I’m sitting in the bar of the Marriott Pavilion Hotel in downtown St. Louis. It’s—what?—about 2 a.m. With me are Rob Halford and K.K. Downing of Judas Priest. I am not dreaming. We are having an amicable conversation. I am not dreaming. I thought their show was damned good. I am not dreaming.

I ask Halford if he feels embittered by criticisms that have been levied against Judas Priest. -Straightforward stuff like: “They’re a bunch of creeps.”

Halford speaks carefully, as is his habit. “It has been a relatively comfortable thing to go through, although at certain times one does get very frustrated and feel—not so much bitter—but tense. You see yourself with something special to offer, with a highly professional attitude and direction. And there are people around you in the business who quite simply play a bunch of shit.”

“Who? Who?” I froth. Hey, I wanna interview them next!