K.K. Downing states that Glenn Tipton was playing “lot longer” guitar solos while they were in Judas Priest

K.K. Downing states that Glenn Tipton was playing “lot longer” guitar solos while they were in Judas Priest

Former Judas Priest guitarist K.K. Downing was recently interviewed by Jimmy Kay from Canada’s The Metal Voice and spoke about his relationship with guitarist Glenn Tipton.

In terms of how his relationship changed with Tipton over the years, Downing stated (as transcribed by The Metal Voice with slight edits): “There always was a great amount [of] mutual respect for each other and still is. We would spend more time together than any girlfriends or wives. We were very productive, very prolific and I think we were the driving force because we had to create the songs to be sung. It was an an awful amount of work and time spent together. Was there some competitive rivalry , not really on my behalf. I always felt like I was easy going because the most important thing to me was the band, the name Judas Priest. Myself and Glenn went through decades through thick and thin and it was a great relationship but idiosyncrasies started creeping in. I was a bit too easy going, my inspirations were to make the band big not myself big….

We divided the solos at the end of a recording I would have 10 and Glenn would have 10 but my 10 would be 15 second solos but Glenn‘s were a lot longer, it went on a bit like that really  and I kind of let that slip a little bit. But the albums, the songs were great and  the solos were great. Inevitable without even knowing it some kind of pecking order starts to formulate that is why so many great bands didn’t last too long cause things get in the way.”

With respect to whether he regrets leaving Judas Priest, Downing advised: “No, No because, myself and Glenn even though we were much a partnership we would do things differently on stage, Glenn was a bit more rock and roll having beers and I was totally  attentive, perfection, every note every beat. So we kind of drifted apart that way. I wasn’t enjoying it as much as I felt I should.  I like to give 100 percent I think that is what the fans travel for and pay for.”

Interview with K.K. Downing by The Metal Voice:

K.K. Downing (Ex Judas Priest) Interview-Talks Leaving Priest, Iron Maiden, Ripper years

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