It’s been 15 years since longtime Judas Priest guitarist K.K. Downing (who joined in 1970) left the band. It’s widely known that the split wasn’t entirely positive, and in a new interview with Metal Hammer, frontman Rob Halford commented on Downing’s involvement in the new (and official) Judas Priest documentary, The Ballad of Judas Priest.
What Did Halford Say About Downing + ‘The Ballad of Judas Priest’?
During their video interview with Metal Hammer (uploaded to YouTube on April 11), Halford and co-directors Sam Dunn and Tom Morello – yes, that Tom Morello – discussed many things regarding the new documentary.
Early on, they’re asked about Downing being interviewed for the film (specifically, if there were “any discussions” about “how to deal with him in this movie” and what the “current status” is of Halford’s relationship with him).
“I think that respect is still there. I think that the love and respect that we still have for each other is still there,” Halford replied, adding:
The fact that he’s as important to Judas Priest now as he was then in telling the story. It had to be that way. It had to be that way because he was there at the very beginning, before I even personally joined the band [in 1973]. So, his value and the work that he created in his time with Judas Priest – the fact that we still play a lot of songs that K.K. wrote with myself and with Glenn [Tipton, guitarist].
It’s really important and vital, and I think it sends a message out to the fans and to everybody else in the metal world that even though there is a separation from being included in the band – or not in the band – when we go out in today’s world, that’s irrelevant. The fact that we still do have this respect for each other is important.
As for the possibility of a proper reunion between Downing and Judas Priest (not counting their 2022 one-off performance at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony), Halford contemplated: “Well, I think what he said in the documentary was simple and straightforward and eloquent, that he wasn’t feeling certain things that was important.”
He elaborated:
When you go to work with music, you really have to wanna get on that stage. You can’t hold anything back, you know. You have to be there for the right reasons. If you’re not up there for the right reasons, then you don’t really have the right to be on that stage. You can’t just be going through the motions. You can’t just be going up there ’cause you want the check at the end of the tour. It’s none of that. It’s just a really potent, internal feeling that makes you wanna get on that stage and give yourself with that amount of honesty and conviction to your fans. And if you’re not feeling that, then you do what K.K. did.
You can watch the full interview below:
Rob Halford, Tom Morello + Sam Dunn Discuss The Ballad of Judas Priest
Per Blabbermouth, The Ballad of Judas Priest will get its North American premiere at Canada’s Hot Docs international documentary film festival. The festival runs from April 23 to May 3, and The Ballad of Judas Priest will screen on Sunday, April 26, and Friday, May 1 (both at the Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema).
The official synopsis (via the Hot Docs website) reads:
Over the span of 50 years, Judas Priest pioneered and continues to define the heavy metal genre, releasing 19 studio albums and performing in sold-out arenas for one of the most dedicated band fan bases. A group of English blokes coming from working-class Birmingham, the band’s blistering message of rebellion resonated and popularity soared—but so did the voices of detractors, who falsely accused them of breaking the law and of embedding subliminal messages in their music amid the Satanic panic of the 1980s. Band members are keen to delve into their past, sharing previously unreleased material from their personal archives, but it’s frontman Rob Halford’s story of coming out on MTV and being met with acceptance that really showcases the inclusive spirit of metal. Co-director Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine gives the band their flowers in a film featuring rock royalty like Dave Grohl of Foo Fighters, Metallica’s Kirk Hammett, Run-DMC’s Darryl McDaniels, Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan and the late great Ozzy Osbourne.
You can see more information about the festival – and grab tickets – here.
READ MORE: The ‘Big 4’ Bands of ’80s Metal
More About Downing’s Time in Judas Priest (And What Happened Afterward)
Downing replaced co-founding guitarists John Perry and Ernie Chataway in 1970, and he appeared on every Judas Priest studio album from their debut (1974’s Rocka Rolla) to 2008’s Nostradamus).
Downing eventually attributed his 2011 departure to a longtime “on-going breakdown in working relationships between myself, elements of the band and management for some time.” He’s also clarified that he wasn’t satisfied with the band’s live performances.
Downing eventually became a music promoter and was replaced in Judas Priest by Richie Faulkner. He’s also worked with Geoff Tate and launched a new fragrance line in the immediate years following the separation.
In 2016, he offered some stipulations about how and why he’d return to Judas Priest (including the aforementioned Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction). In 2018, Downing admitted that he was “shocked” that he wasn’t asked to return following Glenn Tipton leaving their current tour to focus on his battle with Parkinson’s Disease. (Andy Sneap got the spot instead.)
Then, in 2020, Downing started a new band – KK’s Priest – with fellow ex-Judas Priest members Tim ‘Ripper’ Owens and Les Binks. Two years later, Faulkner confessed that he wished Downing and Judas Priest could “have a beer and just be pals”; meanwhile, Tipton responded to accusations Downing made about the group in his 2018 biography: Heavy Duty: Days and Nights in Judas Priest.
Following their one-off performance at the 2022 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Downing said that he had “nothing but respect” for Faulkner. Around the same time, KK’s Priest’s two studio albums (2021’s Sermons of the Sinner and 2023’s The Sinner Dies Again) came out.
Other Judas Priest + Downing News
As for Judas Priest, Loudwire recently named them as one of the ‘Big 4’ of ‘80s metal (alongside Ozzy Osbourne, Iron Maiden and Metallica, of course). If that weren’t complimentary enough, Exodus’ Gary Holt proudly claimed that 1978’s Stained Glass (and Metallica’s Master of Puppets) are “the two best metal albums of all time.”
In addition to their upcoming documentary, Judas Priest are gearing up to embark on their 2026 “Faithkeepers” tour in honor of 1984’s Defenders of the Faith. This leg of the tour will go from the end of July to the end of September, and it’ll stop by Germany, France, Slovakia, Spain, Hungary, Italy and many other places.
You can see all of the tour dates – and grab tickets – here.
How do you feel about Halford’s comments? Are you looking forward to The Ballad of Judas Priest? Let us know!
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