JUDAS PRIEST bassist and founding member Ian Hill says former guitarist K.K. Downing won’t ever be performing with the band again
Speaking with Greg Prato of AllMusic, JUDAS PRIEST bassist Ian Hill was asked if he still keeps in touch with the group’s former guitarist Kenneth “K.K.” Downing and whether he would ever consider playing with K.K. again. Ian responded: “I think he’s gone a bit too far for that now. I gave him a couple of chances to basically say hello, and he blanked me. So, he ain’t going to get another chance. It’s a pity the way it’s turned out. But things are what they are.”
At the 2022 Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony in Los Angeles, Downing reunited with JUDAS PRIEST for a special performance. JUDAS PRIEST was honored with the Musical Excellence Award at the November 2022 event, which also celebrated luminaries such as Eminem, Dolly Parton, DURAN DURAN, Lionel Richie, Pat Benatar, EURYTHMICS, and Carly Simon in the Performers category.
Inducted members of JUDAS PRIEST included current bandmates Rob Halford (vocals), Hill, Glenn Tipton (guitar), and Scott Travis (drums), along with former members Downing, drummer Les Binks, and the late drummer Dave Holland.
For their performance, Halford, Hill, Tipton, and Travis were joined by Binks, Downing, and current guitarist Richie Faulkner. Together, they delivered a powerful three-song medley featuring classics like “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’,” “Breaking The Law,” and “Living After Midnight.”
Downing‘s relationship with PRIEST has been marked by tension and departure. In 2018, he revealed that he sent two resignation letters to the band, one expressing a graceful exit and the other laying out frustrations with specific parties. Downing believed that the latter letter was a significant factor in him not being invited to rejoin PRIEST after Tipton‘s retirement from touring.
Last September, Downing spoke with “Rock Of Nations With Dave Kinchen And Shane McEachern” and revealed that he was disappointed that Hill had decided against having him rejoin the group. “Honestly, the worst thing about the whole thing is that Ian has denied me the opportunity to step back into the band,” he said. “I mean, we went to kindergarten together; we were like brothers.
“And we spent many years at the back of the bus complaining about everybody else. [Laughs] I always thought it was me and him for many years. But I just don’t know how that can happen, like I say. And Rob left the band for 14 years. And when I was instrumental in inviting him back into the band. How can he deny me the opportunity to go on stage and play my songs? They’re saying, ‘We’re gonna do it, but you can’t.’ Because Ian and Rob never wrote any of the music for this band.”
When Downing was asked if he thinks Ian was pressured by JUDAS PRIEST management or by any of the other band members to prevent him from returning to the band, K.K. said: “Something’s wrong somewhere. It doesn’t make sense. How can Ian, the bass player that’s never written any songs, deny me the opportunity of being in the band?
“All of those years, and I’ve written all of those songs and riffs, but how can he stand over there and play bass and not allow me to play the guitar to those songs? It doesn’t make any sense. And it doesn’t make any sense not to have the original guy back from the trademark lineup. It doesn’t make any sense. Am I that bad? [Laughs] But anyway, so I’ve gone ahead and made two albums [with KK’S PRIEST] in two years, and those guys have done two albums in 14 years. I just don’t get it. I don’t get it.”
Formed in Birmingham, England in 1969, the iconic JUDAS PRIEST is a legendary heavy metal band known for their powerful vocals, dual guitar harmonies, and electrifying stage presence. With a career spanning over five decades, they’ve released iconic albums like “British Steel” and “Screaming for Vengeance,” shaping the metal genre with hits such as “Breaking the Law” and “Painkiller.”
Their influence extends across generations, earning them a devoted global fanbase and induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. JUDAS PRIEST continues to captivate audiences worldwide with their timeless music and uncompromising dedication to the metal ethos.