K DOWNING
For a moment back there, it felt like we had lost KK Downing. As a founder member of Black Country metal gods Judas Priest, the guitarist had presided over four decades of leather-studded Sturm und Drang. But after Downing’s unhappy exit from the line-up in 2011, the silence was eerie. Sure, as the now 70-year-old reminds us, there’s been the odd writing credit and guest spot, some production work, an autobiography, a golf resort. But without a band to call home, it rankled fans to see his world-class talents merely ticking over.
As such, it’s a pleasure to report that Downing is not only back but nudging the top of his game, leading out new band KK’s Priest, jousting fellow guitarist AJ Mills and going toe-to-toe with the cauterising shriek of sometime Priest vocalist Tim ‘Ripper’ Owens. With a debut album to promote and a photoshoot awaiting him, for the first time in a long time, the clock is ticking. Downing settles down with a vindicated grin: “It’s good to be busy.”
It’s a decade since your split from Priest. What happened to your guitar skills during that time away?
“Well, the other guys from Judas Priest told the world that I had retired – that’s absolutely misinformation, it’s not true at all. I kept myself pretty busy. I can’t say I played an immense amount of guitar. But I can just pick the guitar up, and it’s a bit like playing golf – sometimes you can not play for six months then go out and play better than you did before.”
How did
