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According to the Spanish newspaper El Progreso, former Judas Priest drummer Dave Holland has died at the age of 69.
Holland was a member of Judas Priest from 1979 through 1989, performing on such classic albums as 1980’s British Steel, 1982’s Screaming for Vengeance and 1984’s Defenders of the Faith, among others.
He parted ways with Priest in 1989 due to personal problems and musical differences, and was replaced by Scott Travis, who remains in the band to this day.
Holland, who was also a longtime member of the band Trapeze, gained infamy in 2004 when he was found guilty of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old male drumming student who had learning disabilities. He was sentenced to eight years in prison for his crimes.
El Progreso reports that Holland died on January 16 and has already been cremated. No cause of death has been revealed, but he had apparently been living in Fonsagrada, Spain, following his release from prison. The website Let It Rock reports that Holland’s death was confirmed by the former management of Trapeze.
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