It is on! In a brand new chat with Final Traditional Rock, guitarist Okay.Okay. Downing confirms that he’ll carry out with Judas Priest at their Rock and Roll Corridor of Fame induction. Plus, he additionally names a second former member that will likely be onstage with the band as nicely.
“It is what I’ve achieved so many instances,” the guitarist said. “It is virtually like cracking a beer, not to mention driving a motorbike. It is embedded in me. It is what I do. So it’s going to be fairly one thing to look ahead to, simply to stand up there and crank the amps up and simply do it as soon as once more, for that brief second in time.”
As Judas Priest’s Rock Corridor induction on Nov. 5 nears, dialogue of what’s going to really occur has been extra prevalent in latest interviews. Earlier this month, drummer Scott Travis confirmed to 107.7 RKR in Kalamazoo, Michigan that the band will play on the Rock Corridor ceremony, as they’re recipients of the Musical Excellence Award. The drummer additionally alluded that with solely a set period of time to carry out, the band is taking a few of their classics and dealing them right into a medley.
Quickly after singer Rob Halford confirmed to Final Traditional Rock that “there’s been a number of emails occurring. I am as a lot at the hours of darkness as anyone else. I hear some issues sooner or later, then it is fully the other the opposite day. I am similar to, ‘Let’s get it on! Let’s all go there, let’s all be there at blah, blah o’clock and we’ll see what occurs. And that is nice, ‘trigger it is rock ‘n’ roll. It is chaos! It may be an awesome day.”
Now in UCR’s new interview, Downing confirmed that there was e-mail exchanges, however that he hasn’t spoken to anybody in individual. He additionally confirmed that each he and Les Binks, the band’s drummer from 1977-1979, will likely be collaborating within the efficiency.
“It’s going to go by in a flash, will not it?” says the guitarist, including, “I believe we have in all probability obtained eight or 9 minutes. I’m not even going to have the ability to break a sweat. The principle factor is to signify the angle and hopefully the legend of what Judas Priest is and has turn out to be and what it means to all people who’s been on that very lengthy journey by way of the a long time with the band. And hopefully, it would simply form of remind folks and produce again some cherished reminiscences of the heavy metallic parking heaps all all over the world.”
Elsewhere within the interview, Downing talked in regards to the divide between himself and the band and what he hopes the night time will present for all concerned. The guitarist break up from the group in 2011, citing an “ongoing breakdown in working relationships.” After his exit, the band continued on with Richie Faulkner coming into the band on guitar. With fellow guitarist Glenn Tipton revealing his Parkinson’s Illness prognosis in 2018, the guitarist had been vocal about not being approached to return to the band, with the group using the abilities of producer Andy Sneap as an alternative. In recent times, Downing has began up Okay.Okay.’s Priest and the band is presently engaged on their second album.
“Clearly a number of issues have occurred and stuff,” he tells UCR. “However we’re form of all previous folks, you already know? Lots of water’s gone underneath the bridge, a number of miles have been traveled, a number of notes have been performed. The factor is we are able to all form of be there, have a number of beers collectively, a glass of wine and carry out and luxuriate in ourselves. On the finish of the day, it truly is an accolade, and I believe, if all people had been to be trustworthy with themselves, they might all prefer to have that accolade.”
As for Priest being inducted through the Musical Excellence honor versus being inducted through the Rock Corridor’s voting physique, the guitarist concludes, “Judas Priest have at all times been proud to fly the flag for metallic and open as many doorways and pave the best way for as many new artists as attainable. Hopefully we have been nice ambassadors of doing that.”
He continues, “In respect of [the Rock Hall], if Judas Priest wasn’t or could not get in there, nicely probably no person would have the ability to. I wish to see the mighty [Iron] Maiden and Saxon and all people else get in there. Hopefully, the doorways will open to these guys as nicely. It is taken us a very long time, so the one message I’d say to all people that is within the wings is, Be affected person as a result of plainly you need to be significantly previous and significantly, dare I say, a legend earlier than you even get a sniff of this accolade.”
What the band will carry out throughout their allotted time on the ceremony stays to be seen, however the massive day is arising quickly. The 2022 Rock Corridor ceremony will happen Nov. 5 on the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.
