JUDAS PRIEST's DOWNING On Performing 'British Steel': 'There Is Definitely Magic In The Air'

July 22, 2009

JUDAS PRIEST guitarist K.K. Downing recently spoke to Tommy Mann, Jr. of The Orange Leader about the band's current "British Steel" 30th-anniversary tour, which kicked off on June 29 at the Murat Theatre in Indianapolis, Indiana.

"We just thought this would be a real treat for the fans," Downing said of the decision to perform the 1980 album "British Steel" in its entirety. "And 99.9 percent of them seem to be enjoying it. There are some who still want to hear a song or two we have left out in the set, but, as far as PRIEST is concerned, playing the whole album makes the set easier to arrange."

"Being able to do this is like giving new life to songs like 'The Rage', 'Steeler' and 'Rapid Fire','" Downing continued. "Some of these songs we've never even played before or haven't played in years. It was the album that changed our lives."

"There is definitely magic in the air," he added. "It's almost like being able to turn the clock back and go back to 1980. The fans know they are going to get a chance to relive some songs which meant a lot to them. It will bring back a lot of memories for people."

On performing to a new generation of fans who are being exposed to the band's music partly through video games like Rock Band and Guitar Hero:

Downing: "Lots of younger fans are coming to the shows with their parents and on their own. And some of it is because of the exposure they have had to our songs through video games. If it brings them to our shows, and increases their awareness to our music and the music of other bands, then that has to be a good thing."

On the band's new live album, "A Touch of Evil: Live", which came out last week:

"Bands need to pinpoint certain time periods in their career. We did that with 'Unleashed in the East' and with 'Priest...Live'. Plus, we get correspondence from fans all over the world, like Russia and Israel, Some of these places we don't get to play often or at all, and this gives those fans a chance to hear what our live show is like."

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