In a recent conversation with Guitar World, guitarist Glenn Tipton shared his side of the story regarding K.K. Downing, saying he never wanted to get into a public argument after Downing left Judas Priest.
Here’s what Tipton said:
“It’s time to say something, really because he’s saying things that he really shouldn’t be saying. They aren’t fair.
“He’s insinuated that he was the driving force of the band. It just isn’t true. Priest [is] made up of five guys working together. [There’s] not just one person driving the band.
”He’s said all these things that, I think, are meant to upset us and get us to say something in response and for a long time we didn’t. But I’ve got a lot to say and enough’s enough.”
Tipton dismissed Downing‘s claims as “silly”. “Everyone knows it’s not true,” he said. “Like I said, the fans aren’t stupid and they’ve seen me for 50 years playing around the world. I may have had a couple of beers onstage, but that’s all. It’s never affected the concert or my performance whatsoever and he knows that.”
Tipton went on to say that he “used to piece [Downing‘s] leads together” in the studio. “I did a lot of editing to make his lead breaks worthwhile,” he said.
“I would never have talked about Ken that way,” he continued.
“It’s just that his accusations have gotten sillier and sillier — and I deserve to respond. He left the band. We couldn’t convince him to stay. And then he accused me of taking six years off to write two solo albums. I only did the solo albums because we were inactive at the time while Rob [Halford, vocals] was doing his solo things.”