In a new interview with Guitar World, K.K. Downing takes you behind the scenes of his dramas in and out of Judas Priest and their Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction, and reveals why KK's Priest's turbo-charged new album is “about the fight and the victory”. An excerpt from the feature follows...

Downing officially quit Judas Priest in 2011. Due to personal and musical tensions that had grown over the years between him and some of his bandmates, he opted not to play their planned last hurrah, the Epitaph Tour. Downing insists the band agreed to break up after the final date of the lengthy run.

“Everybody went, ‘He jumped ship. He left our beloved Priest,’” Downing says. “That wasn’t the case at all. If I’d have known that the last tour wasn’t going to be the last tour and they’d be carrying on for another 10 years, things would probably have been a lot different.”

When Downing bowed out, Judas Priest recruited Richie Faulkner, who breathed new life into the band, and with whom Judas Priest has continued to tour and record. Faulkner played on 2014’s Redeemer Of Souls and 2018’s Firepower and toured for both albums.

Downing never hoped to replace Faulkner; however, when Tipton announced he was too ill from Parkinson’s to tour, Downing contacted management and expressed interest in rejoining, but too much bad blood had passed under the bridge for the members to accept his offer. Instead, they hired their producer, Andy Sneap, to join them onstage.

“I graciously requested to return when there was an opportunity, but the guys in the band said, ‘No. We don’t want you.’ I said, ‘Are you sure? Before I start another project, are you sure you don’t want me back in the band?’ Rob, Glenn and Ian said, ‘No,’ and that was it.”

Read the full feature at GuitarWorld.com.

KK's Priest's new offering, The Sinner Rides Again, is available via Napalm Records. Order here.

Tracklisting:

“Sons Of The Sentinel”
“Strike Of The Viper”
“Reap The Whirlwind”
“One More Shot At Glory”
“Hymn 66”
“The Sinner Rides Again”
“Keeper Of The Graves”
“Pledge Your Souls”
“Wash Away Your Sins”

"Hymn 66" video:

"Strike Of The Viper" video:

"Reap The Whirlwind" video:

“One More Shot At Glory” video:

KK's Priest is:

Tim "Ripper" Owens - Vocals
K.K. Downing - Guitar
A.J. Mills - Guitar
Tony Newton - Bass
Sean Elg - Drums