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Judas Priest Bassist Ian Hill Announces Immediate Retirement Due to Advancing ‘Evil’ Condition

Founding bassist of Judas Priest, Ian Hill, has announced his retirement from the iconic metal band after 57 years.

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Ian Hill, the longest-running current member of Judas Priest, has announced his retirement from the iconic metal band. The bassist joined in 1970 with K.K. Downing and John Ellis, when they were still called Freight. Their original band took on the name Judas Priest from an adjacent folded group, with current vocalist Rob Halford joining in 1973.

On October 9, 2026, Hill revealed that he made the tough decision to retire from music, effective immediately. The band shared the news with fans on social media, with Hill penning a personal statement. There, he shared that his arthritis was affecting his ability to perform.

“Hello everyone, for a long time now, when asked ‘how long can you continue’ – I’ve always answered ‘until my performances suffer’,” Hill began. “I hate to say it, but that time has come.”

Bassist Ian Hill Shares Details of Painful........

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