Judas Priest talks touring without Glenn Tipton, more ahead of Nassau Coliseum stop

British heavy metal legends Judas Priest have set trends throughout their career. Popularizing the leather-and-studs biker look. Pioneering speed and thrash metal. Opening the floodgates for heavy metal in America with their iconic 1982 album “Screaming for Vengeance.” But they are facing a less upbeat first: Seventy-year-old guitarist Glenn Tipton can no longer tour following his recent announcement that he has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s. Thus the group’s new Firepower tour, which hits NYCB Live’s Nassau Coliseum on Saturday, March 17, will be the first without either Tipton or his former six-string partner K.K. Downing, who left in 2011.

Frontman Rob Halford acknowledges that he and his bandmates are still digesting Tipton’s news that he would no longer be touring. “This horrible Parkinson’s has put him in this predicament, and he hasn’t really been able to make any choice,” Halford says. “It’s been forced upon him. I don’t even know how I would feel if I couldn’t sing. He has been a guitar player all his life. And he still can play. That’s the important thing to keep referencing: He can still play, but it’s the more challenging songs like ‘Painkiller’ that are really, really difficult.”

Tipton has struggled with Parkinson’s for a decade now, and for some fans it became noticeable on the band’s last tour. “He’s been living with this condition and consistently beating it enough from when he was diagnosed,” Halford says. “He just battled on as far as writing, recording and performing. It’s a miracle in that respect.”

The dynamic presence of Tipton, both in songwriting and soloing, is strongly felt on the band’s newly released 18th studio album, “Firepower,” which fans say is Judas Priest’s best since 1990’s Grammy-nominated “Painkiller.” Co-produced by Andy Sneap and Tom Allom (the studio master of the band’s ’80s heyday), it makes the band members sound as if they are half their age, which makes sense given that young gun Richie Faulkner, who replaced Downing, is 38 years old. Faulkner is no slouch in the composing or playing department, laying down more than his fair share of incendiary riffs and solos. His energy reverberates throughout the album.

Upon making the announcement to his bandmates that he did not think he could tour, Tipton suggested “Firepower” co-producer Sneap as his replacement. “Andy was in the other room, and after a couple of hours of really intense, intimate, emotional discussion, we brought him in,” Halford says. “In a heartbeat, he said, ‘I’ll do it.’ ”

Following Tipton’s departure that day, the members of Priest contemplated what to do, and the singer suggested they go into the studio and play. It was a surreal moment: Tipton’s gear was still there, his amp still on and buzzing. As a four-piece, the group powered through the set for the current tour, with Faulkner tearing through all of the solos. “He knows all of Glenn’s lead breaks inside out, so he just dove in,” Halford says. “We all felt a little bit better after that.” Listening in, Sneap expressed his approval.

Halford says that not only is Priest fan Sneap a talented guitarist, he also knows all the new material. But filling in for the inimitable Tipton is a daunting task. “His hands are hurting at the moment,” Halford says with a laugh. “He goes, ‘I’m doing what Eric Clapton does. He soaks his hands in surgical spirits.’ I go, ‘Really?’ ‘Yeah, it seems to work. It gets into your bones and toughens the pads on your fingertips.’” The vocalist has faith in the group’s newest recruit, and he also feels good about how well Faulkner has fit into the band over the last seven years. Even though occasional frustration surfaces in Halford’s voice during the interview, he knows the band will soldier on, especially because, as he says, they want to be onstage somewhere next year for their 50th anniversary.

“If you want to support Glenn, get into this album,” Halford says.

“If you want to support Glenn, come and see Priest as we are, with the chance that Glenn will walk out on stage anytime, anywhere,” the band said in a recent statement.

In looking to similar situations with elder statesmen touring without all of their original members, Halford cites Queen and The Who. Priest bassist Ian Hill has been in the band since 1971, Halford since 1973, Tipton since 1974 and drummer Scott Travis since 1989. “Here’s the deal,” Halford says. “Would you rather have something, or would you rather have nothing? I think our fans would go: I’ll take this because you’re going to play the songs that I love that mean the world to me. I’m going to hear them, I’m going to see the band as Judas Priest, and that’s all that really matters at the end of the day.”