In a new interview with Canada’s The Metal Voice, former IRON MAIDEN singer Paul D’Anno says that K.K. Downing should return to JUDAS PRIEST for the band’s 50th-anniversary tour.
When asked if Downing should be involved in PRIEST‘s live performances celebrating the band’s anniversary, Di’Anno said: “Yeah, I think he should [come back] for the 50th anniversary. I don’t see why they would say no. I have no idea, really.
He continued: “It would be great, actually, ’cause we’ve been talking about, once [I’ve recovered from my health issues], I’m gonna go and do a concert at K.K.‘s Still Mill, which will be good. But, obviously, everything is all on standby at the minute. But I’d love to do that, ’cause I’ve got a lot of respect for K.K. I think he’s a brilliant guitar player.”
Downing recently said that he had reached out to his former bandmates and revealed that they have no intention of including him in their upcoming 50th-anniversary tour.
“First of all, I want to once again express my huge appreciation to all fans worldwide for the overwhelmingly positive response to my Bloodstock appearance in August and the Wolverhampton gig in early November,” he wrote in a statement.
“I am truly humbled and grateful. I am also taken aback with the compelling fan outcry for me to participate in the JUDAS PRIEST 50th-anniversary celebrations next year. Consequently, I felt the right thing to do was to reach out to my former bandmates to gather their thoughts on this, and their response is they are not receptive to my participation in the band and they do not intend to include me in the 50th anniversary celebrations.
K.K. added: “However, the great news for the fans is that I will be continuing to forge ahead. I am looking very much forward to seeing you all on the road in 2020. Together we will take on the world.”
