Former Judas Priest guitarist K.K. Downing recently guested on the Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow podcast. He has been at odds with his former bandmates in the press since the promotion of his new book, Heavy Duty: Days And Nights In Judas Priest, began last year, expressing his disappointment on a few occasions at not being asked back when Glenn Tipton chose to step back from touring due to his battle with Parkinson's disease (with producer / guitarist Andy Sneap taking his place on stage). 

Asked if he would consider rejoining Judas Priest if invited to do so, Downing said "it depends on the circumstances of me being asked back. If the guys had said, 'K.K., Glenn is not well. He's not able to do the tour. We really want you to get back in, we wanna add some fortification and go out there with the Priest and give the fans as much of Priest as we can possibly give them. So we'd like you to step back in and it will be a level playing field, total democracy. Everybody's got an equal say. Go out there and have some fun,' then it would have been difficult to say 'no,' really.

It would have been hard to say 'no,' because I would have had confidence. I'd be stepping up there with a new guitar partner, but there's no doubt Richie (Faulkner, who replaced Downing) would just move over. I'd take my place back and (Richie) takes Glenn's parts. I think we would have been a pretty good duo, to be fair. But the situation has got a little bit undesirable; you know, things said. Even Richie has made a comment, and I'm thinking, 'I don't think that's appropriate.' But bands are always falling out and then, next thing you know, they're kissing and hugging. 'Oh, it's great to have you back in the band.'"

Sound Matters episode #070 features an in-depth conversation with guitarist K.K. Downing, formerly of Judas Priest. Topics of discussion include:

- Excerpt from the book that sets the tone for what's to come (14:57)
- Why it even shocked Downing when he decided to leave Judas Priest (25:54)
- Overlooked gems in Judas Priest's back catalogue (45:36)
- What over four decades in music has taught K.K. Downing (50:12)

Listen to "070: K.K. Downing" on Spreaker.

A sample of the audiobook edition of Downing's autobiography, Heavy Duty: Days And Nights In Judas Priest, is available for streaming below.

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.