K.K. Downing officially retires from Judas Priest.

I agree with those who say it's a health issue. Hopefully, it's nothing too serious.

Well that BLOWS!!!!!!!!!!

That just SUCKS!!!!!!!!!

KK Downing has decided hang up his guitar and retire from Judas Priest.

An official statement from the Priest camp (no pun intended) reads as follows:

It is with regret that Judas Priest announce that KK Downing has formally retired from the band and will therefore not be joining them on their forthcoming Epitaph tour.

The band respect his decision and naturally wish him well.

Having thought long and hard about how to proceed, Rob, Glenn, Ian and Scott unanimously agreed that they should go ahead with the tour and not let the fans down all around the world.

Fate also stepped in and delivered the perfect replacement – 31-year-old respected guitar player Richie Faulkner [who has played with Lauren Harris; he is pictured below] – he has blended into the band perfectly and is a great talent who is going to help set the stage on fire!

The Epitaph tour will include songs from every Priest studio album and also tracks they have never before performed on stage plus all the old favourites!

With a new album due to be released next year the metal gods are preparing to tour the planet once more – heavy metal at its best complete with lasers, lights, bikes and hellfire! It’s a show not to be missed!

oops saw metal misfit included this press release on his posting

I hope it's this...

Quote :

Touring can be a drag. Maybe he's just had enough and he has no financial reason to continue.

And not this...

Quote :

I agree with those who say it's a health issue. Hopefully, it's nothing too serious.

If it's a health issue, it's gotta be pretty serious if you won't or can't tour. Different scenarios, but look what it took for Jeff Hanneman to drop off the Slayer tour, if even temporarily. You don't bow out of a huge world tour because of a tummy ache.

Hey, the dude has had one helluva long, impressive career. If he wants to sit back and enjoy the spoils of his work, I say more power to him!

I hope he's healthy and just wants a chance to relax and enjoy life.

detuned wrote:

Hey, the dude has had one helluva long, impressive career. If he wants to sit back and enjoy the spoils of his work, I say more power to him!

I hope he's healthy and just wants a chance to relax and enjoy life.

i agree. more power to him if he just wants to chill out & take it easy, he's earned it.

LeMorte d'Arthur wrote:

It's over folks. The fat lady is singing.

yep. I think i would agree spec.

WHOA!!!!

As others have stated, I'm hoping he's healthy, and he's just ready to kickback and enjoy retirement.

this is madness. i don believe he is in bad shape or he's ill or what ?
weird JP band

Well I'm bummed. Never got a chance to see them live, and now even if I do it won't be the same without KK.

Hope he's alright though healthwise and everything

Well, it would've been cool to see him and Glenn up there together on the Epitaph tour, but it'll still be a good round of shows I'm sure. Still pretty surprising though.

Hope hes ok.

Woah. Totally wasn't expecting to hear this. Hopefully the new guy kicks ass on their next album.

Eddie Trunk is saying on his Twitter page that the rumor going around is that there was a difference of opinion on the future of JP and that's why he left. Even so, wouldn't he want to do this tour?

While some type of healthy issue was my initial thought, I will say that I think the press release is very casual about it all: "Oh, KK's gone but we've got this awesome new guy who's doing the tour and we can't wait for the new album next year!"

So who was REALLY behind making this the last big tour and shifting more to a recording schedule for the band?

that sucks if it was because of a disagreement...

It's to bad to hear but it's part of life. Time to move on and work on new material.

Wargod52

I feel like this is the equivalent of Steve Harris leaving Iron Maiden. Priest at this point are more than just a band, they're a legend of sorts and K.K. embodies so much what Priest is about. Without him, it doesn't seem quite right. A massive downer just before their final major tour, as well.

Metal Misfit wrote:

Eddie Trunk is saying on his Twitter page that the rumor going around is that there was a difference of opinion on the future of JP and that's why he left. Even so, wouldn't he want to do this tour?

While some type of healthy issue was my initial thought, I will say that I think the press release is very casual about it all: "Oh, KK's gone but we've got this awesome new guy who's doing the tour and we can't wait for the new album next year!"

So who was REALLY behind making this the last big tour and shifting more to a recording schedule for the band?

The plot thickens...

K.K. posted this on his web site. Make of it what you will, I guess. At least he didn't quit the band via fax machine, like Halford did back in the day.

K.K. Downing press release

Dear friends,

It is with much regret that I will not be with you this summer. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart for your concerns about my health. Please rest assured that I am O.K.

There has been an ongoing breakdown in working relationship between myself, elements of the band, and the band's management for some time.

Therefore I have decided to step down rather than to tour with negative sentiments as I feel that this would be a deception to you, our cherished fans.

However I would urge you to please support the Priest as I have no doubt that it will be a show not to be missed.

All my love and respect,

KK Downing

It figures, I am glad it has nothing to do with his health, and he is a classy guy asking his fans to support Judas Priest, hopefully the band and Downing can resolve this issue with their management, I can't believe management would let the situation get to the point where one of the signature members of the band walks away.

Well, Priest is more than a band, they are a "brand-name" and their catalog is worth a tidy sum. So I could imagine there being all kinds of pressure from "above", that had really nothing to do with the music.

K.K. handled it with class.

detuned wrote:

Well, Priest is more than a band, they are a "brand-name" and their catalog is worth a tidy sum. So I could imagine there being all kinds of pressure from "above", that had really nothing to do with the music.

K.K. handled it with class.

True witness the recent lawsuit between Tony Iommi and Ozzy Osbourne regarding the name Black Sabbath, it had more to do with T Shirt sales then the band's "legacy".


Same thing when Jim Morrison's estate and John Densmore sued Robby Krieger and Ray Manzarek attempting to call their band The Doors of the 21st Century, both went to protect the name and catalog that I imagine must be worth millions.