Judas Priest's manager says K.K. Downing "seemed a little bit nervous and almost out of his depth" in recent Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame performance

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Judas Priest's longtime manager Jayne Andrews has discussed the metal legends' recent, lauded performance at the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame ceremony, which saw former members K.K. Downing and Les Binks both play with the band for the first time in years. Guitarist Downing left Judas Priest in 2011, with the relationship between the two parties seeming somewhat strained ever since. While Downing's reunion with his former bandmates for the Hall Of Fame show was a landmark moment for Priest fans, Andrews has offered some insightful thoughts on the situation.

"We all said, 'Any grievances or problems, we put them behind us,'" she told Gloria Cavalera on the latter's Gabbing With Girlfriends podcast (as transcribed by Blabbermouth). "This is a very positive time. And that's the way we looked at it. And it's just a shame that [Downing] didn't seem to look at it the same way... It's sad for him, really, because it shows — I don't know. It shows, really, that all the things that he says, when he had the opportunity, he didn't take it.

"To be honest — and I probably shouldn't really say this — [Downing] seemed a little bit nervous and almost out of his depth," Andrews added of the performance itself. "And when we talked about it afterwards, we thought, 'Well, Priest have carried on touring all these years; he hasn't. So he's probably lost a bit of confidence, coming to a big event like that, obviously, [and] having to confront all of us.' He didn't know how we would be… I said, 'We've got to see one person. He's got to see six people, really — five [without] me…' But it's just a shame that once he realised that there was no animosity from our side that he didn't just stick his head around the door and say 'thank you.' But there we go. He didn't, so never mind."

A new Judas Priest album is expected next year, with frontman Rob Halford recently noting back in October that "in essence, it's done."

Merlin was promoted to Executive Editor of Louder in early 2022, following over ten years working at Metal Hammer. While there, he served as Online Editor and Deputy Editor, before being promoted to Editor in 2016. Before joining Metal Hammer, Merlin worked as Associate Editor at Terrorizer Magazine and has written for Classic Rock, Rock Sound, eFestivals and others. Across his career he has interviewed legends including Ozzy Osbourne, Lemmy, Metallica, Iron Maiden (including getting a trip on Ed Force One courtesy of Bruce Dickinson), Guns N' Roses, KISS, Slipknot, System Of A Down and Meat Loaf. He has also presented and produced the Metal Hammer Podcast, presented the Metal Hammer Radio Show and is probably responsible for 90% of all nu metal-related content making it onto the site.