In a current interview with TalkShopLive, former JUDAS PRIEST and present KK’S PRIEST guitarist Okay.Okay. Downing spoke concerning the latter band’s current North American co-headlining tour with ACCEPT. He mentioned (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “Yeah, it was unbelievable, to be on the market with the fellows. ACCEPT — I met these guys, I feel it was ’82 or possibly ’83. I feel they got here on board as a assist [act] after we [JUDAS PRIEST] have been on the — I feel it was ‘Level Of Entry’ tour; I feel it was, yeah, the album after ‘British Metal’. And so we grew to become good mates, and, clearly, I am very happy with the fellows. They usually actually did persist with their weapons, and they’re actually steel by way of and thru, so it was nice to hook up with Wolf [Hoffmann, ACCEPT guitarist] and the fellows once more. Really, simply previous to that, we would been enjoying some some large festivals in Europe, and so we bumped into the fellows there and, clearly, we have been speaking concerning the tour that we have been about to embark on within the States. And it went unbelievable. We had some nice instances, going again to loads of the outdated stomping floor, the cities — so many nice cities. Clearly, America’s a giant place, a really large place, and we did not play in all places, however we did 28 exhibits. So, it was good to be again and undoubtedly we are going to return once more.”
Downing additionally touched upon the primary two KK’S PRIEST albums, 2021’s “Sermons Of The Sinner” and 2023’s “The Sinner Rides Once more”, and the potential for a follow-up, saying: “We obtained extraordinarily busy — did two albums in three years. Hopefully we are able to make it three albums in 4 years. However, clearly, the touring schedule — we have been very busy for the final 18 months, and we’re wanting ahead, sooner or later, to get on the market once more and take a look at South America and Australia. And I do not know the place individuals are tuning in from right now, however hopefully there’s folks on the market that stay in these territories. So I would identical to to say, please be affected person and we’ll get there. We’ll get to you.”
Along with Downing, KK’S PRIEST options former JUDAS PRIEST singer Tim “Ripper” Owens alongside guitarist A.J. Mills (HOSTILE),bassist Tony Newton (VOODOO SIX) and drummer Sean Elg (DEATHRIDERS, CAGE).
KK’S PRIEST‘s North American tour with ACCEPT started on August 31 in Los Angeles, California, visiting a slew of main cities within the USA and Canada — akin to Toronto, Montreal, New York and Nashville — earlier than coming to an finish in San Francisco, California on October 7.
KK’S PRIEST‘s first-ever U.S. headlining tour, which featured assist from L.A. GUNS and BURNING WITCHES, kicked off on March 7 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and concluded on March 24 at Keswick Theatre in Glenside, Pennsylvania.
KK’S PRIEST‘s sophomore album, “The Sinner Rides Once more”, got here out in September 2023 by way of the Austrian label Napalm Information.
KK’S PRIEST made its stay debut on July 6, 2023 at Downing’s KK’s Metal Mill in Wolverhampton, United Kingdom.
Okay.Okay. fashioned KK’S PRIEST after JUDAS PRIEST turned down his supply to rejoin the band for his or her Fiftieth-anniversary tour. It adopted a few celebrated stage appearances, first with former MANOWAR guitarist Ross The Boss in the summertime of 2019, then with a one-off lineup that included former MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson and former PRIEST drummer Les Binks later that yr.
KK’S PRIEST launched its debut album, “Sermons Of The Sinner”, in October 2021 by way of Explorer1 Music Group/EX1 Information.
Downing spent 4 months writing and recording “Sermons Of The Sinner” and, together with new concepts, he even resurrected a couple of archived riffs from the Eighties.
Downing was reunited with JUDAS PRIEST for a efficiency on the Rock And Roll Corridor Of Fame induction ceremony in November 2022 on the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.
PRIEST acquired the Musical Excellence Award on the occasion, which honored Eminem, Dolly Parton, DURAN DURAN, Lionel Richie, Pat Benatar, EURYTHMICS and Carly Simon within the Performers class.
Downing left PRIEST in 2011 amid claims of band battle, shoddy administration and declining high quality of efficiency. He was changed by Richie Faulkner, practically three many years his junior.
In 2019, Downing mentioned that he reached out to JUDAS PRIEST about participating within the band’s Fiftieth-anniversary tour however that their response was that they weren’t eager about together with him within the celebrations.
In 2018, Downing revealed that he despatched two resignation letters to his bandmates when he determined to stop JUDAS PRIEST. The primary was described as “a swish exit be aware, implying a easy retirement from music,” whereas the second was “angrier, laying out all of his frustrations with particular events.”
Downing later mentioned that he believed the second letter was “a key purpose” he wasn’t invited to rejoin PRIEST after Glenn Tipton‘s resolution to retire from touring.
Owens joined PRIEST in 1996 and recorded two studio albums with the band — 1997’s “Jugulator” and 2001’s “Demolition” — earlier than PRIEST reunited with Rob Halford in 2003.
