JUDAS PRIEST's ROB HALFORD: 'K.K. DOWNING Can Never Be Replaced; He's Unique'

April 21, 2011

Benjamin "Benji" Baudelot of Rock Hard, the leading monthly metal magazine in France, spoke to JUDAS PRIEST singer Rob Halford earlier today (Thursday, April 21),just one day after it was announced that the band's original guitarist, Kenneth "K.K." Downing, was retiring from the group.

"K.K. leaving was his own decision, for the reasons he made public on his web site [earlier today]," Halford said.

"We had a fantastic time together on the 'Nostradamus' tour... [But] K.K. has his own life to live and we can't force him to do anything he doesn't want to do.

"He told us [of his decision to leave JUDAS PRIEST] before Christmas time. Personally, I thought this could be the end... Emotionally, for me, it's been very, very difficult…

"When K.K. said he was thinking of retiring, Glenn [Tipton, PRIEST guitarist] was the first guy to send him a personal email to say, 'Ken, I hope you're OK. If there's anything you need, just let me know.' We kept the door open all this time in case Ken changed his mind, but the clock was ticking."

When asked about the remaining JUDAS PREST members' decision to go ahead with their previously announced tour plans with a replacement guitarist — 31 year-old British guitar player Richie Faulkner (LAUREN HARRIS, DIRTY DEEDS) — Halford said, "K.K. can never be replaced; he's unique, and we didn't want any kind of K.K. copycat. Richie Faulkner came to Glenn's house to jam, and Glenn simply told me he was absolutely brilliant."

Rock Hard's full interview with Rob Halford will be published in the in the magazine's May issue (#110).

Downing released a statement earlier today blaming his departure from JUDAS PRIEST on "an ongoing breakdown in working relationship between myself, elements of the band, and the band's management for some time." He added that he "decided to step down rather than to tour with negative sentiments as I feel that this would be a deception to . . . our cherished fans."

JUDAS PRIEST members had previously stated that their "Epitaph" tour would be their last, but that they would continue recording, with a new album due for release next year.

The tour begins in Holland on June 7 with a series of dates scheduled throughout Europe this summer. They will then hit Brazil and Mexico in the fall. There has been no word on a U.S. leg of the tour.

(Thanks: Morgan Rivalin / Rock Hard)

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