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

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 Arthritis That Led to His Decision To Retire

Ian Hill went into more detail about his condition, sharing the painful realities of arthritis. “For some years now, I’ve been struggling with the onset of the evil arthritis, which is now in an advanced state in my left shoulder and right hand, established in my right shoulder, and present in both knees,” he said. “I’ve been fighting this with painkilling pills, gels, and recently with cortisone injections in my shoulder and hand.”

The statement also noted that Davey Rimmer of Uriah Heep would be accepting the mantle as bassist of Judas Priest. Rimmer previously stepped in for Hill at a show in London on the band’s most recent European tour.

“This was due to me snapping a tendon in my left shoulder (as if I didn’t have enough problems with it!) just before the encores during the Brussels show two days before,” Hill explained. “This led to me not being able to lift my arm enough to reach the neck of my bass. So we had to call Davey to stand in for me, who put in an incredible performance at such short notice!”

Davey Rimmer Gets the Seal of Approval To Become Judas Priest’s New Bassist

Hill further explained that he’s seen many specialists who have told him he might get away without having surgery on his arm and shoulder. But, he said, “there’s no guarantee either way that I’ll have enough strength in my shoulder/arm to complete a whole stage show.”

Hill continued, “In view of all this, and the fact that I’ve neglected my family life for fifty seven years, I’ve decided to retire and spend the remaining years making up for it and doing things with them before it involves one of ‘em pushing me around in a wheelchair.”

He also praised Rimmer for his work, calling him the “obvious choice” for his replacement in the band. Hill wished Rimmer the “very best of luck” as Judas Priest’s new bassist, describing him as “a great bassist, and a genuinely nice bloke who’ll fit the job perfectly.”

Hill concluded by saying, “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, and thank you for the life you’ve let me live.”

Fans in the comments of the social media post shared words of support for the bassist. Additionally, fellow musicians shared their respect for Hill’s legacy. Alice in Chains bassist Mike Inez commented, “It’s been a pleasure to watch and hear you all of these years. It’s an honor to know you and all of us bassists respect everything you have given to the heavy music community!”

Photo by Scott Dudelson/Getty Images

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