Ok.Ok. Downing has revealed that he was “kept segregated” from the remainder of Judas Priest through the band’s 2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction.
The guitarist mentioned the expertise throughout a current interview with Sirius XM host Eddie Trunk.
Downing admitted he “deliberated” on whether or not or to not attend the occasion, noting it was “a long, long way to go” from his U.Ok. house.
Although the guitarist was “delighted” when administration gave him the information of Judas Priest’s induction, Downing revealed that the tone quickly shifted.
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“Shortly after that, we had another email saying, ‘Just to let you know, you and Les [Binks] are guests of the band,’” Downing recalled. “So straight off the bat, I’m thinking, ‘Oh, here we go.’”
According to Downing, he and the band’s former drummer Binks have been intentionally separated from the remainder of Judas Priest for a lot of the occasion.
“We were kept segregated – flights, dressing rooms, hotels, the red carpet,” the guitarist defined. “So, it was just total segregation.”
Downing Still Enjoyed His Hall of Fame Experience
Downing was fast to notice that one member of Judas Priest’s present lineup went out of his technique to say whats up: fellow guitarist Richie Faulkner.
“Richie was great. He came into the dressing room a couple of times,” Downing remembered. “We had a good few laughs. Lots of people were coming to our dressing room, it was good. Dave Grohl popped his head in because he’s such a lovely guy. So down to earth, and that was funny. We had a few laughs. And it was great. Didn’t see any of the other [Judas Priest] guys, but there it is.”
Downing joined Priest onstage for 3 songs through the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame ceremony: “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’,” “Breaking the Law” and “Living After Midnight.”
“Once I got on that stage and I did it, I was glad that I did it,” he admitted. “Because I think that, justifiably, I earned that. And there was some energy, there was a lot of energy from me and Richie.”
Still, Downing revealed that it wasn’t precisely like previous occasions through the set: “I have to be honest, it just didn’t feel like it used to. It was far from it.”
Why Isn’t Ok.Ok. Downing in Judas Priest?
Downing was one among Judas Priest’s longest-tenured members, becoming a member of the fledgling band in 1970. He grew to become a significant ingredient of the group’s distinctive sound, serving to Judas Priest rise to grow to be one of the legendary metallic acts in historical past.
The guitarist performed on the band’s first 16 albums, together with the profitable British Steel and Screaming for Vengeance LPs. In 2011, after greater than 40 years within the band, Downing acrimoniously departed Judas Priest. He later defined that issues turned bitter after singer Rob Halford and guitarist Glenn Tipton loved solo success.
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“Rob and Glenn went off and did their lengthy solo careers, and that became a bit disruptive,” Downing admitted in 2018. “I guess there was no particular right or wrong – some people have more tolerance than others, and it takes a bloody miracle really to stay together for 40 years. Someone has to give. And it has to be give and take. But inevitably, it becomes a bit of an imbalance, and I like to think that democracy is always the best policy. And there wasn’t enough of it there, I don’t think.”
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Gallery Credit: UCR Staff
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