K.K. Downing thought that at some point he would return to Judas Priest but that hasn’t happened
K.K. Downing thought that at some point he would return to Judas Priest but that hasn’t happened
Former Judas Priest guitarist K.K. Downing was recently interviewed by Jimmy Kay for Canada’s The Metal Voice in advance of his return to a stage with his upcoming appearance with ex-Manowar guitarist Ross The Boss at the Bloodstock Open Air Festival in Catton Park in Derbyshire, UK on August 11, 2019.
In terms of whether he is nervous about jumping on stage after a ten year absence, Downing revealed: “Absolutely not! It’s just like riding a bike, it’s not like I haven’t been playing the guitar since quitting Judas Priest. Once you have learned those chops and toured extensively over the decades its very easy to back to it. I am always up for a challenge. We will go up there and play Judas Priest songs but I am also open to any other suggestions. So I told Ross let’s just meet up and let’s set up a jam the day before and let’s see what we feel like doing. Maybe we can mix it up and bring something different to the table. The organizers also have extended the amount of time we can play which is great.”
With respect to whether he has had any other opportunities to perform with another band on stage (since leaving Judas Priest back in 2011), Downing advised: “To be honest I was expecting at some point a willingness and an opportunity to step back into Judas Priest. You know how it is, things said in haste, a band is a relationship, like every husband and wife, every brother and sister. But I thought at one point it would be inevitable and I would re-enter Judas Priest and carry on where we left off but it’s proved not to be the case. So I have to accept that and just move forward. So I am looking forward to being a guest at Bloodstock immensely and I thank Ross and the band. One thing I like about Ross and the band they are full on metal, they are dedicated and it’s good to be onstage with people that not only think like me but who have played like me through the decades.”
You can read other excerpts from the interview with K.K. Downing at The Metal Voice‘s website or listen to the interview below:
– YouTube
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