It's been forever known that, while both KK Downing and Glenn Tipton were the twin lead guitarists of Judas Priest, outside their leather-clad guitar playing time, the two weren't friendly with each other. Glenn is now coming out with his two cents on the "crazy" stories from KK
Glenn Tipton recently heard about some of the stories KK had said and he said that's "just crazy". Downing had quit Judas Priest in 2011, citing tensions with management and Tipton as being some of the reasons, according to his 2018 memoir Heavy Duty: Nights and Days in Judas Priest. The band was due to start their Epitaph tour when Downing quit. He was quoted as saying "an ongoing breakdown in working relationships between myself, elements of the band and management for some time." He also revealed in his memoir that he "never found Glenn to be particularly easy to get along with" and "If you were going to relate to him, you would do so entirely on his terms".
Downing now performs with former vocalist Tim "Ripper" Owens. He had expected Judas Priest to quit after the Epitaph tour. But he said "They didn't want any part of me, even though I was one of the original members."
Tipton now gets to put his two cents in on the subject in an interview with Guitar World. "I never wanted to get into a public argument after KK left. I never said a word and I stuck to my guns for 10 years, but there comes a point when you read things that have been said that are just crazy. It's time to say something, really because he's saying things that he really shouldn't be saying. They aren't fair. He's insinuated that he's the driving force of the band. It just isn't true. Priest [are] made up of five guys working together. [There's] not just one person driving the band. He's said all these things that, I think, are meant to upset us and get us to say something in response and for a long time we didn't. But I've got a lot to say and enough's enough."
Tipton took offense to Downing's accusations that Tipton's pre-show drinking and post-show drinking was "slowing us down". "Everyone knows it's not true. Like I said, the fans aren't stupid and they've seen me for 50 years playing around the world. I may have had a couple of beers onstage, but that's all. It's never affected the concert or my performance whatsoever and he knows that."
Tipton also claimed that he "used to piece [Downing's] leads together" in the studio and "did a lot of editing to make his lead breaks worthwhile." Tipton had all but retired full time from touring in 2015 after receiving a diagnosis of Parkinson's Disease. He remains "actively involved" with the band and will still join them onstage. The band recently announced they would tour as a four-piece unit with one guitarist when they resumed their 50 Heavy Metal Years tour in March, but they decided against it and would return to the five-man band with guitarists Andy Sneap and Richie Faulkner
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