Rob Halford reflected on his former Judas Priest bandmate, Dave Holland, years after his death.
Decades after Judas Priest debuted, the members finally attended their induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on Nov. 5 at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, California. The current lineup - Halford, Ian Hill, Glenn Tipton, and Scott Travis - welcomed K.K. Downing and Les Binks, who were included in the recognition.
Even the late drummer, Holland, became part of Judas Priest's milestone.
Speaking to PVT's Rock N Roll James, Halford opened up about the event and shared how thrilled he was to see Holland become part of the induction, although he died years ago.
"I thought it was beautiful that they included him in the induction, as they do," he said. "Your music lives forever. That's what's so important. And so we were representing Dave in spirit. His drum work on all those albums that he made with us - 'British Steel' especially - man, he was a great drummer."
Holland joined the band in 1979 and performed with it for decades. He worked with the other members on its albums, including "British Steel," "Point of Entry," "Screaming for Vengeance," "Defenders of the Faith," "Turbo," and "Ram It Down."
He eventually left the band in 1989 and was replaced by Scott Travis.
Dave Holland Dead at 69
Holland died at the age of 69 on Jan. 16, 2018, in Lugo, Spain. Billboard received a confirmation from Judas Priest, revealing the passing of its former member.
The former drummer had been teaching drums in Spain since he left the band. He resided in the country after spending years in a British jail after allegedly attempting to sexually abuse a teenage boy.
In 2004, he was sentenced for trying to assault a young man in Northamptonshire, England, while giving him drumming lessons. The teenager revealed the incident in a letter he wrote to his parents.
In Downing's 2018 autobiography, "Heavy Duty: Days And Nights In Judas Priest," Scottish author and journalist Mark Eglinton revealed that a friend of Holland wanted to share "a very sad injustice" since the musician was "a true gentleman."
It was clarified that there was no physical evidence to prove the teenager's claim and only offered verbal testimony.
"Dave decided to try and start a new life for himself in Spain. After only days in Spain, Dave went to the doctor complaining of stomach pains and was diagnosed with cancer of the liver and the lungs. In less than two weeks, he passed away," the statement went on.
It remains unknown whether his cancer had something to do with his death.
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