KK Downing Recalls the Sting of the ’80s: “We Were Being Outsold by Our Openers” — The Album That Didn’t Push Judas Priest to the Top
Heavy metal legend K.K. Downing, founding guitarist of Judas Priest, has opened up in a candid new interview about one of the band’s most frustrating moments during the 1980s: watching their opening acts rise to global stardom while Priest struggled to break through to that same commercial level.
In a conversation with Classic Rock Magazine, Downing recalled the unexpected shift in the hard rock hierarchy during the mid-’80s — a time when bands like Bon Jovi, Def Leppard, and even Iron Maiden—once Priest’s opening acts—were suddenly outselling them by the millions.
“There we were, headlining these massive shows, and sometimes the opening bands were walking away with more press, more radio play, and eventually, more album sales,” Downing said. “It was a bit of a punch to the gut.”
The Tipping Point: Turbo (1986)
Downing specifically cited 1986’s Turbo as the album that the band hoped would catapult them into arena rock superstardom, but instead left both fans and critics divided.
“We wanted to experiment,” he explained. “There was pressure to modernize, to fit into the soundscape of the mid-’80s — synths, big choruses, more polish. But it backfired. We didn’t land where we hoped.”
Turbo featured a more radio-friendly sound, incorporating synth-guitars and commercial hooks, most notably on the single “Turbo Lover.” While it did go Gold and achieved modest success in the U.S., it didn’t elevate Judas Priest to the multi-platinum tier that many of their peers were beginning to occupy.
Downing admitted the band felt they had missed a crucial moment.
“It was like standing on a ladder and realizing the rung you thought would take you to the roof was a step too short.”
Watching the Rise of the Openers
Downing shared the irony of sharing stages early on with bands who later dwarfed Priest’s success.
“We toured with Def Leppard when they were still finding their feet. Next thing we knew, Pyromania exploded, and suddenly they were headlining stadiums. We were proud of them — but also asking, ‘Why not us?’”
He also acknowledged Bon Jovi’s Slippery When Wet era as a turning point in the mainstreaming of hard rock. “That album blew everyone out of the water. We weren’t even on the same charts.”
No Regrets — Just Metal
Despite the frustration, Downing insists he holds no resentment. He sees Judas Priest’s commitment to metal purity as a badge of honor.
“We were never going to be pop. That wasn’t in our DNA. We made music for the fans, not the charts.”
Judas Priest would later rebound with 1990’s Painkiller, a crushing metal return-to-form that reignited their legacy. But for Downing, the Turbo era remains a lesson in the cost of chasing trends.
“We learned who we were by trying to be something we weren’t,” he said. “And we came back stronger.”
Even if they were outsold, Judas Priest never bowed. They stayed metal — and that’s why they’re legends.
