Judas Priest Rejected K.K. Downing's Reunion Offer - 2023 In Review

12-30-2023

KK Priest

Judas Priest Rejected K.K. Downing's Reunion Offer was a top 23 story of September 2023: Former Judas Priest guitarist K.K. Downing says that he approached the band about reuniting with the group and was told "no" by the band, and he believes he will never perform with them.

Downing, who now leads his new band KK's Priest, reunited with the band during their induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame last year. He was asked by Metal Hammer if he would ever play with them again and he responded, "No".

He explained, "Before I started KK's Priest, I asked if they'd consider me stepping back into my rightful place, because at one point they announced they were going out as a four-piece.

"I was expecting to be back in the band when there was an opening, or at least to be asked. But Glenn (Tipton / guitar) and Ian (Hill / bass) wrote through their lawyers saying a flat no, which made no sense, as I was there first.

"And Rob (Halford / vocals) left for 11 years, so how does he have the right to say 'I won't consider you re-joining' - I was instrumental in reinstating him into the band! Glenn wasn't interested in having Rob back, he wanted to keep Ripper (Tim Owens, who replaced Rob Halford in Priest when the latter left in the 90s).

"But I gave them one last chance, and I was like, 'Are you sure? One day you might live to regret it.' Let's hope they don't."

K.K. does however hope to reunite with one of his former bandmates. Read the report here.