Former Judas Priest guitarist and founding member, K.K. Downing, has formed a new band called KK’s Priest.
The brainchild of K.K. Downing himself, KK’s Priest also features two other former Judas Priest members – Tim “Ripper” Owens on vocals and Les Binks on drums.
Tim “Ripper” Owens replaced Rob Halford as Judas Priest vocalist in 1996 and lent his vocals to two studio albums, Jugulator (1997) and ‘Demolition’ (2001), before Halford returned to the group in 2003.
Drummer Les Binks had a three-year tenure with Judas Priest in the late seventies and appeared on the studio albums ‘Stained Class’ (1978) and ‘Killing Machine’ (1978), and the live album ‘Unleashed in the East’ (1979).
Completing the KK’s Priest line-up are Tony Newton (Voodoo Six) on bass, and A.J. Mills (Hostile) on guitar.
The heavy metal quintet are currently locked up in the studio working hard on their debut album, which will be released worldwide by Explorer1 Music Group as a part of a partnership deal that K.K Downing penned earlier this year.
KK’s Priest will embark on an extensive tour around the globe taking in festivals and headline shows to celebrate Judas Priest’s 50th anniversary. In a similar vein to Dio offshoots Last In Line, KK’s Priest will perform a mixture of original material and Judas Priest classics.
Enthusing about his new project, K.K. Downing said: “Forging ahead with KK’s Priest was not only inevitable, but was essential for me to perform and deliver everything that is expected from me and KK’s Priest.
“Due to the massive demand and overwhelming support from fans around the world, I feel this is where I belong, and a set combining the true, classic songs and sound of Priest, together with great, newly forged metal tracks, is what fans can expect when KK’s Priest takes to stages around the world.”
K.K. Downing performed live for the first time in a decade at Bloodstock Open Air in August 2019, when he joined Ross The Boss on stage for a series of Judas Priest classics.
Three months later he played a very special show at KK’s Steel Mill in Wolverhampton with Megadeth’s David Ellefson, and Les Binks and Tim “Ripper” Owens. Such was the rapturous reaction to that gig, KK’s Priest was born.
Watch their cover of ‘The Green Manalishi’ from that gig here:
After 42 years with the band, K.K. Downing quit Judas Priest in April 2011 citing “an on-going breakdown in working relationships between myself, elements of the band and management.”
In February 2018 he released a statement on Facebook saying he was “shocked and stunned” that he wasn’t invited to rejoin Judas Priest when Glenn Tipton announced his retirement from touring due to the progression of Parkinson’s disease.
This prompted a backlash from Rob Halford, who called the comments “completely superfluous.”
Promoting his autobiography ‘Heavy Duty: Days and Nights in Judas Priest’ last year, Downing slammed his former Judas Priest band mates numerous times in interviews.
He told Issue 10 of Planet Rock Magazine: “The whole thing is unfortunate, because whatever I say sounds like sour grapes… But I’m afraid it’s got to be said.”
In April 2018, Downing recently put his name to the Wolverhampton music venue KK’s Steel Mill and later that summer he sold his share of royalty rights to 136 Judas Priest songs.
Explore eil.com & 991.com sister – the world’s best online store for rare, collectable & out of print Vinyl Records, CDs & Music memorabilia since 1987.
EIL.COM Favourite Music Update Rare CDs, CD Singles, Rare Records, Vinyl Records, Albums and Music
- Judas Priest - Breaking The Law - UK - 7" vinyl - £10.00, $12.90, €11.90 (New Item) (arrived 24-Jul-2024 10:49)on July 27, 2024 at 1:36 am
JUDAS PRIEST Breaking The Law (1980 UK vinyl 7" single, also including Metal Gods, gatefold picture sleeve which displays images of the group live on stage. The sleeve shows light wear and the vinyl shows little sign of play)
- Judas Priest - Evening Star - Clear Vinyl - UK - 12" vinyl - £25.00, $32.25, €29.75 (New Item) (arrived 23-Jul-2024 15:25)on July 27, 2024 at 1:36 am
JUDAS PRIEST Evening Star (1979 UK limited edition 3-track 12" single pressed on Clear Vinyl, which also includes Beyond The Realms Of Death recorded live & The Green Manalishi, back picture insert. The insert has some minor corner wear& the vinyl shows few signs of play)
- Judas Priest - Reflections: 50 Heavy Metal Years Of Music - Red Vinyl - Sealed - UK - 2-LP vinyl set - £26.99, $34.82, €32.12 (New Item) (arrived 13-Jun-2024 11:01)on July 27, 2024 at 1:36 am
JUDAS PRIEST Reflections: 50 Heavy Metal Years Of Music (2021 UK/EU limited edition 16-track double album 2-LP pressed on 180-gram Red Vinyl, a brand new collection of tracks including remastered studio recordings and 7 previously unreleased live cuts from the band’s archive. Restored and mixed by Tom Allom at La Cucina W8 and mastered by Alex Wharton at Abbey Road Studios. Gatefold picture sleeve with spot varnish cover art, hype sticker & factory sealed)
- Judas Priest - Point Of Entry + Merchandise insert - UK - vinyl LP - £25.00, $32.25, €29.75 (New Item) (arrived 29-May-2024 14:41)on July 27, 2024 at 1:36 am
JUDAS PRIEST Point Of Entry (1981 UK 10-track LP, including Don't Go, Hot Rockin', Heading Out To The Highway, Desert Plains, Solar Angels and more, includes the original merchandise insert & glossy picture sleeve. The sleeve shows just a little edge wear & very light sticker mark, and the vinyl shows light signs of play - a clean copy)
- Judas Priest - Sin After Sin - 1st - UK - vinyl LP - £75.00, $96.75, €89.25 (New Item) (arrived 10-May-2024 11:52)on July 27, 2024 at 1:36 am
JUDAS PRIEST Sin After Sin (1977 UK first press 8-track LP on the graduated orange CBS label with A1/B1 matrices, the third studio album from the acclaimed British heavy metal act, great picture sleeve. The sleeve shows minimal wear, the labels have no signs of spindle marks and the vinyl remains in a 'near mint' condition)
Be the first to comment