Last conversations with K.K Downing
Now that K.K Downing has “OFFICIALLY” left the building, I went back to my latest interviews with him, trying to find clues…Did he say something, imply something, was there even a way to know that it would come to this?
I can’t find anything. I’m horribly angry and disappointed by the way Judas Priest and their management have handled this, but I won’t get into that. I guess it doesn’t even matter anymore. It’s all about money and business. Ideals don’t exist anymore, nothing matters but the mighty $$$$.
I suppose people are ok with that, I’m just a dinosaur who expected so much more from people I have loved my whole life. Judging from the comments on the judaspriest.com message board, people don’t care about being tricked into buying tickets under false pretenses.I’m a fan, not an idiot. I can’t imagine how I will ever be able to look at that band feeling that they are genuine.
Anyway…. The sound quality of this interview is pretty bad – because I pushed the “Long Play”-button by mistake. Very very annoying when you’re talking to one of the Metal Gods, but nothing you can do about it unfortunately. :-(
“I live and breathe Priest” – was one of the quotes in this interview.
He also wanted these words to be on his tombstone: “The sinner rider has ridden into the storm”. How very true.
And this interview (below) was made just a few months before the one above.
This is from Sweden Rock Festival, I remember how it was like a Fort Knox to even get to the area where Priest were. You had to pass one security gate after another, have people escorting you, it was like going to meet the president or something.
When I stepped into the portakabin where K.K was, it was like entering a SAUNA. For some reason he was freezing and had heated the place up and seemed to think the temperature was perfect. Ugh! :)
Didn’t have much time, other people were waiting to talk to K.K and the others, just a short hello-and-see-ya. Just another interview to add to my “rearview mirror”….:
IN THE REARVIEW MIRROR 
I’m glad I read this, upon reading this I realized that every time I’ve seen Priest since Robs been back I’ve not felt its genuine. I’ve been a fan since way back, but know Tim, and got a whole inside look at what was going on when Ripper was in the band, even briefly working for them.. I also work in the industry and saw the back stabbing and back handed things their management not only played on Tim, With Rob, but with the band. There is a coldness to their comradely now. Even on OzzFest for Angel of Retribution many fans were just turned off by seeing them, and left cold. I’m glad Ken finally used the ball I know he posses but so damn sad to see it too little, too late for a farewell tour.BTW – hes always cold. Most of my West Midlands friends are that way too. They love 100 degrees with 100% humidity. lololol
Thank you for your input Patricia, I’m glad that someone else has noticed that things have changed a lot since the days when Priest seemed to be in this business because they loved it. Now it seems more like a desperate race for money and whatever can be squeezed out of the “mighty Priest” (which, to me, doesn’t seem so “mighty” anymore).Many seem to be missing the point. The problem is not changes in the band line-up, the problem is the dishonesty and there has not been one honest thing said or done in this whole circus so far. I hope to god that the management is to blame, because I would hate to see the band who I’ve loved since I was 13 years old, turn into…this sad farce.I’ve already planned and booked flights for 6 Priest-shows all around Europe this summer, and I so wish I could cancel it because this breaks my heart. I don’t know how I can enjoy seeing Priest at this point. It doesn’t even matter if they kick major ass, it’s just that honesty and a genuine approach is very important to me and if a band doesn’t share my values in life, I can’t respect them and I can’t sincerely get into what they do. It’s that simple.If the management thinks that that is a good way of marketing a band, they’ve got another thing coming…