The original “Sinner” takes you behind the scenes of his recent one-off reunion with Judas Priest — and the turbo-charged new album by KK’s Priest
By Jon Wiederhorn
IT LASTED FOR just over seven minutes, but what a glorious 420-plus seconds it was. Judas Priest’s pioneering guitarists Glenn Tipton and K.K. Downing were back onstage together for the first time in more than 11 years playing some of their biggest hits to a worldwide audience.
The celebration took place November 5, 2022, in the Microsoft Theater (Los Angeles) at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, where Judas Priest received the Lifetime Achievement Award. Following a brief introduction by Alice Cooper, the band barreled through “You’ve Got Another Thing Coming,” “Living After Midnight” and “Breaking the Law” as celebrities including Dave Grohl and Drew Barrymore raised their fists and sang along.
Downing was joined on stage by the band’s current guitarist, Richie Faulkner, and both seemed to have the same fashion designer and hairdresser. Wearing the band’s patented studded black leather, wielding Flying V guitars and bobbing their flowing blond tresses, their chemistry was as tight as their precision riffing and synchronized stage moves. On the other side of the stage were bassist Ian Hill and Tipton, the latter wearing a Judas Priest baseball cap and eyeglasses and playing a black Hamer Phantom. Possibly due to his worsening Parkinson’s condition, Tipton remained fairly stationary and glanced downward — an elder statesman calmly taking in the voluble scene and reaping the rewards of 50-plus years of dedication to his craft.
Onstage, vocalist Rob Halford stood as one with Downing. Offstage and before the show, the environment wasn’t so friendly. Downing wasn’t allowed to walk the red carpet with his former bandmates, had a separate dressing room and received the cold shoulder from everyone in the band except Faulkner, who replaced Downing when he left the band. Even so, Downing wasn’t about to let ugly politics ruin a good party.
“I was flying high, and It was fantastic,” Downing says, recalling the performance. “I was there for the fans who wanted to see me with Priest again, and it was a great moment. People loved it and lots of them said hello, including Richie, who was really nice and really cool. I wish I could say the same for my former bandmates.”
Downing officially quit Judas Priest in 2011. Due to pers
