K.K. Downing Calls Judas Priest’s Decision to Tour as a Quartet “A Slap in the Face”

Former Judas Priest guitarist K.K. Downing has weighed in on the band’s recent, since-rescinded decision to tour as a quartet without a second guitar player.

Speaking about the initial announcement with “Rock of Nations with Dave Kinchen,” Downing said:

“I’m like everybody else. I’m totally bemused. It was just so extreme and insulting in a way, I guess, and insulting to Glenn [Tipton] as well. It was kind of a slap in the face, saying, ‘Okay, you two guys did it, but we think just one guy could do what…’ It kind of made us and everything that we’ve done and created, saying it was all superfluous, really, and didn’t really have the value that… I’m sure Glenn will agree with me that it does have a value.”

Downing went on to speculate that “There must be, obviously, something behind the scenes that we don’t know,” positing that it’s “very strange” for Judas Priest “to even think about” touring as a quartet.

You can check out the entire interview below.

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“Okay, I created an image with the flying V [guitar], long blond hair, leather and studs — I created that.

“It’s easy to use the wheel, but inventing it is a different story,”