KK Downing, one-half of the twin guitar machine that powered Judas Priest to worldwide glory for over three decades, has written about his life and career in one of the great music biographies out there, HEAVY DUTY- DAYS AND NIGHTS IN JUDAS PRIEST. Downing famously left the band in 2011 and the reasoning behind that surprise departure is just one of many intriguing subjects that he sheds light on in this 275-page autobiography.
Since the book’s release there have been many headlines on the net along the lines of “KK Downing reveals this” or “KK Downing explains that” and I skipped all of them because I was planning to read the story start-to-finish. It was a good decision. All of the fascinating topics hinted at by various music websites are covered in a very free flowing journey through Downing’s life and Judas Priest’s long and storied career. With co-writer Mark Eglington’s help, the book is an easy read that runs chronologically and feels like KK is kicking back across from you, telling you the whole story.
On the personal side, Downing describes a rough upbringing and how he was led to a career as a musician. He talks about seeing Jimi Hendrix and getting the guitar legend’s autograph and it resonates for anyone who has ever done whatever it takes to go see their favorite band and to actually meet them in person. The formation of Judas Priest is covered in detail, including the journey to getting signed by Gull Records.
On the professional side, any Priest fan will revel in the re-telling of how each album was recorded, among other anecdotes from the road and elsewhere. If you’ve ever wondered how Judas Priest went from looking and sounding like they did on Rocka Rolla to the heavy metal masters they became, Downing gives great insight as to how it all unfolded.
Kenneth “KK” Downing covers a lot of ground and answers many question with this book, but it is important to note that this is not at all some sleazy, tell-all job that belongs alongside the tabloid-style autobiographies out there. Throughout the book, Downing tells of conflict in many areas, but he doesn’t come off as trashing anyone. He had a difficult relationship with Glenn Tipton, but he doesn’t diminish Tipton’s contributions or his skill level. There was some bad blood with Iron Maiden way back when, but Downing speaks highly of his fellow Brits. The stories are all in there in a very matter-of-fact telling of what took place over many years, but there isn’t much venom spewed at anyone. Maybe some of those involved could feel slighted, but the reader comes away with a view of a very likable KK Downing.
One key point made by Downing that I have long believed myself is that Judas Priest should have been even more successful than they were and are. Priest doesn’t have a record that sold five million copies in the states, or even close to it. In their most successful run, the 10 albums from Sin After Sin (1977) to Painkiller (1990), six of them went Gold in the U.S., and of the four that went platinum, they topped out at double-platinum with Screaming For Vengeance.
Judas Priest was wildly popular in the United States at the time and toured relentlessly to get a foothold in the States. It’s probably not fair to say they should have gone to Def Leppard’s level in album sales and notoriety because they didn’t veer to the more commercial side of heavy music that the 1980’s is known for. But there was a time when every banging head alive was into Judas Priest and it certainly seems like the band could have capitalized on that more than it did.
There are a few observations from Downing on why this might have been.
If you’re a Judas Priest fan, you absolutely have to read this book. If you’re a just hard rock/heavy metal fan that likes Priest, you’ll likely come away from it wanting to go through their catalog. Heavy Duty is a candid view of KK Downing’s life and an inside look at Judas Priest and after reading it, you’ll think very highly of both.
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