This is the first book to offer an insider’s perspective on the notoriously secretive Priest organization, finally addressing why Downing abruptly left the band in 2011, just before a world tour, after 40 years with the group. Judas Priest has always been a rather closed-off band, offering little insight into internal dynamics. The group has stuck to standard responses and skillfully avoided probing questions. This autobiography marks the first time someone directly involved with the band has told their side of the story. That is until Rob Halford released his book Confess: The Autobiography in 2020.
Fans have long speculated about the reasons behind K.K.’s seemingly sudden departure in 2011. Even direct questions to guitarist Glenn Tipton yielded no clear answers. For many years, tensions between K.K. and his former bandmates was very bad, with pointed comments and public disagreements stoking further interest in the book.
Despite the intrigue, this biography doesn’t stray far from the formula of countless other rock autobiographies. K.K. provides a detailed account of his childhood in the bleak, industrial town of West Bromwich, growing up under near-slum conditions with a neurotic, gambling-addicted father who shaped K.K.’s conflict-averse personality. He recounts his teenage years, when a life-changing encounter with Jimi Hendrix inspired him to pick up the guitar. He also reveals how they borrowed the name Judas Priest from their first vocalist’s defunct band.
The book offers plenty of detail but skips over deeper dives into specific songs. Early on, we see the seeds of tension between Downing and Tipton, with the latter increasingly asserting control over the band and positioning himself as the Guitar Hero who played most of the solos.
I did enjoy stories from Priest’s golden era: their U.S. success, wild groupie encounters, the infamous Reno court case, the reason for Downing’s sunglasses in the Priest…Live! video, their camaraderie with Def Leppard and Lemmy, and K.K.’s frustration with the arrogant, overconfident youngsters in their support band Iron Maiden. Also the truth about the so-called conflict between Judas and Maiden are settle once and for all; yes, it was more or less just between Downing and Di’Anno, and not much more. And even they had some beers some years after.
The 1990s are glossed over, with only a few pages dedicated to the 12 years Rob Halford was absent from the band. Downing’s dissatisfaction with the 2000s is clear, from Tipton and manager Jayne Andrews’ increasing control of the band to Tipton’s alleged underperformance on stage and constant efforts to overshadow K.K.
K.K. doesn’t attack the legacy of Judas Priest, nor does he aim to smear Glenn Tipton or Rob Halford. However, he’s candid about his struggles with Tipton’s dominant personality and his belief that management decisions hurt the band’s potential. For instance, he doesn’t weigh in on former drummer Dave Holland’s alleged sexual abuse, revealed years after he left the band. He also makes it clear that Rob Halford’s homosexuality was never an issue in the band—K.K. and the others were comfortable with it from the start, and it’s treated as a non-issue in the book.
It’s somewhat disheartening to see the polished image of a band you’ve admired for years tarnished, especially one that outwardly maintained a façade of unity and heavy metal brotherhood. Yet, for dedicated fans, it’s fascinating to finally glimpse behind the curtain, even if this account is from K.K.’s perspective alone.
The book is relatively easy to read, taking only a few evenings to finish. However, the writing itself is unremarkable, riddled with typos and signs that neither K.K. nor co-writer Mark Eglinton had the benefit of a thorough editor or proofreader. That said, for fans of Judas Priest, this is essential reading.
Released 18th September 2018, on Da Capo Press.
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