K.K. Downing Says Iron Maiden Were 'Very Arrogant' in the Early Days

In an older interview with Germany’s Rock Hard Magazine, former Judas Priest guitarist K.K. Downing reflected on the long-standing early eighties friction between his band and Iron Maiden. The conversation resurfaced after former Maiden vocalist Paul Di’Anno suggested in his autobiography that he was the main cause of the rivalry.

Downing disagrees.

“Paul apologized to me personally, which was a great gesture,” he said. “But he was not the reason behind the rivalry.”

At the time of British Steel, Judas Priest were one of the world’s biggest heavy metal acts, while Iron Maiden were still rising and serving as an opening band. According to Downing, rumors circulated backstage that Maiden members believed they were superior and would soon surpass Priest.

“We knew they were talking behind our backs, saying their band was better and that they would send us home. Their behavior was not good, not ethical, not grateful. It came across as arrogance,” Downing recalled.

He admitted the band briefly considered removing Maiden from the tour, but managers advised against it. When Maiden heard they were at risk of being dropped, “their faces were full of terror,” Downing said.

Despite staying on the tour, the tensions continued.

Downing remembers the final rehearsal before the tour clearly. Several Iron Maiden members stood silently, observing Priest’s every move, which made him extremely uncomfortable. He asked a crew member to ask them to leave, only later discovering that some members of Priest’s technical team were friends with Maiden and had brought them in.

“At least they could have asked for permission,” he joked.

Audience reactions during the tour did not help smooth things out. While Maiden were received politely, the crowd energy was clearly focused on Judas Priest.

“People wanted to see us,” Downing said.

Years later, Iron Maiden grew into one of the biggest names in the global metal scene. Downing says he feels proud of what they accomplished.

In hindsight, he believes Priest made a strategic mistake.

“We focused too much on the United States after releasing British Steel. That was our error. We neglected Europe and lost ground at home,” he admitted.

Ironically, history repeated itself when Maiden asked to open for Priest during a U.S. tour, and the same competitive energy resurfaced.

When asked what he would say if he ran into Steve Harris today, Downing replied with a smile:

“I would buy him a beer. It is an old story. As I said, I am proud of what Iron Maiden achieved for British metal. It may sound silly, but it is true. Cheers.”