Rob Halford (JUDAS PRIEST), Paul Di’Anno (ex-IRON MAIDEN) and FREE REIGN are among the scheduled presenters at the 21st Pollstar Concert Industry Awards, which will be held on February 17, 2010 at the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live in Los Angeles, California. This year’s show is hosted by Kathleen Madigan — the comedian Lewis Black (a four-time host of the Pollstar Awards) describes as “the funniest woman in America.”

Scheduled celebrity presenters include:

* Lead singer Rob Halford of JUDAS PRIEST
* actor John O’Hurley
* songwriters Barry Mann & Cynthia Weil
* comedian David Brenner
* guitarist Ronnie Montrose
* longtime ASIA frontman John Payne
* songwriter Lamont Dozier
* Cher impersonator Chad Michaels
* lead singer Dave Jenkins of PABLO CRUISE
* frontman Fee Waybill of THE TUBES
* lead singer Jimmie Van Zant
* illusionist Mike Super
* funk legends WAR
* lead singer Wayne Nelson of LITTLE RIVER BAND
* singer and musical director David Pack
* keepers of the Miles Davis flame Erin Davis and Vince Wilburn Jr.
* Dallas Cowboys band FREE REIGN
* electronica pioneers THE CRYSTAL METHOD
* longtime Elton John drummer Nigel Olsson
* original IRON MAIDEN lead singer Paul Di’Anno
* Senon Williams & Paul Smith of DENGUE FEVER
* actor and comedian Shelley Berman
* world figure skating champion Tai Babilonia
* multi-instrumentalist and studio wizard Alan Parsons
* former EAGLES guitarist Don Felder
* multi-Grammy winner Al Jarreau
* BLONDIE drummer Clem Burke

And more surprises to come.

For more information, visit pollstarpro.com.

Snooki Breaks Into The Interview Game With Judas Priest

Posted 2/2/10 11:21 am ET by Kyle Anderson in Grammys

When MTV News decided to send “Jersey Shore” star Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi to the Grammy Awards this past Sunday (January 31), nobody knew exactly how it would go. Sure, she had plenty of on-camera experience, and based on her performance as the breakout star of “Jersey Shore,” everybody knew she had a natural charisma that would come across. But the truth was that she had never conducted an interview before Sunday night. What would happen once Snooki hit the carpet and started talking to some of the biggest stars in music?

When she finally got the chance to get her feet wet as a correspondent, she began with an interesting challenge. The first musicians she encountered on the red carpet? Rob Halford and Scott Travis of legendary English metal band Judas Priest (who would later take home the prize for Best Metal Performance, the group’s first Grammy in its 40 year history). You might think that a pair of veteran metalheads would give Snickers a hard time, but luckily, she happened upon two hardcores who happened to be fans of “Jersey Shore.”

“We know who you are,” Halford said during introductions.

“Do you like my show?” Snooki asked.

“Oh yes,” Halford replied.

Snooki went on to explain to the metal vets that J-WOWW likes to work out to heavy metal music, so she’s probably heard of them. Travis said he was excited for the second season of the show and wondered if a third was already in place. “I think there’s going to be a third, fourth, fifth, sixth,” Snooki said.

Originally posted at: http://newsroom.mtv.com/2010/02/02/snooki-grammys-judas-priest/

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Rob Halford of JUDAS PRIEST will co-host the “Electric Ballroom” radio show with Keith Roth on WRAT on Sunday, January 24 from 10:00 p.m. to midnight EST.

You can listen to the program live on 95.9 WRAT FM in the New York/New Jersey area or via the Internet at www.wrat.com (click on “Listen Live").

He is nicknamed ‘The Metal God’ and is known the world over as the frontman of Judas Priest but Rob Halford loves nothing better than returning to his roots in Walsall.

And despite being more accustomed to playing packed out stadiums, the 58-year-old who has sold millions of albums has not ruled out a hometown performance one day in the future.

He said: “If someone came up with an idea and we could get everyone there in the same place I would never say never to performing back in Walsall, you can’t beat a local gig.”

Brought up on the same Beechdale Estate as Noddy Holder by his parents Barrie and Joan, Rob is the eldest of three. His sister Sue and brother Nigel, both still live in Pelsall while his parents remain in a house in central Walsall.

Rob, a former Beechdale Infants and Richard C Thomas pupil, himself also retains a house in Walsall which he tries to return to a few times a year from his base in America where he spends most of his time in San Diego.

He said: “I miss good chips or a curry, I still have my British accent and I love my home town. I come back two or three times a year for flying visits and always for Christmas and New Year.

“I would hate it if I could not come back and push my trolley around The Saddlers centre. I think it must be terrible for these people who are hugely famous and can’t even do that sort of thing.”

The Sound of Young America

Plus: Audrey Ewell and Aaron Aites moved to Norway to pursue their interest in that country’s black metal scene. They discovered a story of extreme aesthetics, murder and church burning. The film they created, Until The Light Takes Us, follows two of the scene’s scions. Gylve Nagell, known as “Fenriz,” of the band Darkthrone, is a quiet, contemplative metalhead, deeply invested in the medium’s aesthetics and rueful of what the scene has become. Varge Vikernes, known as “Count Grischnak,” of the band Burzum is a distinct contrast. He’s a charismatic and eloquent advocate of an extreme Norweigan nativist political and religious agenda. He’s also a convicted murderer and church arsonist.

Celebrate the darkest days of winter with us!

Originally posted at The Sound of Young America

This episode features an interview hosts Mark Strigl and John Ostronomy conducted with Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford and Halford guitarist Metal Mike Chlasciak. Topics include the Winter Songs album, Metal God Apparel, Metal God Records, Judas Priest’s music videos, Metal Heroes Music Academy, Roy Z, Rudolf Schenker, and music downloading. The episode also contains an interview with Angel, The Metal Nurse. Additional podcast topics include Judas Priestess, White Wizzard, Stitcher, and Screaming Metal’s March 6th concert at Dingbatz in Clifton, New Jersey.

Download Podcast: MP3 | iTunes

Originally posted at: http://www.striglsmusicnews.com/2010/index2.htm