Late last year we sadly relayed the news that the upcoming Judas Priest tour, the Epitaph Tour as it were, is to be their last. Then, earlier this week, we were cold-cocked with the news that not only would this be the classic metal gods’ farewell tour, but just weeks before its June kickoff (with many people having already snapped up tickets to see their beloved hell-bent history-makers play one last time, intact), legendary founding Priest guitarist K.K. Downing has quite the band. That was kind of a kick in the assless leather chaps, but the last-minute bow-out might be a blessing in disguise. New light has been shed on the band’s motivations to call it a day, and with confirmation that a tour will proceed without Downing, there’s hope that it actually won’t end there after all.
After Downing’s public announced of departure, an official statement from the band indicated that the tour would proceed with “the perfect replacement—31-year-old British guitarist Richie Faulkner” who they say has “blended into the band perfectly and is a great talent who is going to set the stage on fire!” Now, the Rock News Desk has gleaned further comments from band members individually, indicating that it was Downing that was the sticky widget all along, and though they couldn’t originally imagine a Judas Priest without Downing, a sense of responsibility to their fans at so late a date before the tour is inspiring them to carry on not only through 2011, but possibly indefinitely.
It turns out that in late 2010, not long after a 2011 LP and tour had been slated, Downing announced to his band mates that he wanted out, although he was at that point apparently agreeing to stay on for the already-publicized forthcoming business. Not wanting to continue on without their guitarist of 40 years, the band then collectively announced to the world that the 2011 tour had become the Epitaph tour, i.e. their farewell. As the tour drew near, however, Downing’s frustrations became too much to bear, and in the wake of the band’s announcement of Downing’s departure earlier this week, Downing issued remarks of his own. “It is much regret that I will not be with you this summer,” Downing states. “But there has been an ongoing breakdown in the working relationship between myself, elements of the band, and the band’s management for some time. Therefore I have decided to step down rather than tour with negative sentiments. I feel it would be a deception to you, our cherished fans.” Downing, a good sport, nevertheless urges fans to go see Judas Priest play in his absence. “I have no doubt it will be a show not to be missed,” he states.
In the midst of all this, with the band’s future uncertain, singer Rob Halford has held out hope that Downing’s decision wouldn’t spell the end of Judas Priest. “He told us before Christmas. I thought it could be the end. Emotionally, for me, it’s been very difficult,” Halford told Rock News Desk. “But it was his own decision, for the reasons he’s made public. He has his own life to live and we can’t force him to do anything he doesn’t wants to do. We kept the door open all this time in case he changed his mind. But the clock was ticking.”
So, Halford wanted Downing to stay, which would indicate that he wants the Priest to carry on. Drummer Scott Travis has been even clearer in his remarks about wanting Judas Priest to plow ahead. “It’s never an easy decision to replace any long-time member, but the fans want us to continue,” Travis told Rock News Desk. “We want to continue, and we have to go on. I think we’ll go on as long as we want to.”
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After Downing’s public announced of departure, an official statement from the band indicated that the tour would proceed with “the perfect replacement—31-year-old British guitarist Richie Faulkner” who they say has “blended into the band perfectly and is a great talent who is going to set the stage on fire!” Now, the Rock News Desk has gleaned further comments from band members individually, indicating that it was Downing that was the sticky widget all along, and though they couldn’t originally imagine a Judas Priest without Downing, a sense of responsibility to their fans at so late a date before the tour is inspiring them to carry on not only through 2011, but possibly indefinitely.
It turns out that in late 2010, not long after a 2011 LP and tour had been slated, Downing announced to his band mates that he wanted out, although he was at that point apparently agreeing to stay on for the already-publicized forthcoming business. Not wanting to continue on without their guitarist of 40 years, the band then collectively announced to the world that the 2011 tour had become the Epitaph tour, i.e. their farewell. As the tour drew near, however, Downing’s frustrations became too much to bear, and in the wake of the band’s announcement of Downing’s departure earlier this week, Downing issued remarks of his own. “It is much regret that I will not be with you this summer,” Downing states. “But there has been an ongoing breakdown in the working relationship between myself, elements of the band, and the band’s management for some time. Therefore I have decided to step down rather than tour with negative sentiments. I feel it would be a deception to you, our cherished fans.” Downing, a good sport, nevertheless urges fans to go see Judas Priest play in his absence. “I have no doubt it will be a show not to be missed,” he states.
In the midst of all this, with the band’s future uncertain, singer Rob Halford has held out hope that Downing’s decision wouldn’t spell the end of Judas Priest. “He told us before Christmas. I thought it could be the end. Emotionally, for me, it’s been very difficult,” Halford told Rock News Desk. “But it was his own decision, for the reasons he’s made public. He has his own life to live and we can’t force him to do anything he doesn’t wants to do. We kept the door open all this time in case he changed his mind. But the clock was ticking.”
So, Halford wanted Downing to stay, which would indicate that he wants the Priest to carry on. Drummer Scott Travis has been even clearer in his remarks about wanting Judas Priest to plow ahead. “It’s never an easy decision to replace any long-time member, but the fans want us to continue,” Travis told Rock News Desk. “We want to continue, and we have to go on. I think we’ll go on as long as we want to.”