Rock News Roundup for Monday, Oct. 12: Judas Priest’s Ian Hill Retires, and the Week’s New Releases
Written by Jarvis Prime on October 12, 2026
Priest's longest-serving member steps away, Greta Van Fleet and Sheryl Crow have new albums, a final David Allan Coe record is on the way, and Fleetwood Mac's 'Tusk' came out on this day in 1979.
Good Monday morning, south Georgia. Pour another cup of coffee, because a lot happened in music over the weekend. Here's what you need to know.
We'll start with the end of an era in heavy rock. Ian Hill, bassist for Judas Priest and the band's longest-serving member, announced his retirement on October 9, effective immediately. Hill said he has fought arthritis for years and that it is now advanced in his shoulders, his right hand and both knees. He also said he wants to spend more time with his family. Hill joined Priest back in 1970 and played on every one of the band's 19 studio albums, from the 1974 debut through 2024's 'Invincible Shield.' Uriah Heep bassist Davey Rimmer is stepping in. Priest's 2026 dates are done, and the band's next show is set for June 2027 in Oslo, Norway.
On to new music. Greta Van Fleet, the Michigan band that wears its classic-rock heart on its sleeve, was scheduled to release 'Palace for the People' on October 9. They made the album in Tennessee this spring and co-produced it with Mike Elizondo, and the lead single is 'Saw You Stand.' Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Sheryl Crow also has a new one out, 'Pick You Up.' It's her 12th studio album: seven songs, all written with longtime collaborator Jeff Trott, including 'Freedom Bus' with Jesse Welles. The vinyl follows November 20.
If you lean country and roots, mark Friday, October 16 on the calendar. That's when 'A Million Reasons' arrives digitally. It's the final studio album from outlaw legend David Allan Coe, who died this past April at 86. He recorded these songs back in 2017, and the album includes a new take on 'You Never Even Called Me By My Name.' Over in Nashville, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit are scheduled to start their six-night October run at the Ryman Auditorium this Thursday.
In radio news, the Radio Hall of Fame inducted its Class of 2026 at a gala in Chicago hosted by Bobby Bones. The eight inductees include iHeartMedia chief Bob Pittman, Boomer Esiason, Rickey Smiley, Shotgun Tom Kelly and longtime Chicago personality Fred Winston. It's a fine reminder of what a good voice on the radio can mean to a town.
Finally, today in rock history: on October 12, 1979, Fleetwood Mac released 'Tusk,' their sprawling double album, and it sold about 4 million copies worldwide. On this date in 1988, Poison released 'Every Rose Has Its Thorn,' which went on to spend three weeks at No. 1. In 1994, MTV premiered 'No Quarter: Jimmy Page and Robert Plant Unledded.' And back in 1962, a young band called the Beatles opened for Little Richard in England.
That's the news. Stay tuned to Pretoria Fields Radio, and we'll keep the good stuff spinning.
— The Pretoria Fields Radio news desk
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