Former Judas Priest guitarist K.K. Downing has weighed in on the David Ellefson scandal, offering words of support to the ex-Megadeth man.

Ellefson was fired from the band last month after sexually explicit content of him leaked online alongside allegations that he had been grooming a fan. Ellefson has denied the allegations.

After performing a set of Judas Priest classics together in late 2019, Downing and Ellefson, with former Priest members Les Binks and Tim Owens, formed a new band called KK’s Priest.

As per Blabbermouth, during an interview with SiriusXM’s Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk, Downing was asked if he hopes to have Ellefson team up with KK’s Priest now that he’s no longer involved with Megadeth. Downing was hesitant though: “We’re all consolidated now,” he explained. “We’ve actually been, obviously, working pretty hard for over a year and a half now together as a unit. And, obviously, we’ve got all of these videos we’re about to release. So we’re totally consolidated.”

Downing did, however, note his support for Ellefson amidst the allegations. “Dave and I, every now and again we’re in touch, and, obviously, I did send David a text saying, obviously, ‘You’ve got a lot of friends around the world,'” he said. “And he does. He’s not just liked – he’s actually loved. because he’s such a gentleman.”

Downing wasn’t done there, making an unwise comparison with rock ‘n’ roll of past decades: “What happened – and I talk about it with other journalists and things like that – if this had happened in the ’70s or the ’80s, it would have just been put down to rock ‘n’ roll. He’s no different to anybody else. We’ve all got strengths, and we’ve all got weaknesses, especially as men, I’m afraid… So, I wish him well and everything, and I know that he will, obviously, come back, because he’s so good.”

Megadeth has yet to announce who will replace Ellefson, who was in the band from its start in 1983 until 2002, and then again from 2010 until his departure last month.

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