Guitarist K.K. Downing says that he believes whole-heartedly that Tim “Ripper” Owens’ two albums singing for JUDAS PRIEST should be made available to the public.
Owens joined the iconic metal band in 1996 and released two albums, 1997’s “Jugulator” and 2001’s “Demolition”, before Rob Halford returned to front the outfit.
When asked by Jamey Jasta of “The Jasta Show” who owns the rights to records Owens made with JUDAS PRIEST, Downing replied (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “It’s a good question. CMC [International Records, which released ‘Jugulator’ in the USA] and the guys that were the labels are defunct now, so the rights to the albums reverted back to us, JUDAS PRIEST.”
When Jasta brought up the fact that Downing owned partial rights to “Jugulator” and “Demolition”, K.K. said: “I’m a 25 percent shareholder [in Judas Priest Music Limited] but I don’t have a say in what goes on. I was a director until year and they kicked me off the board because there’s three of them and one of me, which is a bit mean.
“But, yeah, I would fight for the right every day to have those albums [available], ’cause I’m a part of them,” he continued. “And so the ongoing fight to have those albums in a public domain is something I feel very, very strong about, and obviously Ripper does, and everybody should that played on those records.
“Why would you denounce albums that you spent years working on or were a part of?” Downing added. “It doesn’t make any sense.”
Owens and Downing are currently in the band KK’s PRIEST together along with guitarist A.J. Mills (HOSTILE), bassist Tony Newton (VOODOO SIX) and drummer Sean Elg (DEATHRIDERS, CAGE) who replaced former PRIEST drummer Les Binks.
KK’S PRIEST released their debut album, “Sermons Of The Sinner”, last October via Explorer1 Music Group/EX1 Records.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mFgeceMSu0