K.K. DOWNING Says JUDAS PRIEST Should 'Absolutely' Be Inducted Into ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME

Robert Gray of Ultimate-Guitar.com recently conducted an interview with JUDAS PRIEST guitarist K.K. Downing as part of a new series entitled "Hit The Lights." Topics of discussion included the "Priest Feast" tour with MEGADETH and TESTAMENT, the group's recent Grammy nominations, how JUDAS PRIEST changed during the Nineties, whether JUDAS PRIEST should be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and plans to release an official biography. Several excerpts from the interview follow below.

On what it's like to tour with MEGADETH and TESTAMENT as part of the "Priest Feast" tour package:

"We kicked off with the exact same lineup in 1991 on the 'Painkiller' tour in North America, so it feels like déjà vu in some respects."

On whether much has changed since 1991:

"Yeah, I think. Could we call 1990-1991 a pinnacle in metal, somewhat? At that time, a strategic point in metal emerged, where there was a change over from the Seventies and Eighties. The Nineties brought about a situation where metal became slightly harder, faster, and with a little more attitude. Things have to evolve though, and music has to move on. It was an important point for us, most likely. At that particular point, Rob (Halford, vocals) had actually left JUDAS PRIEST. It seemed to cause a change, and people thought, 'Well, this has gone, and that's gone. Now PRIEST have gone.' The 'Painkiller' (1990) album that we recorded at the time even — that record was very much looked upon as not being the PRIEST fans knew and loved. Fans expected 'British Steel' (1980),and the likes of 'Sin After Sin' (1977),and albums of that nature. It seemed to set a precedent, as we not only toured alongside MEGADETH and TESTAMENT in the States, but we also toured alongside PANTERA and ANNIHILATOR in Europe. Those groups have, like I said, a PANTERA-type raw, harder edge. With PRIEST recording 'Painkiller', and the emergence of groups like PANTERA, it seemed to basically catapult another new wave of metal."

On JUDAS PRIEST not winning a Grammy at the 51st Grammy Awards:

"It's great to be nominated, but it's not devastating not to win. We've been nominated before; we got nominated once for the track 'Bullet Train' from 'Jugulator', and the other nomination was for 'Painkiller', the album itself. Some big guns were also nominated, such as the METALLICAs of the world. It's tough competition, though it's nice just to have some recognition."

On whether JUDAS PRIEST should be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame:

"Absolutely, yeah. Let's face it: if a game show contestant is asked the question 'Name three heavy metal groups' in twenty, fifty or a hundred years from now, then PRIEST would be one of the three named."

On JUDAS PRIEST's forthcoming official biography:

"We hooked up with one writer, and we thought that was going to go ahead, but it just about changed. We're on the case, and we'd very much like to issue an official biography. It'll be a more difficult task, given the fact that some pretty good material has already been unofficially issued. Some very good writers have come forward, and said they really really want to write our official biography. It's just a case of us choosing one writer. We've certainly decided that we want to issue an official biography, and we did select a writer. However, that didn't quite work out. I'd like to think that we can get the biography completed this year, definitely."

Read the entire interview at Ultimate-Guitar.com.