Former Judas Priest guitarist, K.K. Downing, spoke to eonmusic about his forthcoming show at the Steel Mill in Wolverhampton, and Judas Priest's nomination for the 2020 Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame. Read an excerpt below:

eonmusic: You’ve recently been nominated for induction with Judas Priest into the 2020 Rock $ Roll Hall of Fame; how does it feel to get the nod again?

K.K. Downing: "Yeah, it’s great, because it’s some accolade, really. The Hall Of Fame, it’s not easy to get in there. It’s difficult, and it takes even giant bands a lifetime even to be nominated. I don’t think Black Sabbath were too fast, so I guess you have to be of an age."

eonmusic: You were last nominated in 2018; is it nice to get a second bite at the cherry?

K.K. Downing: "Yeah. Well, it is a fact that we’re 50 years old, and the last time we didn’t get in. We’re not all here, obviously; Dave Holland [drummer 1979 – 1989, who died in 2018] has gone, and he wasn’t a young man when he went, really. But I think sometimes you have to ask yourself; 'what do you have to do?' I think that there’s a bit of a divide as well, between State side and European side. To me as a fan, the other bands that have been nominated, like Motörhead, they’re just giants and a part of my life, and part of a lot of people’s life. There’s also a lot of European bands like The Scorpions."

eonmusic: It sounds like the nomination actually does mean something to you.

K.K. Downing: "Yeah, I think it does really, because in years to come, when you look back at your career and everything, I think it’s like anybody in certain walks of life, in the world of sports or film; you can always look at your trophy cabinet. I think it comes down to the trophies that you’ve got really. It’s not an easy gig to get really, getting in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and not everybody makes it, and a lot of great artists don’t."

eonmusic: The question has to be asked about the possibility of your playing with Judas Priest, should the induction happen.

K.K. Downing: "Yeah, that’s an interesting one really. I don’t know what the deal is, if a nominated person like me or Les Binks gets in, are we entitled to play? I don’t know how that all works, but I guess we’ll fathom that all out. I would imagine for one day that people can sensibly think; 'well, it doesn’t matter. Nothing else matters; what matters is that we’ve achieved this'. Collectively, we have played our part, and it should be a moment of splendour really, and enjoyment, and something that we can be pretty grateful of. And it doesn’t hurt, you know? It’s often said that funerals bring people together - that’s not to say that getting in the Hall of Fame’s a funeral! - but this could maybe have an effect that it just gives us the opportunity to get together and get on the stage and just enjoy the moment, really."

Read the full interview at eonmusic.