K.K. DOWNING On KK'S PRIEST's Songwriting Approach: 'If I Think It's Good, Then It Goes On The Record'

October 3, 2021

In an October 1 interview with Headbangers News, K.K. Downing spoke about the differences between his songwriting approach in KK'S PRIEST and the way he used to collaborate with Rob Halford and Glenn Tipton in JUDAS PRIEST. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Now I prefer — I actually prefer to be able to, if I think it's good, then it goes on the record. If I think it's bad, it doesn't go on the record. I prefer to ask myself, not have a consideration from other people.

"I'm very proud of everything I did as a writing team with Glenn and Rob — extremely proud of it — but I like this, if I'm honest. I prefer it this way, because I just feel as though I'm the loyal metal PRIEST," he explained. "I'm a hundred percent true to this music. And I don't care what people say about this. I know that the fans, we are the same. I don't care what people say. I really feel one with the fans because we've had such a great relationship for so long.

"I think this is important to me, to be able to do this," Downing added. "And I'm already well on the way with the [second KK'S PRIEST] record, and it's sounding good — it's really sounding good as a continuation to 'Sermons Of The Sinner'. The story continues of KK'S PRIEST in the way that I think it should. And I like it. So I'm really, really happy about it. And I'm really happy now. The record's gonna be released today and tomorrow, and we can change our focus to getting everything ready for some live shows — the production, putting the setlist together, rehearsing the songs. 'Cause it's gonna happen — it will happen."

Downing is joined in KK'S PRIEST by former JUDAS PRIEST singer Tim "Ripper" Owens (vocals),along with guitarist A.J. Mills (HOSTILE),bassist Tony Newton (VOODOO SIX) and drummer Sean Elg (DEATHRIDERS, CAGE).

KK'S PRIEST's debut album, "Sermons Of The Sinner", was released on October 1 via Explorer1 Music Group/EX1 Records.

Downing spent four months writing and recording "Sermons Of The Sinner" and, along with new ideas, he even resurrected a few archived riffs from the '80s.

K.K. formed KK'S PRIEST after JUDAS PRIEST turned down his offer to rejoin the band for their 50th-anniversary tour. It followed a couple of celebrated stage appearances, first with former MANOWAR guitarist Ross The Boss in the summer of 2019, then with a one-off lineup that included former MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson and former PRIEST drummer Les Binks later that year.

Find more on Judas priest

Prev More News Next

Comments Disclaimer And Information

BLABBERMOUTH.NET uses the Facebook Comments plugin to let people comment on content on the site using their Facebook account. The comments reside on Facebook servers and are not stored on BLABBERMOUTH.NET. To comment on a BLABBERMOUTH.NET story or review, you must be logged in to an active personal account on Facebook. Once you're logged in, you will be able to comment. User comments or postings do not reflect the viewpoint of BLABBERMOUTH.NET and BLABBERMOUTH.NET does not endorse, or guarantee the accuracy of, any user comment. To report spam or any abusive, obscene, defamatory, racist, homophobic or threatening comments, or anything that may violate any applicable laws, use the "Report to Facebook" and "Mark as spam" links that appear next to the comments themselves. To do so, click the downward arrow on the top-right corner of the Facebook comment (the arrow is invisible until you roll over it) and select the appropriate action. You can also send an e-mail to blabbermouthinbox(@)gmail.com with pertinent details. BLABBERMOUTH.NET reserves the right to "hide" comments that may be considered offensive, illegal or inappropriate and to "ban" users that violate the site's Terms Of Service. Hidden comments will still appear to the user and to the user's Facebook friends. If a new comment is published from a "banned" user or contains a blacklisted word, this comment will automatically have limited visibility (the "banned" user's comments will only be visible to the user and the user's Facebook friends).