Judas Priest’s iconic guitarist, K.K. Downing, isn’t just battling on stage – he’s fighting for the soul of metal itself. In a candid interview with The Times, Downing voiced a stark fear: the genre he helped define might be headed for extinction.
Downing traced metal’s rich history, from its ’70s/’80s heyday with bands like Priest, Maiden, and Scorpions, to the thrash and death metal explosion. He praises the genre’s diversity but worries that a focus on the past could stifle its growth.
“We’re losing our giants,” Downing warns, referencing the recent deaths of Eddie Van Halen and Jeff Beck. “I’ll keep the flame alive as long as I can, but it’s up to new generations to take the torch.”
This isn’t some anti-thrash rant. Downing has previously praised the healthy competition bands like Metallica brought to the scene. But his concern now is less about rivals, and more about whether metal has a next generation of innovators.
Ironically, Downing’s own band, KK’s Priest, kicks off a US tour March 7th. It underscores his point: even the old guard is carrying the metal banner, but they can’t do it forever.
