KK’s Priest is gearing up to deliver some massive surprises on their upcoming North American tour. The band, spearheaded by former Judas Priest guitarist K.K. Downing and vocalist Tim “Ripper” Owens, recently hinted that they will be debuting at least two classic anthems from their former group’s legendary catalog.
Rounding out their formidable lineup with guitarist A.J. Mills of Hostile, bassist Tony Newton of Voodoo Six, and drummer Sean Elg of Deathriders and Cage, the quintet is slated to hit the road as the very special guests for W.A.S.P.. The extensive “1984 To Headless” tour will storm across the United States and Canada, kicking off in California on September 10 and wrapping up on Halloween night, October 31.
On Sunday, June 28, the official KK’s Priest social media accounts shared a brief video clip showcasing K.K. Downing and A.J. Mills shredding through the iconic main riffs of “Heading Out To The Highway” and “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’“. Notably, neither of these heavy metal staples has ever been performed live by this current incarnation of the band.
Accompanying the rehearsal footage, the band posted a statement directly addressing the fans and hyping up the fresh setlist additions:
“Wait… new additions to the set list?! In less than three months, we are Heading Out to The Highway on a massive US and Canada tour with W.A.S.P. and we can’t wait! Over 40 shows featuring some Judas Priest classics we’ve never played live before, and of course KK’s Priest cuts! So stand by for what will be a night of EPIC METAL. See you there!!”
Downing walked away from Judas Priest in 2011, citing band conflict, poor management and what he saw as a decline in the quality of the band’s performances. The years since have been marked by a public back-and-forth between the guitarist and the group he helped build.
In 2019, Downing said he had reached out to Judas Priest about joining their 50th-anniversary tour, only to be told the band had no interest in including him in the festivities.
The roots of the rift run deep. In 2018, Downing revealed that he had sent two resignation letters to his bandmates when he decided to leave. The first was described as a graceful exit note that implied a smooth retirement from music, while the second was angrier, laying out all of his frustrations with specific parties. Downing later said he believed that second letter was a key reason he wasn’t asked to rejoin Priest after Tipton stepped back from touring.
In his 2018 autobiography “Heavy Duty: Days And Nights In Judas Priest“, Downing wrote that he told Tipton and Priest manager Jayne Andrews he had “hated” them both “since 1985.” He later unpacked that outburst in an interview with Classic Rock magazine.
“I was angry. Glenn had formed a relationship with Jayne from day one, and it felt a bit like a John-and-Yoko situation. I didn’t like that,” he explained at the time.
