Classic Judas Priest guitarist KK Downing has commented on bassist Ian Hill’s recent statement that the band never even considered calling KK to fill in for Glenn Tipton, who was forced to retire from touring due to his struggle with Parkinson’s disease.
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As reported, Ian told Backstage Axxess:
“I haven’t spoken to Ken [KK] for a while, for a couple years. I’ll say what I said before: I really don’t know where he was coming from. When he retired, we took on Richie, you know, so he’s playing all Ken’s parts.
“So, it’s not Ken’s [parts] that are missing, it’s going to be Glenn’s parts that he would be playing. Really, Ken, what’s he going to do? Come over to my side of the stage and play Glenn’s parts? I just don’t know where he was coming from with it.
“I think it was a bit of mischief on his behalf, to be honest. It wasn’t his job – if you know what I mean – that had become vacant. It was Glenn’s.
“Glenn and Ken are two excellent guitarists, but both are completely different in styles and sounds, and for Ken to be playing Glenn’s parts anyway, it really wouldn’t have sounded right anyway.
“We went for Andy [Sneap] anyway. We never thought about Ken for that reason. Like I said, I don’t really know where he was coming from with it.”
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And now, Downing said on the Cobras & Fire Podcast (via Blabbermouth):
“Complete load of bollocks. If I had rejoined the band, obviously, I’d step into my role – that’s where people would expect me to be – and Richie is already playing Glenn’s parts anyway, and we’d do that. It wasn’t the case where I was gonna play Glenn’s parts and Richie plays mine.
“I was thinking, ‘Ian, was it too early in the day or too late in the evening when you came up with this idea?’ I don’t know. But bless him – bless him, because we were like brothers; we went to infant school together and secondary school together, and we lived our career together.
“But I’m not totally happy about what’s being said. Ian seems to be saying things like, ‘None of the fans are missing KK,’ and, ‘Richie has brought a new energy to the band.’ And I’m going, ‘Ian, dude, on that last tour, I was the energy. I slowed down because people weren’t keeping up with me.’
“That’s a true story. ‘Cause I started off that tour, I played a few shows, and then Scott [Travis, drums] made a comment – he said, ‘What do you mean, man? It’s your show.’ And I’m thinking, ‘Did he think I’m trying to steal the limelight by doing what I’ve always done?’
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“Then I started to back off, and then I was in an unhappy place from that point – I didn’t want everybody to think I was trying to steal the limelight when I wasn’t. ‘Cause Rob’s [Halford] reading his Autocue [teleprompter system] – he’s slowed down – Glenn’s going over there for a beer in between every song, and I’m thinking, ‘Hmm… I don’t know.’
“So I’m thinking, Ian, get a grip with yourself, mate. You’ve just replaced the energy with some energy. Fine – well, great. But that’s not moving forward, Ian.”