The ongoing situation between Motley Crue and Mick Mars is spilling over into other bands and people. After Mars came out with news that Motley Crue had forced him out of the band, he’s suing them for lost revenue and his cut of profits. Now, in a letter to Blabbermouth, ex-Judas Priest guitarist KK Downing is standing up for Mars and giving his side of the story of his departure from Judas Priest back in 2011. Here’s the full letter:
“I do sympathize [with Mick], because I’m going through exactly the same thing. And it’s pretty unsavory, to say the least. After spending a lifetime building the band’s name, reputation, popularity and value, in particular brand name, it should be all right for people to retire, especially through illness.
“In my case, we were gearing up in 2010 to do a final world tour, the ‘Epitaph’ tour, which was meant to be the end of the band. And because I was having pressure put on me to write for an EP to support that tour, which I absolutely was not gonna be any part of… I certainly didn’t want to finish my career with an EP. So I threw the towel in and sent a retirement letter in.
“There was a whole set of circumstances for me not doing the final tour. And one of the main considerations [was] we were getting to be concerned about Rob [Halford] and we thought that he was gearing up, ready to leave [the band] again.
“Because in 2010, when all this was going on, the planning of the farewell tour and finishing the band, the justification was that Rob pretty much within 12 months [in] 2010 had released two studio albums with his own band and had done a world tour, including Ozzfest. And we were very much thinking that Rob, with his own manager, would go separate ways again.
“And that was another serious consideration. I really wanted to mention that because it really wasn’t the band I was leaving; it was just I decided not to do the farewell, final tour of the band, because that’s what we all agreed and that’s what was intended to happen. So essentially my decision was just not to do the final tour of the band. Of course I didn’t know that the band would continue, at that time, right up until today. Otherwise things and decisions may well have been different.
“But, as I said, I sympathize with Mick because the circumstances between the two of us seem to be pretty much… well, identical.”
Downing went on to talk about his cut of the band and some of the royalties from the band that he doesn’t get.
“As a 25 percent shareholder in the company, their stance is that my shares don’t have a value, which is completely ridiculous,” Downing said. “I think Mick actually talked about that particular thing as well [as it relates to Mötley Crüe] and it seems to be what the rest of the guys in his band are trying to do also….
“Even the [Judas Priest] 50-year anniversary book, for example, that’s seriously well illustrated with so many pictures of my life’s history that I don’t get any revenue from that whatsoever, or from any merchandise. And I’ve been told that the company has no value.”
He finished up with this.
“I think to safeguard any other people that may be coming around to being in this position that may well be acquaintances of mine or even good friends of mine, I wouldn’t like them to be in the same position.
“So safeguards needs to be put in place to avoid even the thought of litigation. But as for me and Mick, it seems that’s our only route.”
This all points to what’s likely another heavy metal lawsuit with KK Downing suing Judas Priest for his cut. It’s a sad state of affairs when relationships get to this point with bands. The real bit of news here is that they (or at least Downing) thought that Halford was going to leave Judas Priest again in 2010. After seeing and listening to the great work they’ve done with Redeemer of Souls and Firepower, I find that hard to believe, or maybe Richie Faulkner is just that amazing of a band member. Who knows, we might not ever truly know the full story of Judas Priest.
To see more of the Motley Crue-Mick Mars drama, check out the article below.
So, is this sour grapes from Downing? Or do you believe his side of the story that he was forced out of Judas Priest?
For more on Metal, make sure to check back to That Hashtag Show.
Source: Blabbermouth
