Judas Priest Brings Andy Sneap Back, As They Will Continue As A 5-Piece
Judas Priest has just announced via its social media accounts that they reversed their decision to continue with one guitarist in 2022, stating that Andy Sneap is back as they will continue as a 5-piece guitarist.
As some of you might remember, Judas Priest had announced on January 11 that the band decided to continue with one guitarist and without Andy Sneap as he wanted to focus on his highly-regarded studio work. Later then, fans sent their criticisms to the band and tried to step back their decision.
After the band announced the agreement that they would continue without Andy Sneap, who worked with the band as a touring guitarist after the band’s guitarist Glenn Tipton was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, the guitarist had shared his disappointment respectfully.
It seems that Judas Priest fans got successful with their call. With a recent social media update shared on Twitter and the other channels, Judas Priest clearly announced that they will continue as 5-piece in 2022, bringing Andy Sneap back as a touring musician.
so see you all soon as we forge ahead celebrating 50 massive heavy metal years of Judas Priest together!
JUDAS PRIEST
15th January 20222/2
— Judas Priest (@judaspriest) January 16, 2022
“Hello metal maniacs,” Priest sent via social media. “Given all that has recently evolved and transpired we have decided unanimously as a band to continue our live shows unchanged with Rob, Ian, Richie, Scott, Andy and Glenn joining us whenever he’s able…
“So see you all soon as we forge ahead celebrating 50 massive heavy metal years of Judas Priest together!
“JUDAS PRIEST, 15th January 2022.”
When Judas Priest Decided To Continue Without Andy Sneap
The first time Judas Priest announced that they would continue without Andy Sneap on January 11, 2021, the band’s fans were upset with the decision. Under their social media posts, they had shared their thoughts, saying that they wanted to see Andy during their live shows in 2022.
Hello Maniacs!
We are chomping at the British Steel bit to return to World touring….celebrating 50 Years of Judas Priest as an even more powerful, relentless four piece Heavy Metal band – with Glenn coming out on stage with us here and there as before…..!!
1/2 pic.twitter.com/CVNA7pIg3n
— Judas Priest (@judaspriest) January 11, 2022
“Hello maniacs,” they said back on January 11.
“We are chomping at the British Steel bit to return to world touring… celebrating 50 years of Judas Priest as an an even more powerful, relentless four piece heavy metal band – with Glenn coming out on stage with us here and there as before.
“Big thanks to Andy for all you’ve done and continuing to be in the production team for our new album…
“See you all soon headbangers!”
Rob Halford’s Comments On Next Priest Album
Back in October 2021, Rob Halford had commented on the next Judas Priest album. Sharing exciting news, Rob Halford claimed that the new album would be unique.
“When we played Bloodstock and twenty thousand metal maniacs were singing ‘I’m your turbo lover,’ it’s metal,” he continues. “And then, twenty minutes later, twenty thousand metal maniacs are going, ‘He is the painkiller,’ it’s metal.
“From two different worlds — from the ‘Turbo’ world and from the ‘Painkiller’ world — but it’s still heavy metal.
“And this, I feel, has always been what sets Judas Priest in a place that no one else explores. And that’s why I feel that when our fans hear that Judas Priest is making a new metal album, they know they’re going to get something that they have never heard before, they’re going to get the sounds, they’re going to get the songs, they’re going to get the compositions and the arrangements in a way that, again, is new; it’s fresh.”
He had also touched on the band’s longevity for more than five decades. According to him, they’re thinking about Judas Priest fans whenever they write new songs for the band.
“I feel that’s also a part why we’ve lasted 50 years in own world, in the Priest world — is because when we start to sit down and write, like I’ve been writing with Glenn
and with Richie, internally, we know, we think about our fans, we think about the excitement that our fans are feeling, we think about what our fans are wondering this next Priest album will contain,” Halford reveals.
“And we know that our fans are also as full of adventure and acceptance and open-mindedness and freedom as Judas Priest is when we [come together] to make these new metal songs.
“So, yeah, every single Priest album — if you look at the cover of ‘Point Of Entry’, you can hear the songs in your head; if you look at the cover of ‘Firepower’, you can hear the songs in your head. It’s the same band, but they’re two different dimensions.
“And this is what makes Judas Priest, again, unique. There is no other band in heavy metal like Judas Priest, and we’re very proud of that.”
