Ian Hill announced his retirement from Judas Priest this week after more than 55 years.
Incredibly, in that time, the bassist missed just one concert since he joined the ranks of the future heavy metal legends in 1970. You can watch his final performance with the group below, including the last two songs he played with the band.
Hill’s last outing with Judas Priest happened Sept. 18 in Brussels, Belgium at Vorst Nationaal, which is the largest concert arena in the area, with a total capacity of about 8,400 people.
The band performed their standard 17-song set that they’ve been playing on this year’s ongoing Faithkeepers tour, which features fan favorites like “You’ve Got Another Thing Coming,” “Living After Midnight” and “Breaking the Law.” They paired those with deeper cuts like “Steeler,” the album closer on 1980’s British Steel, and “Desert Plains,” from the subsequent Point of Entry record, which arrived in 1981.
READ MORE: Judas Priest Bassist Ian Hill Misses First Show Since 1970
Why Ian Hill is Retiring From Judas Priest
The bass player missed his first concert since 1970 on Sept. 21 at Eventim Apollo in London, which was their final show for 2026. Uriah Heep bassist Davey Rimmer, who also works with Priest guitarist Richie Faulkner in his band Elegant Weapons, was tapped to fill in. A “badly damaged tendon” was revealed as the event which caused Hill to have to step back from the London performance.
Having had some time to deliberate his future since then, Hill decided that it was time to make the change permanent. Judas Priest shared on Oct. 9 that Rimmer would be stepping into the role as they look towards their next round of road work for 2027.
“It is with heavy hearts that we are sending out this personal message from our Ian,” Judas Priest wrote on social media. “He has been the backbone of Judas Priest for so long and will be greatly missed by us all….we wish him well in his retirement and welcome Davey into the Priest Family.”
“For a long time now, when asked ‘how long can you continue’ – I’ve always answered ‘until my performances suffer,'” Hill shared in a statement that was released alongside the announcement. “I hate to say it, but that time has come,” he detailed, pointing to the “onset of the evil arthritis” as one root cause. You can read his entire statement here.
Ian’s History With Judas Priest
Incredibly, Hill is the only member of Judas Priest who has performed on every single album the band has released, starting with 1974’s Rocka Rolla and continuing through to 2024’s Invincible Shield. When he enlisted in 1970, it was three years before Rob Halford and four before Glenn Tipton.
“I had played in small time bands, you know, before that, and done a handful of shows with them,” he told UCR in 2024. “But it was the first solid [opportunity], of anything with [actual] potential that we had.”
“That was potential with a small p as well at the time,” he added. “We were all learning our trade. None of us had any sort of official training in music. We were learning it all.”
Now, as he shared in his statement to the fans, he’s looking forward to spending time with his family after more than 50 years with the group. But he remains grateful for the lengthy run with Judas Priest.
“There’s not a day goes by where I don’t give thanks for the incredible journey I’ve lived through, and it just remains for me to say that I love you all,” he said. “Thank you for the life you’ve let me live.”
What’s Next for Judas Priest?
The band’s first concert with Rimmer on bass is currently scheduled as part of the Tons of Rock festival, which is happening June 23 through June 26, where they will be part of a diverse lineup that includes Motley Crue, Gwar and Lynyrd Skynyrd.
READ MORE: Judas Priest Announces First Performances for 2027
Watch Judas Priest’s Last Two Songs With Ian Hill at Vorst Nationaal
Watch Judas Priest Perform ‘You’ve Got Another Thing Coming’ at Vorst Nationaal
Watch Judas Priest Perform ‘Breaking the Law at Vorst Nationaal
Watch Judas Priest Perform ‘Metal Gods’ at Vorst Nationaal
Watch Judas Priest Perform ‘The Sentinel’ at Vorst Nationaal
Watch Judas Priest Perform ‘Painkiller’ at Vorst Nationaal
Judas Priest Albums Ranked
They don’t call ’em Metal Gods for nothing.
Gallery Credit: Ultimate Classic Rock Staff
