Judas Priest Call James Durbin 'Idol' Cover 'Dream Come True'

"American Idol" contestants have been known to cover iconic songs by industry staples, and that was the case when finalist James Durbin rocked out to Judas Priest's classic "You've Got Another Thing Coming" earlier in season 10.

MTV News caught up with the heavy metal band on the red carpet for Wednesday's star-studded "Idol" finale, and the bandmates praised the young rocker for pushing the metal genre.

"Because we've lived so long and done so much stuff in heavy metal and we've seen so many crazy things and heard so many crazy things, when we heard this we went, 'F---! That's incredible, man. Let's do it, you know? This is insane. That's just amazing,' " frontman Rob Halford explained of their reaction to getting "Idol" exposure. "So as it progressed from 'Another Thing Coming' till this point now, when we're on the carpet and we're about to do the show, it's just a dream come true for Priest, for metal and, mostly, for James Durbin."

Asked if there was any trepidation about letting Durbin take on their 1982 hit, guitarist Glenn Tipton said, "None whatsoever, I mean, if you look at what James has done for heavy metal, you've got to say thank you, you know? It's just bringing metal to the front, making it, metal, accessible for people. It's a good thing."

Since the "Idol" contestant's rendition of the Judas Priest tune, the acts have become quite friendly with each other, even exchanging personal stories over dinner earlier this week.

As for whether the heavy metal world will ever see a collaboration between the fourth-place finalist and the British band, Halford was optimistic, saying,"Yeah, anything's possible."

"We just wish him all the best," he added. "He's got such an extraordinary voice. He's got such a genuine and lovable personality. He's the real deal, James, and we wish him the best. Good for you, James!"

Would you like to see James and Judas Priest work on a song together? Tell us in the comments!

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