divorce was finalised in March 2012.

On 16 January 2013, Price married her third husband Kieran Hayler at the Sandals Royal Bahamian Resort and Spa in the Bahamas, after Hayler proposed on Christmas Day 2012. The couple had a wedding blessing in Weston-super-Mare in March 2013. In August 2013, Price gave birth to her third son, Jett Riviera Hayler. On 4 August 2014, she gave birth to a second daughter, Bunny Hayler, two weeks prematurely. In May 2014, Price accused Hayler of having an extramarital affair and announced she was beginning divorce proceedings. They reconciled on the condition that Hayler attend therapy for sex addiction and renewed their wedding vows at Long Furlong Wedding Barn, near Worthing, West Sussex in February 2015. In July 2017, the couple renewed their wedding vows for the second time in the Maldives. In October 2017, in Barbados, Price and Hayler renewed their wedding vows for the third time. In May 2018, Price announced she was starting divorce proceedings over an extramarital affair.

In July 2019, Price announced she was engaged to Kris Boyson; the couple split up a month later.

Health
In 2002, Price was treated for a leiomyosarcoma on her finger. The cancerous tumor was removed at a Nuffield Hospital near her Brighton home.

In 2018, after being robbed and raped, Price had a mental breakdown and attempted suicide.

Driving offences
In June 2008 Price was convicted of driving while using a mobile phone in April 2008 and received three points on her driving licence.

In September 2010 Price was given three points after being convicted for failing to be in proper control of a vehicle in February 2010. In December 2010 Price was banned from driving for six months for accumulating 13 points on her driving licence after being given an additional three points on her licence for speeding in December 2009.

In April 2012 Price won an appeal against a conviction for two counts of failing to give information regarding a driver’s identity regarding speeding tickets issued to her relating to offences in London in 2011. Price argued she had not seen the tickets as she did not open her own post. In July 2015 Price was convicted of failing to stop at a red light at Buck Barn, West Grinstead in West Sussex.

In February 2018 Price was banned from driving for six months. In July 2018 Price reported herself to the police for driving while disqualified. In January 2019, Price faced a three-month ban on driving after breaching the conditions of a previous ban, and the following month, the ban was extended an additional three months due to drunk driving. Price had been found by police in the back seat of a vehicle in August 2018 after it had crashed, but charges of being drunk in charge of a vehicle were dropped due to a lack of evidence. In October 2019, Price was convicted of failing to provide details of the incident and was banned from driving for two years (later reduced to 18 months). In September 2021, Price pleaded guilty to driving drunk without insurance and while disqualified. In December, she was given a 16-week suspended sentence, with a condition of unpaid work, and a two-year driving ban. This was for a crash which resulted in the car overturning near Partridge Green, near Horsham.

In July 2022 two motoring charges were dismissed by Crawley Magistrates Court, one of speeding on 13 September 2021, and one of failing to provide information concerning the speeding charge. The charges were dropped when no evidence was presented by the prosecution.

In July 2023 Price was stopped by an unmarked police car in Worthing, West Sussex for driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence and driving without insurance, as a result, the car she was driving a Range Rover was seized by police.

In March 2024 Price was convicted of driving without a valid licence and insurance. It was revealed that her licence had been suspended for medical reasons in April 2023 and had subsequently expired. Price was found guilty after she was filmed at a petrol station in Kettering, Northamptonshire, driving her Range Rover onto the forecourt and exiting from the driver's seat. Price was ordered to pay a total of £1,852 in fines and other charges.

Other incidents
In August 2003 Price was arrested following an incident in July 2003 for an alleged assault at a nightclub in Birmingham. No further action was taken by the police.

In 2006 Joanne Hillman, a nanny employed by Price, was charged with benefit fraud. Hillman was initially tried in 2007 and Price was subsequently summoned to give evidence. As a result of media reporting, howewer, the trial collapsed. Hillman was retried in 2008 but no evidence was offered and she was acquitted.

In September 2009 Price claimed that she had previously been raped by a "famous celebrity", although she had not reported the incident. Price said that she would "absolutely never" reveal who the attacker was. Surrey Police stated that they had not contacted Price: "No allegation of rape has been made and Miss Price will not be making a statement to police".

In June 2013 Price was granted planning permission to convert a barn in the grounds of her home into a permanent structure for the nanny of her son Harvey. The application was reportedly described as 'sneaky' by the local Parish Council, after the structure was originally listed as temporary before later being applied to be a permanent structure.

In March 2018 Price was carjacked and robbed while filming in Swaziland. In September 2022, she further reported that she had been raped during the incident.

In August 2018 Price had a bankruptcy hearing at the High Court hearing which was adjourned to give her three months to pay off her debts through an individual voluntary arrangement. In November 2019 Price declared bankruptcy. Her debts were listed as totalling more than £3.5 million. Subsequently in February 2024 a garnishment order of 40% of her earnings was entered into and in March 2024, Price was found bankrupt for a second time.

In June 2019 Price was fined after shouting abuse at a woman in a school playground, in Shipley, West Sussex. Price was issued with a five-year restraining order, banning her from making any contact with the woman. Price was additionally ordered to pay £606 in fines and court costs. In May 2022 Price pleaded guilty at Lewes Crown Court to breaching the restraining order.

In June 2019 Horsham District Council began enforcement action against Price for demolition and construction works undertaken at her property. The enforcement action concluded in October 2019 when Price was given 30 days to remove the new construction and restore the demolished structures. In December 2023 it was reported that, between December 2021 and March 2022, Price and her partner Carl Woods had run a suspected second-hand car dealership from Price's home; Horsham District Council began enforcement action against the couple in September 2022 but closed the case as the second-hand car dealership had already closed in July 2023.

Autobiographies

 * Being Jordan (2004)
 * A Whole New World (2006)
 * Pushed to the Limit (2008)
 * You Only Live Once (2010)
 * Love, Lipstick and Lies (2013)
 * Reborn (2016)
 * Katie Price: Harvey and Me (2021)
 * This Is Me: The high life. The dark times. The FULL story (2024)

Novels

 * Angel (2006)
 * Crystal (2007)
 * Angel Uncovered (2008)
 * Sapphire (2009)
 * Paradise (2010)
 * The Comeback Girl (2011)
 * Santa Baby (2011)
 * In the Name of Love (2012)
 * He's the One (2013)
 * Make my Wish Come True (2014)
 * Playing with Fire (2018)

Children series

 * Perfect Ponies (2007–present)
 * Here Comes the Bride, Little Treasures, Fancy Dress Ponies, Pony Club Weekend, The New Best Friend, Ponies to the Rescue, My Pony Care Book, Star Ponies, Pony 'n' Pooch, Pony in Disguise, Stage Fright!, Secrets and Surprises, Wild West Weekend (in order of publication date)
 * Mermaids & Pirates (2008–present)
 * Follow the Fish, I Spy, Let's Build a Sandcastle, A Sunny Day, Telescope Overboard, Time for a Picnic, All Around, Hide and Seek, Katie the Mermaid, Katie's Day, Peter's Friends, Pirate Olympics (in order of publication date)

Fashion book

 * Standing Out (2009)

title: Katie Price


text:
Rob Halford

Robert John Arthur Halford (born 25 August 1951) is an English heavy metal singer. He is best known as the lead vocalist of Judas Priest, which was formed in 1969 and has received accolades such as the 2010 Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance. He has been noted for his powerful and wide ranging operatic vocal style and trademark leather-and-studs image, both of which have become iconic in heavy metal. He has also been involved with several side projects, including Fight, Two, and Halford.

Halford is often regarded as one of the greatest metal frontmen and singers of all time. AllMusic said of Halford, "There have been few vocalists in the history of heavy metal whose singing style has been as influential and instantly recognizable... able to effortlessly alternate between a throaty growl and an ear-splitting falsetto." He was ranked at No. 33 on the list of greatest voices in rock by Planet Rock listeners in 2009. He has also been nicknamed "Metal God" by fans. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Judas Priest in 2022, via the Award for Musical Excellence.

Early years
Robert John Arthur Halford was born on 25 August 1951 in Sutton Coldfield. He grew up in nearby Walsall, where he was raised on the Beechdale housing estate, which was also home to Noddy Holder.

Judas Priest
Halford was introduced to Judas Priest bassist and co-founder Ian Hill by his sister Sue, who was dating Hill at the time. Halford, a manager of a men's clothing store, joined the band as singer, bringing with him drummer John Hinch from his previous band Hiroshima. Halford and Hinch played their first show with Judas Priest in May 1973 at the Townhouse in Wellington, Shropshire. The show was recorded and part of it released in 2019 on the compilation Downer-Rock Asylum on the Audio Archives label.

In 1974, he made his recording debut on the band's first album Rocka Rolla. He continued to front Judas Priest throughout the 1970s and 1980s. In 1990, Halford emerged with all-new tattoos, including a bent Judas Priest cross on his right arm and ring around his other, as well as a few on his shoulders. He also began shaving his head.

On the last date of the tour for Painkiller in August 1991 at a show in Toronto, Halford rode onstage on a large Harley-Davidson motorcycle, dressed in motorcycle leathers, as part of the show. The stage riser malfunctioned and he collided with a half-raised drum riser and fell off it, breaking his nose in the process. He was left unconscious for a short time while the band was performing the first song. After regaining consciousness, Halford returned and finished the show. Halford had been wanting to do a solo project and had the blessing of his band members to do so. A studio executive told him he would have to technically 'resign' from Judas Priest to do so and he wrote a statement citing his interest in a solo project. The letter was leaked and taken out of context in that he was quitting the band. Due to personal challenges with conflict, he was unable to clarify what happened and it was over ten years before he reconnected with the band and rejoined.

Fight
Shortly after Halford's departure, he formed the band Fight with Judas Priest drummer Scott Travis, bassist Jack "Jay Jay" Brown and guitarists Brian Tilse and Russ Parrish. The first album War of Words was released in 1993, followed by the half live, half remixes EP Mutations in 1994. A tour took place in support of the album in 1994. The second album A Small Deadly Space was released in 1995, with a tour taking place in support of that album as well. While War of Words was a straightforward metal record, A Small Deadly Space had a grungier sound, making it less appealing to fans who had developed a taste for War of Words. As the band were preparing to begin work on the third album, they split up, thus ending their business with their label Epic Records. A brief reunion with half of the original members took place on 20 December 1997 for a one-off performance before disbanding once again. In a 2015 interview, Halford contemplated Fight's reformation.

2wo
In 1997, Halford collaborated with guitarist John Lowery to form an industrial-influenced band called 2wo. They released their only album Voyeurs in 1998, which was produced by Dave Ogilvie and released on Trent Reznors Nothing Records label.

Halford
In 1999, Halford returned to his metal roots and formed a solo band. The album Resurrection was released in 2000 to critical acclaim. The band embarked on a tour with Iron Maiden and Queensrÿche to support the album. A live album titled Live Insurrrection was released in 2001. It was followed up by the second album Crucible in 2002. In 2010, Halford released a live DVD titled Live in Anaheim and the fourth studio album Halford IV: Made of Metal.

Reunion with Judas Priest
Halford's reunion with Judas Priest came about from years of speculation about when he was no longer in the line-up, at least since the release of the Resurrection album, which some critics claimed sounded more like Judas Priest than the band's previous album Jugulator (1997). Halford initially ruled it out, but then reconsidered, stating in 2002 that "Gut instinct tells me that at some point it will happen".

In July 2003, Halford returned to Judas Priest and embarked on a tour in 2004 in celebration of his return. The band released Angel of Retribution in 2005. A world tour accompanied the release and marked the band's 30th anniversary. In 2008, Nostradamus was released.

In 2011, Judas Priest embarked upon what was billed as their final world tour as a group, titled the "Epitaph" tour. Subsequent to the tour's announcement, Halford stated that he would continue to move forward with his solo band.

Despite the "final tour" announcement in 2011, Halford and Judas Priest (minus K. K. Downing, who left the group prior to the Epitaph tour) recorded another album, Redeemer of Souls, which was released in 2014, the album supported by a concert tour.

In 2017, Judas Priest began to work on another studio album with Halford. The album Firepower was released 9 March 2018.

Live appearances
Halford performed as the vocalist for Black Sabbath for three shows. He replaced Ronnie James Dio for two nights in November 1992, when Dio elected not to open a show for Ozzy Osbourne. Halford also filled in for Osbourne in Black Sabbath on 26 August 2004 (one day after Halford's 53rd birthday) at an Ozzfest show in Camden, New Jersey, since Osbourne could not perform due to bronchitis.

Halford joined Sum 41 on stage in 2001 for a televised concert for MTV's 20th anniversary with drummer Tommy Lee to perform "You've Got Another Thing Comin'" as the final song a medley.

Halford joined Metallica on stage three times where they performed the song "Rapid Fire"; in 1994 on the last date of the Shit Hits the Sheds Tour, in 2011 at The Fillmore for the band's 30th anniversary celebration and in 2013 at the fifth annual Revolver Golden Gods awards in Los Angeles.

Halford joined Pantera on stage twice. The first performance was in 1992 where he sang on the songs "Metal Gods" and "Grinder", and again in 1997 where he sang on "Grinder".

Halford joined queercore band Pansy Division on stage in July 1997 to perform the song "Breaking the Law".

Halford joined Babymetal on stage on 18 July 2016 at the Alternative Press Music Awards in Cleveland where they performed a medley of "Painkiller" and "Breaking the Law".

Other activities
Halford made an appearance in the 2002 film Spun where he played a retail clerk at a sex shop.

In 2006, Halford split with Sanctuary Records and founded Metal God Entertainment to produce and license any future material. All Fight and Halford material were released in remastered format, which also includes DVDs from both bands.

Halford provided voice-over for the characters General Lionwhyte and the leader of the Fire Barons on the 2009 video game Brütal Legend. The Baron's appearance and personality is based on Halford.

Halford developed the clothing line Metal God Apparel with plans to develop retail sales through 2010.

Halford had a brief cameo in a 2010 commercial for Virgin Mobile, where he appeared as a priest.

In 2019, Halford was working on an autobiography. The autobiography, titled Confess, was originally announced to be published in October 2020, but received its official date for 29 September 2020 via Hachette Books. In August 2020, Halford confirmed that he had completed an audiobook version of the publication, to be made available at the same time as the physical release.

Halford has appeared as himself, representing the character Kevin's conscience, in the 2022 American teen comedy-drama Metal Lords.

Hobbies
Halford divides his time between homes in the United States and his home town of Walsall.

Halford owns a 1970s Aston Martin DBS, a Chevrolet Corvette, and a Mercury Cougar. He did not get a driving licence until the age of 38. In 2010, he said that his main car was a 2006 Cadillac DTS.

In May 2021, Halford was made a Kentucky Colonel by Governor Andy Beshear.

Sexuality
Halford is gay. He publicly revealed his homosexuality on MTV in 1998. He broke down in tears saying, "It's a wonderful moment when you walk out of the closet. Now I've done that and I've freed myself. It's a great feeling for me to finally let go and make this statement—especially to The Advocate, because this magazine has brought me so much comfort over the years. Obviously this is just a wonderful day for me." Halford later explained that he did not have a plan or an agenda when coming in to do his interview with MTV. He mainly spoke about and promoted the Voyeurs album he made with guitarist John 5, when he slipped out his sexuality after being asked a question from the studio's producer. He cited it being "kind of a big leap forward".

At the time Halford revealed his sexuality, he was concerned that he would lose his fanbase as a result. He explained that he cannot return to certain places of the world in fear of lapidation. He described the 1970s and 1980s as "incredibly difficult", but not counting it as important music-wise. Halford jokingly claimed that he cannot be replaced by a straight man, bringing up late Queen vocalist Freddie Mercury, saying that "if Freddie hadn't have been gay, Queen would've been a totally different band. But that's a really important part of my life that I have to get down on paper at some point."

Halford describes himself as "the stately homo of heavy metal", and said that his announcement was "the greatest thing I could have done for myself". He also explained that he did not announce it sooner due to the fear that it was going to be troublesome for him.

Halford speaks negatively about the discrimination homosexuals still face in some parts of the world. He recalled that his announcement came as a surprise, and questioned if he would have told the members of Judas Priest while he was in the band. Halford said that after he completed his interview, he began to fear negative reactions, but was quickly inundated with messages of support from colleagues and fans.

In 2018, Halford stated that society has not changed as much as he hoped since his announcement: "You'd think there would have been some kind of change and people would have moved on after such a long time. Now that I'm moving through my OAP heavy metal years (laughs), I thought a lot of it would be gone by now. And it's a shame. We don't really get to spend a lot of time on this planet together, so there's no point in wasting it being divided."

The subject matter of his lyrics had not changed since his coming out, and he avoided addressing it in Judas Priest's lyrics. However, the song "Raw Deal" from the 1977 album Sin After Sin speaks about Fire Island in New York, which was famous in the 1970s and 1980s as a community for gay men. He felt that the lyrics were "just too much", but was approved by the other members of the band. "But you listen to that song, it really is almost like a coming-out experience for me. And it never really registered. It's only been in recent years that people have picked up on that song," he said.

In September 2020, Halford revealed how in 1992 he had a "George Michael moment" when he was arrested for public indecency in a men's bathroom commonly used for casual sex in Venice Beach, California. An officer who was a fan of Judas Priest helped keep the arrest from wide publicity.

He is currently married to his husband Thomas.

Halford has previously spoken about the level of acceptance of his sexuality within the metal community, calling it accepting and inclusive.

Health
In the Behind the Music documentary series, Halford said that hiding his sexuality during Judas Priest's career caused him a lot of depression and isolation which led to his alcohol and drug abuse.

During the making of the band's 1986 album Turbo, Halford struggled with increasing substance abuse and violent feuds with his romantic partner. The singer entered rehab in January 1986 following a painkiller overdose and even managed to stay sober after his partner died by suicide. He says that he has been clean and sober since then. He made an energetic recovery and his live performances during the subsequent Fuel for Life Tour were described as some of his strongest ever.

He was born and raised in a Christian household, and said that his upbringing "has become more important since I became clean and sober on 6 January 1986. That was 25 years ago and I think that's probably more important to me now, on a daily basis."

When asked in 2016 what part sobriety has played in the band's longevity, he responded, "Without it? Oh, I'd be dead. Literally, I would be dead."

Despite being clean and sober since 1986, he confessed that he did have the desire to "have a drink" and "have a smoke and do a line. I wish I could do all that, but I can't. I've done all that. I've done all that and it nearly killed me. I wish I could do that because when I'm with my friends and they're having a good time and there's this little devil on your shoulder, 'Just have a quick shot. Do a shot of Jack. He pointed out to those who are recovering from their abuse about dealing with the "little devil on your shoulder or the monkey on your back", and that being clean and sober was "the greatest gift I was given. It was a gift. I can't do this by myself. There's another source helping. That's just a thrill to share with the music at this point."

Halford underwent back surgery in 2013 and umbilical hernia surgery in 2014.

Halford battled prostate cancer during the COVID-19 lockdowns after experiencing symptoms in 2017. He underwent prostatectomy in July 2020. After more cancer was found, he went through radiation treatments in April and May that year and was cleared in June before traveling to England to visit family. He also had an appendectomy after a tumour was discovered in his appendix.

Singing style and influences
Halford possesses a powerful voice with a wide vocal range which is marked by his high-pitched screams and strong vibrato. Along with Ronnie James Dio and Bruce Dickinson, Halford is one of the pioneers of the operatic vocal style later to be adopted by power metal vocalists and regularly appears near the top in lists of the greatest metal vocalists/front-men of all time. In 2023, Rolling Stone ranked Halford at number 129 on its list of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time.

Halford describes himself as "a huge Queen fan" since they began and saw their very early shows. He has called Freddie Mercury, the late lead singer of the band, his "ultimate hero" and expressed regret that he never got to know him.

As a vocalist, Halford was influenced by Little Richard, Elvis Presley, Janis Joplin and Robert Plant. He was also influenced by the music of Jimi Hendrix, the Beatles, Cream, David Bowie, King Crimson, the Rolling Stones, John Mayall, and Alice Cooper.

Judas Priest

 * Rocka Rolla (1974)
 * Sad Wings of Destiny (1976)
 * Sin After Sin (1977)
 * Stained Class (1978)
 * Killing Machine (1978)
 * Unleashed in the East (1979)
 * British Steel (1980)
 * Point of Entry (1981)
 * Screaming for Vengeance (1982)
 * Defenders of the Faith (1984)
 * Turbo (1986)
 * Priest...Live! (1987)
 * Ram It Down (1988)
 * Painkiller (1990)
 * Angel of Retribution (2005)
 * Nostradamus (2008)
 * A Touch of Evil: Live (2009)
 * Redeemer of Souls (2014)
 * Battle Cry (2016)
 * Firepower (2018)
 * Invincible Shield (2024)

Fight

 * K5 – The War of Words Demos (1992) (released in 2007)
 * War of Words (1993)
 * Mutations (1994)
 * A Small Deadly Space (1995)

2wo

 * Voyeurs (1998)

Halford

 * Resurrection (2000)
 * Live Insurrection (2001)
 * Crucible (2002)
 * Metal God Essentials, Vol. 1 (2007)
 * Live in Anaheim (2010)
 * Halford III: Winter Songs (2009)
 * Halford IV: Made of Metal (2010)

 * Miscellaneous
 * The Complete Albums Collection (2017)

Rob Halford with Family and Friends

 * Celestial (2019)

Guest appearances

 * Krokus – Headhunter – backing vocals on "Ready to Burn" (1983)
 * Surgical Steel – Surgical Steel (demo), vocals on "Smooth and Fast" (1984)
 * Hear 'n Aid (1986)
 * Recorded the song "Light comes out of Black" with Pantera for the Buffy the Vampire Slayer soundtrack (1992)
 * Ugly Kid Joe – America's Least Wanted – backing vocals on "Goddamn Devil" (1992)
 * Skid Row – B-Side Ourselves – vocals on "Delivering the Goods" in a live version (1992)
 * Background vocals on the song "Hex 'n' Sex" for the album with the same title by the German band Brings (1993)
 * Bullring Brummies, a studio session line-up that came together to contribute to the Nativity in Black tribute compilation album of Black Sabbath cover songs (1994)
 * Queens of the Stone Age – Rated R – vocals on "Feel Good Hit of the Summer" (2000)
 * Furious IV – Is That You? (2002)
 * Spun motion picture (2002) – "Pornclerk" character
 * Brütal Legend (2009) – Voicing the main villain Emperor Doviculus' minion General Lionwhyte, who is strongly based on the culture of glam metal. Also voiced the leader of the Fire Barons, who was directly modeled after his younger appearance
 * Five Finger Death Punch's album The Wrong Side of Heaven and the Righteous Side of Hell, Volume 1 (2013) – guest vocals on "Lift Me Up", performed live in Revolver Golden God Awards (2013)
 * Ronnie James Dio tribute album, This Is Your Life (2014) – vocals on "Man on the Silver Mountain"
 * The Simpsons – Singing a rendition of "Breaking the Law" in the episode "Steal This Episode" (2014)
 * In This Moment's album Ritual (2017) – vocals on "Black Wedding"
 * Phil Campbell – Old Lions Still Roar (2019) – vocals on "Straight Up"
 * Dolly Parton, Rockstar (2023) - featured vocals on "Bygones"
 * Rob Halford appears as himself in the movie "Metal Lords", also starring Scott Ian (Anthrax guitar player), Kirk Hammet (Metallica guitar player) and Tom Morello (Rage Against The Machine guitar player). The movie also includes the song Metal Gods from Judas Priest.

title: Rob Halford


text:
Peter Stringfellow

Peter James Stringfellow (17 October 1940 – 7 June 2018) was an English businessman who owned several nightclubs.

Early life
Stringfellow was born in the City General Hospital, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, on 17 October 1940, to Elsie Bowers and James William Stringfellow, a steelworker who served in the Royal Scots Greys during World War II. He was the eldest of four brothers, Geoffrey, Paul and Terry.

The family lived in Andover Street, Pitsmoor, Sheffield, until 1948 when they had moved to Marshall Street, Pitsmoor. Peter Stringfellow attended Pye Bank Church of England Primary School. He failed his 11 plus and so attended Burngreave Secondary School for one year. He then passed the exam for Sheffield Central Technical College and he left three years later at the age of 15 with a 4th grade Technical Diploma.

Career
When Stringfellow was 13 years old, he worked at a cinema on The Wicker arterial street in Sheffield. His first job after leaving school was as an assistant tie salesman at Austin Reed. After some casual jobs he enrolled as an apprentice in the Merchant Navy, at the age of 16. His Merchant Navy career lasted two years.

On his return to Sheffield, he worked briefly in various jobs. While at Dobson's Furnishings Company he was convicted of selling stolen carpets and served two weeks in Armley Prison, Leeds, in June 1962 and six weeks in Ford Open Prison.

After his conviction and imprisonment he was unable to find regular work. This led to his business career running clubs.

Nightclub management
In 1962, Stringfellow rented St Aidan's Church Hall in Sheffield every Friday night, operating the Black Cat Club. Several bands played in the club, such as the Pursuers, Dave Berry and the Cruisers, Johnny Tempest and the Cadillacs and from London, Screaming Lord Sutch, the Savages, Count Lindsay and Gene Vincent.

His fortunes changed when The Beatles played on 2 April 1963. The demand for concert tickets was so great that Stringfellow rented a larger venue, the Azena Ballroom in Sheffield. On that night he sent the Beatles a telegram congratulating them on their first album, Please Please Me.

In 1963, Stringfellow began another club, the Blue Moon, at St. John's Church Hall in Sheffield. The opening act was the Marauders who had a single, "That's What I Want", in the British top 50. More bands followed such as the Kinks. Other bands that played at the club and who later became famous were Freddie Starr and the Midnighters, the Searchers, Shane Fenton and the Fentones, Wayne Fontana, Long John Baldry and the Hoochie Coochie Men, Rod Stewart and the Soul Agents, Vance Arnold & The Avengers, Dean Marshall and the Deputies.

In 1964, Stringfellow opened the highly successful Mojo Club, later renamed the King Mojo Club in Sheffield. During its three and half years of business, many bands played at the club, including The Who, Pink Floyd, The Brian Auger Trinity, The Graham Bond Organisation, John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, The Yardbirds, Zoot Money's Big Roll Band, The Hollies, The Merseybeats, the Spencer Davis Group, The Pretty Things, Manfred Mann, The Small Faces, Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames, and The Jimi Hendrix Experience. Other American acts who played in the club included the first Tamla/Motown acts to play in the UK, Ben E. King, Sonny Boy Williamson, Tina Turner, Inez and Charlie Foxx, John Lee Hooker, and Little Stevie Wonder.

In 1968, he went into another business venture with Down Broadway, just under the Stylo's shoe shop in the centre of Sheffield.

On 4 November 1968, Jethro Tull was the first act to play at Down Broadway and John Peel was booked to play as the Star DJ. Progressive rock group Yes also played at the club. In 1969, Stringfellow acquired the first alcohol licence for another of his clubs called the Penthouse Sheffield. The club only lasted for a year due to trouble with overcrowding and objections from the local police. This prompted him to sell it and move to Leeds.

In 1970, he opened Cinderella's in Leeds. This was Stringfellow's first super club, mixing recorded music and live bands.

In 1972, Stringfellow acquired a space next door to Cinderella's to create another club called Rockafella's. This was the first and last of his super cabaret and super clubs. Comedy duo Mike & Bernie Winters and magician Paul Daniels performed at the club. The two clubs were combined in 1973 and given the name Cinderella Rockafella's, and Stringfellow dropped the cabaret and put in full-time DJs such as Chris Crossley and Peter Tyler. He and his brother, Paul Stringfellow, also served as DJs.

In 1976, Stringfellow and his then business partner and brother, Geoffrey Stringfellow, sold the Cinderella Rockafella's to Mecca and moved to Manchester, where they opened the Millionaire Club. There were no live bands in the Millionaire Club. However, the Stringfellows hired named DJs including Peter Tyler and Brett Sinclair.

In 1980, he sold the Millionaire Club to Granada Ltd and he then moved with his whole family to London. There he opened Stringfellows Covent Garden. It was an immediate success as a nightclub in London, where celebrities, international film stars, TV personalities, rock stars, models, paparazzi and national newspaper journalists partied for the next 15 years.

In 1983, he took over the old cabaret club, Talk of the Town, which had closed. He reopened it with its original name Hippodrome and it became the "World's Greatest Disco". The Hippodrome introduced its first gay night at the venue under his management. He also started Hippodrome Records and one of his acts to sign was Dusty Springfield who released the single, "Sometimes Like Butterflies".

In 1986, he opened Stringfellow's New York, which was frequented by New York celebrities and managed with his daughter Karen. In 1989, he opened Stringfellow's Miami, and then Stringfellow's Los Angeles in 1990. He sustained huge financial losses due to the American economic recession in 1989.

In 1996, Stringfellow's autobiography, King of Clubs, was published by Little, Brown. It was serialised in the Baltimore Sun newspaper and became a best-seller.

Adult clubbing
In 1990, Stringfellow introduced table dancing to his New York club with a licensing deal with Michael J. Peter. This became Stringfellow's Presents Pure Platinum. In 1996, Cabaret of Angels, a table-side dancing club was opened for three nights a week at Stringfellow's Covent Garden.

In 2006, Stringfellow opened his second adult entertainment club named Angels in Wardour Street, Soho. He was the first club owner to gain a fully nude licence from Westminster City Council. In 2009, he criticised the Policing and Crime Act 2009, saying the licensing changes with regards to lap dancing were "unnecessary" and he would be appealing to the European Court of Human Rights if his current licences were not renewed.

In 2012, he was granted the necessary sexual entertainment venue (SEV) Licence for Stringfellow's Covent Garden and Angels Soho, and was able to successfully market Angels as providing rooms for the entertainment "in privacy" of young women in lingerie.

Television
Stringfellow first appeared on television as a warm-up act on Ready Steady Go! in 1964. He contributed to numerous programmes, both radio and television, in subsequent decades. Stringfellow appeared on Noel's House Party where he was gunged alongside Jimmy Savile. He appeared on the celebrity edition of Come Dine with Me, with the first broadcast on 17 September 2008. Stringfellow appeared in season 1, episode 2 on Trigger Happy TV. He also appeared in season 15 episode 1 of Top Gear, which was broadcast on 27 June 2010, where he had to help Jeremy Clarkson when he was stuck in a rolled over Reliant Robin.

Personal life
He married Norma Williams in 1960. They had a daughter, Karen, who was involved with Stringfellow's businesses for many years and is now a boutique owner in Florida. After Stringfellow and Williams divorced, he married Coral Wright in 1967. They had one son together before divorcing: Scott, a former racecar driver. He had a 12-year relationship with Frizzby Fox, which ended in 1996, and then for two years until 1998 with Helen Benoist. Stringfellow married Bella Wright in 2009. They had a daughter, Rosabella, in 2013 and a son, Angelo, in 2015.

Stringfellow had four grandchildren: Taylor, Jaime, Thomas and Isabelle.

Stringfellow lived in Gerrards Cross, Cheadle Hulme and in Mallorca.

He was a donor to the UK Conservative Party, and supported a UKIP candidate in 2012. However he publicly disavowed the Conservative Party in 2018 over Brexit stating that the "price is too high" and said he would support the Liberal Democrats if the Conservatives' advocacy of leaving the European Union continued.

Stringfellow was treated for lung cancer in 2008, but was healthy until he was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer in late 2017. He died on 7 June 2018 at the age of 77, at King Edward VII's Hospital in London.

title: Peter Stringfellow


text:
K. K. Downing

Kenneth Keith Downing Jr. (born 27 October 1951) is an English guitarist and a founding member of the heavy metal bands Judas Priest and KK's Priest.

Early life and career
Downing was born in West Bromwich, West Midlands. In the late 1960s, he developed a passion for rock music and the guitar, which led to his being kicked out of his home at age 15 and dropping out of school soon afterwards. He is a mostly self-taught guitarist. He was heavily influenced by Jimi Hendrix, whom Downing said he was "very quick to recognize" as the future. He was also influenced by John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers and Eric Clapton.

Downing started his first band, a pop band called Stagecoach, between the age of 17 and 18 with his second cousin Brian Badhams on bass guitar (now with The Elkie Brooks Band) and drummer Martin Phillips. The trio "mainly jammed a few Cream songs and a few 12-bar blues". Downing played guitar with the band after winning a coin toss with Badhams "in his bedroom to see who would play guitar or bass". K. K. Downing attended catering college and worked as trainee chef at the Lyttelton Arms in Hagley.

Downing is the cousin of football coach Keith Downing.

Playing style and technique
Downing has an aggressive, rock-influenced guitar style featuring solos and dual leads with fellow Judas Priest guitarist Glenn Tipton.

Leaving Judas Priest
Downing officially left Judas Priest on 20 April 2011, citing "an on-going breakdown in working relationships between myself, elements of the band and management for some time." He stated that there were at least "21 reasons" why he left, but refused to go into specific detail; however, he did express disappointment in the band's live performance and thought it could have been better. Judas Priest had since continued with Richie Faulkner as his replacement.

Soon after Glenn Tipton announced his Parkinson's disease diagnosis and his self-imposed retirement from touring in February 2018, Downing said that he was "shocked and stunned" that he wasn't approached to rejoin Judas Priest and was "officially and legally still a member of Judas Priest", despite not being present in the band. He felt that he made the right choice to leave when he did and that his time in the band and value in terms of crafting their legacy "was and is unappreciated by more than one member". He said that the decision of not being approached "was not a financial one". Faulkner and Halford spoke in regards to his statement. Bassist Ian Hill explained why he wasn't contacted to rejoin Judas Priest and the potential conflicts that would occur if he was brought back in the band. Downing spoke negatively towards Hill's comments.

Downing explained why he left Judas Priest,     expressed his concerns towards his former bandmates,      and his feelings about Faulkner. Faulkner spoke in regards to Downing's comments,  with former Judas Priest vocalist Tim "Ripper" Owens speaking in Downing's defense. In the limelight of Downing's comments, Hill said that Downing and the band have "parted company" musically, explaining that he had not been in contact with him "for the last couple of years because we've been so busy. But I think, musically, we've parted ways, really. Probably the less said, the better."

Halford said that Downing spoke for himself and said that he wanted to retire and wished him well on his future endeavours. Downing recalled the conflicts that occurred in the winter of 2010, and would then reconsider his departure a few months later, which is not mentioned in his autobiography. After speaking to bassist Ian Hill about the change, he received the setlist for the dubbed farewell tour, only to find out that his announcement to retire from the band was made public the next day, prompting him to send in his angry second letter. Downing felt that he never left Judas Priest and was orchestrated for him to not be there.

Downing stated that he never retired from the music industry, detailing about being encouraged to perform on the farewell tour by a friend and being ridiculed by the fans about his announcement. After guitarist Glenn Tipton's dismissal from touring, Downing expected an opening for him to return, but was never notified. He said essentially the band is performing his songs and that if they can call themselves "Priest", he felt the need to be a Priest as well and be able to perform his songs. Downing recalled being frustrated and having a breakdown at the end of 2010, leading him to quit the band. He said that he wasn't ready to perform on the farewell tour due to his issues that occurred during the Metal Masters Tour, saying that the band wasn't tight and felt that they weren't the same band as they were in their prime. He regretted sending in the retirement letter and not believing anything he wrote. He cited the second letter, telling the band to ignore everything written and explaining the reasons why he left, but the band preferred to tell the content of the first letter instead, in which he told the band to ignore what he wrote as misinformation.

When speaking about the difference on working with Tipton in Judas Priest to working with guitarist A.J. Mills in his band KK's Priest, Downing said that he felt that he didn't have his fair share in lead work in Judas Priest as he should have.

Future
Downing's relationship with Judas Priest is not "overly sweet at the moment. Nothing lasts forever. I started in the late '60s, so certainly guys from that time, we're not going to be around forever. Obviously, we're losing a lot of good friends along the way. It is the way it is." An opportunity existed for him to return to the band, "and that has passed on." He expressed uncertainty if there would ever be another opportunity for him to rejoin, but did not dismiss it in the future.

Downing explained that if he didn't rejoin Judas Priest, "then maybe it's best to just leave it there, really", feeling that there would be a different occupation for him, "Exactly what I don't know, really." Hill said that there were no plans for him to return in the foreseeable future. Downing had an open interest in having a discussion with his former bandmates in taking part in the band's 50th anniversary celebration in 2020, but was not contacted, expressing doubt that he ever would rejoin Judas Priest again.

Downing hoped to make amends with his former bandmates, "But it's proved not to be the case, so, obviously, I have to accept that and just move forward." He clarified his comment from an article published by Blabbermouth, and still held hopes for them to reconcile, "But to date the band have refused me that opportunity." Halford did not dismiss the possibility for Downing to return to Judas Priest in the future. Downing requested for the members to step in and "speak to the press and just make a press release and tell 'em exactly what the deal is", and give "everybody an insight 'cause people wanna know." He once again expressed an open interest in performing with Judas Priest again if given the opportunity, and also perform with them at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony in 2020 if inducted, due to his inclusion in the band's ballot, but was denied the possibility of returning to the band for the 50th-anniversary shows. Downing then made the decision to move forward as a result.

Downing said that he is not interested in rejoining Judas Priest as they became complacent, shifting his newfound attention to his own band KK's Priest.

On 5 November 2022, Judas Priest were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as they received the Musical Excellence Award. Downing performed alongside the band for the first time since 2009 as they performed three songs to celebrate their achievement. Downing dismissed the possibility of performing with the band again as he expected for an open chance to be brought back as they were to perform as a quartet on the 50th anniversary tour, but was denied by Tipton and Hill. He said that he offered them one last chance in hopes they wouldn't live to regret it.

Live return
After not performing on stage since Judas Priest's 30th-anniversary celebration of the 1980 album British Steel in 2009, Downing made his live return at the 2019 edition of the Bloodstock Open Air festival where he performed with former Manowar guitarist Ross the Boss as they played the songs "The Green Manalishi (With the Two Prong Crown)", "Heading Out to the Highway", "Breaking the Law" and "Running Wild". He cited it being "a bit of a whirlwind" and the perfect way to get reintroduced to the stage. He also said that there was very little time for him to rehearse as some of the band members arrived the same day of their scheduled rehearsal, "But we did manage to squeeze an hour or so in the following day." He described the performance as being "a jam, really… And there was quite a bit of improvisation in there. And that's where it is." In a Twitter response from a fan, Richie Faulkner praised Downing's performance upon viewing video footage of him, saying that he "looked and sounded great. Good to see the man up on stage where he belongs again."

Downing, along with former Judas Priest members Tim "Ripper" Owens and Les Binks, former Megadeth bassist David Ellefson and Hostile guitarist A.J. Mills performed a special one-off show in Wolverhampton on 3 November 2019 and played a full set of Judas Priest songs.

KK's Priest
In January 2020, Downing signed with Explorer1 Music Group, which would pair him with veteran manager Andy Gould, and announced that he would work on brand-new music. The following month, it was announced that Downing had formed a new band, KK's Priest, with bassist Tony Newton, guitarist A.J. Mills, and former Judas Priest members Tim "Ripper" Owens and Les Binks on vocals and drums, respectively. The band's debut album Sermons of the Sinner was originally scheduled to be released on 20 August 2021, but was postponed until 1 October. A music video for the album's lead single, "Hellfire Thunderbolt", was released on 12 May 2021. However, Binks did not appear on the album as a result of a wrist injury and was replaced by Cage drummer Sean Elg. Later, Binks would occasionally perform live with KK's Priest.

When speaking to KNAC in June 2021 about Sermons of the Sinner, Downing said that he was already at work on material for the next album, which would be more of a collaboration effort than the first album. In 2023, KK's Priest released their second album "The Sinner Rides Again".

Musical side projects
Downing made a guest appearance on Violent Storm's 2005 self-titled debut album, performing on the track "War No More".

He appeared on the 2012 tribute album ''Who Are You? An All Star Tribute to the Who'', which paid tribute to the Who. He performed on the track "Eminence Front", along with vocalist/bassist John Wetton, keyboardist Derek Sherinian and drummer Billy Sherwood.

Downing appeared on former Queensrÿche vocalist Geoff Tate's Queensrÿche-branded 2013 album Frequency Unknown, performing the guitar solo on "Running Backwards".

In 2018, Downing, along with former Judas Priest members Tim "Ripper" Owens and Les Binks, and Armored Saint bassist Joey Vera were featured in a cover version of the song "Beyond the Realms of Death", fronted by guitarist Paul Crook's band Devilstar, to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Judas Priest's 1978 album Stained Class.

Autobiography
On 18 September 2018, Downing published his autobiography titled Heavy Duty: Days and Nights in Judas Priest via Da Capo Press. It was written by Downing himself along with Mark Eglinton. The memoir details everything from "the complex personality conflicts, the business screw-ups, the acrimonious relationship with fellow heavy metal band Iron Maiden, as well as how Judas Priest found itself at the epicentre of a storm of parental outrage that targeted heavy metal in the '80s", according to the book's synopsis. It also tells about Downing's role in Judas Priest, as well as his decision to leave the band in 2011. It was met with mostly positive reviews.

Since its release, Rob Halford said that he has not taken the time to read Downing's autobiography while in production on his own.

Homes
Downing's first house was a "tiny semi in Bloxwich". He has lived in Los Angeles and Florida but no longer owns a home in Spain, but his main abode since 1985 remains Astbury Hall in Shropshire. It is in a very secluded area so he can (as stated in a 2007 interview) "really turn up Marshalls really loud". Astbury Hall is also home to a championship golf course, a course created by Downing himself and where he has held publicised charity events. Sarah Lissimore, his former girlfriend, mounted a legal challenge for half of his Shropshire estate. This was based on his assertion, "I'd bet you'd love to be lady of this Manor, wouldn't you?" The High Court of Justice rejected the notion that this assertion could give rise to proprietary estoppel in favour of Lissimore.

In December 2013, it was announced that Downing would be teaming up with a property development finance provider, and golfer Darren Clarke, to help build luxury residential developments on Downing's Astbury estate.

Downing told the Shropshire Star: "We have had a fantastic season, things were going really well. We had plans for a hotel that we were doing really well with. Obviously there was a necessity for a funding element. "The company took out a short-term mezzanine fund in early August to take us through to March. This was essentially to bring in professional architects and a team from London. Everything was in place as far as we were concerned. "Unfortunately about six weeks into the loan we were served a loan termination notice about technical breaches of the agreement. "We are at the moment looking to re-finance that loan. We were taken aback that the funder was not more flexible with us as partners. It was put up for sale for £10 million ($13.5 million). Downing maintained that the development was financially stable and viable as he was set to build a luxury hotel for the Marriott Autograph collection and had hoped to host The Open Championship on the estate's golf course.

Due to the circumstances surrounding his golf resort investment, Downing placed a share of his royalty rights for 136 Judas Priest songs for sale; the catalogue generates nearly £300,000 ($400,000) per year. Joint administrator Alastair Massey called the songs "a unique investment opportunity" from one of the "driving influences" of Judas Priest's success. In July 2018, Round Hill Music acquired the royalty rights to Downing's compositions; the catalogue's asking price was at least £10 million ($13.5 million). Downing later explained about the sellings of his estate, his golf course and his royalty rights of 136 Judas Priest songs, "I'm in the process now of recovering everything else through the legal channels. I made a few rubbish business moves, but I can't complain really because I did okay. Lots of musicians end up with nothing really, but I had an evaluation on the estate worth in excess of £13 million. Quite a few million pounds' worth of music royalties and other assets as well. I'm suing my lawyers for negligence."

Gear

 * Hamer Flying V: Issued to KK during the World Vengeance Tour, Hamer would release the KK Downing Flying V for public sale in 1984, ending in 1985. KK's V featured a Floyd Rose Tremolo and a single DiMarzio humbucker.

Amplifiers and effects
 * [MXR] Distortion +

Discography
KK's Priest
 * Sermons of the Sinner (2021)
 * The Sinner Rides Again (2023)

title: K. K. Downing