Okay.Okay. Downing Virtually Did not Go to Judas Priest Rock Corridor Induction

Guitarist Okay.Okay. Downing initially deliberate to refuse to participate in Judas Priest’s induction into the Rock & Roll Corridor of Fame.

Their three-song set final month marked the primary time Downing shared the stage along with his ex-bandmates since their indignant break up in 2011 – and it was additionally the primary time he met his alternative, Richie Faulkner.

“I’ve loads of issues on in the intervening time and initially I believed, ‘It is loads of fuss,'” Downing tells MetalTalk. “Can I actually be bothered with going all the best way over to Los Angeles to play three songs and break the ice with the fellows? However after I mirrored on it, it was the band I began 50 years in the past, and I might in all probability remorse it if I didn’t go. So I accepted the invitation.”

As Faulkner, Downing stated that “shared the stage and even jammed collectively. It might have been awkward, however it wasn’t. I’ve nothing however respect for him, and I do know he’s engaged on different initiatives outdoors Priest, and I want him nicely.”

He added light-heartedly: “The one doubtlessly awkward moments have been as a result of I like loads of room and have all the time raced across the stage, and we needed to keep away from one another!”

Downing stated he loved the expertise of catching up and “breaking bread” with all the present band members, in addition to former drummer Les Binks. “The one determination, regardless of my preliminary transient reservation, was which Flying V guitar I took with me,” he defined, “and wouldn’t it survive the flight?”

The second album from Downing’s offshoot band Okay.Okay.’s Priest – which as soon as featured Binks and nonetheless contains ex-Priest vocalist Tim “Ripper” Owens – is within the “pre-production stage, prepared for launch in 2023.” They’ll even be touring subsequent 12 months, Downing added, together with “possibly some open-air festivals in the summertime.”