In a recent conversation with The Times, K.K. Downing expressed concerns over the future of metal music, suggesting it might be at risk of fading away.
The guitarist reflected on the genre’s history, explaining:
“I guess you can label the whole thing ‘classic rock’ or ‘classic metal,’ and it’s anything from Dokken, Van Halen, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, and Scorpions, and it goes on. Accept and Saxon and UFO. All these bands that created and took us into the ’90s where you started to get some new and different kind of metal, whether it’s Megadeth, Pantera, Metallica, and so many more bands that took it to a different place.”
Celebrating Metal’s Rich Diversity And A Call To Preserve Metal’s Legacy
He went on to celebrate the diverse evolution of metal:
“And from there, you had thrash metal, death metal, Christian metal, so much more. That great evolution that led us to where we are today has been a fantastic journey. And I’m glad to say a lot of metal fans do like classic metal and they do like new metal bands, which is a great thing to see.”
Downing then voiced his concern about the genre’s longevity with the following words:
“It’s potentially in jeopardy of becoming extinct at some point. We’re at an age where we’re losing lots of people and dear friends like Eddie [Van Halen] and Jeff Beck, but we’ll do this as long as we can. I will, anyway. And add to the collection and really hope fans will enjoy that.”
The Healthy Competition Within Metal
Reflecting on his recent insights into the precarious future of metal, the musician’s thoughts connect with his previous discussions on the genre’s evolution, particularly the surge of thrash metal in the early ’80s. Less than two years ago, in a conversation with Rhys Bowler, Downing explored this pivotal era after naming Metallica, Machine Head, Motörhead, and Megadeth as notable bands of the period. He stated:
“We had a lot of great bands in the early ’80s that were kind of, ‘Okay, we’re the new kids on the block. Move aside.’ So us bands that had been around through the late ’60s and ’70s, we had to kind of listen up and go, ‘Hang on. Not too fast, you guys.’ But you can’t keep good bands down; they’re gonna push their way forth. But the thing is that was a very, very healthy thing.”
KK’s Priest will start their US tour on March 7 in Fort Lauderdale, FL, with L.A. Guns and Burning Witches joining as special guests. This tour, which is the first part of a bigger tour planned for later in 2024, will have at least two legs across the US.
