Former Judas Priest guitarist K.K. Downing recently spoke with All That Shreds about the band, his decision to retire in 2011, and his new book Heavy Duty: Days And Nights In Judas Priest. Following is an  excerpt from the discussion.

All That Shreds: Ripper (Tim Owens) said he’d like to go back and re-record Jugulator and Demolition as he feels Priest is trying to remove any mention of his involvement with the band.  It’s hard to find Jugulator anywhere and Demolition is more available. Would you participate in the re-record with Ripper?

Downing: "It doesn’t surprise me that they’re trying to do that to Ripper. Ripper did an excellent job on those two albums and I’d say what would be the point?  He did a fantastic job on them. We were dropped from Sony when Rob (Halford) left and was signed to smaller labels with Jugulator and Demolition. I will do some research as to who owns the rights/masters to the albums and let you know. If nobody owns the rights to them, I will start producing and marketing them. I’d be happy to. I would participate in the re-recordings with Ripper and fund them if nobody owns the rights. I don’t think at the moment it’s the right thing to do something independently."

All That Shreds: Do you have any contact with anyone from Priest?

Downing: "None. They don’t respond to any of my correspondence. Glenn (Tipton) is always the one that controls the behinds the scenes with Jane from management. It’s a bit like a John Lennon/Yoko syndrome. Andy and Ritchie are on a wage. They’re not really part of Judas Priest. The band is Judas Priest Music. I’m 25% shareholder and Director of that company. It’s a bit of a mess, really."

All That Shreds: Why did you auction off your rights to Judas Priest music?

Downing: "Unfortunately, time isn’t on anybody’s side. I sold them off outright. Time isn’t on Glenn’s side or mine. We’re either approaching 70 or over 70. You start living off borrowed time. There’s really no place for egos. It’s all about being grateful for what and who we are and what we achieved. It’s comes to a point when the fans are more important than anyone cause you need them to stay with you."

Go to this location for the complete interview.

Heavy Duty: Days And Nights In Judas Priest was released back in September 2018 via Hachette Audio (digital download), and Da Capo Press (print, ebook). The book was co-written by Scottish author and journalist Mark Eglinton.

A book synopsis states: Judas Priest formed in the industrial city of Birmingham, England, in 1968. With its distinctive twin-guitar sound, studs-and-leather image, and international sales of over 50 million records, Judas Priest became the archetypal heavy metal band in the 1980s. Iconic tracks like “Breaking The Law”, “Living After Midnight”, and “You’ve Got Another Thing Coming” helped the band achieve extraordinary success, but no one from the band has stepped out to tell their or the band’s story until now.

As the band approaches its golden anniversary, fans will at last be able to delve backstage into the decades of shocking, hilarious, and haunting stories that surround the heavy metal institution. In Heavy Duty guitarist K.K. Downing discusses frontman Rob Halford’s hidden sexuality, the personality conflicts, the business screw-ups, the acrimonious relationship with fellow heavy metal band Iron Maiden, and how Judas Priest was at ground zero for the parental outrage targeting heavy metal in the ’80s. Lastly, he reveals the life-changing moment when he looked at his bandmates on stage during a 2010 concert and thought, “This is the last show.” Whatever the topic, whoever’s involved, K.K. doesn’t hold back.

With the band at the beginning through his retirement in 2010 (and even still as a member of the band’s board of directors), Downing has seen it all and is now finally at a place in his life where he can also let it all go. Even if you’re a lifelong fan, if you think you know the full story of Judas Priest, well, you’ve got another thing coming.