Anyone who knows the history of Judas Priest knew that K.K. Downing and Glenn Tipton had a rocky relationship. K.K. thought Glenn was a show off, arrogant, even reckless at times. Glenn comes clean about his take on those accusations.
In a recent interview with Guitar World, Glenn Tipton sets the record straight about many of the accusations about him from former Judas Priest axe slinger K.K. Downing over the last few years, ever since Downing's departure from the band in 2011.
In both the press and his 2018 memoir Heavy Duty: Nights and Days in Judas Priest, Downing aired the issues he had with Tipton in addition to management. Downing had stated that his creative role in Judas Priest was almost constantly undermined or held back due to one reason or another or that he was the one responsible for introducing the studded leather look
Tipton says "I never wanted to get into a public argument after K.K. left. I never said a word, and I stuck to my guns for over 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're aren't fair."
Glenn had stepped back from the band in 2018, due to his diagnosis of Parkinson's Disease. He continued. "He's insinuated that he was the driving force of the band. It just isn't true. Priest [is] 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."
In the book and interview with Guitar World, Downing states that Judas Priest's performances were often hampered by Tipton's onstage drinking. Tipton fired back. "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 on stage, but that's all. It's never affected my the concert or my performance whatsoever and he knows that."
Tipton also said that Downing's work in the studio was not up to scratch and that he "used to piece [Downing's] leads together." "I did a lot of editing to make his breaks worthwhile." Going back to the concept of being hesitant to speak on things Downing had said, Tipton said "I would never have talked about Ken that way. It's just that his accusations have gotten sillier and sillier - and I deserve to respond. He left the band. We couldn't convince him to stay. And then he accused me of taking six years off to write two solo albums. I only did the solo albums because we were inactive at the time while Rob was doing his solo things."
Elsewhere, Richie Faulkner, former guitarist for hard rock singer Lauren Harris and now Judas Priest, says he wishes both sides could put aside their differences of the last 10 years. He replaced Downing in 2011. "To me, music aside, they should maybe pickup the phone and just talk to each other as buddies and go and have a beer and just be pals. You know, f--- music for a minute' let's just be pals. And then whatever happens, happens." said Faulkner
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