FH: Did you ever think about dropping it?

KK: Not really. I think we were just wondering if we could ever find a good replacement. And, obviously, it wasn't the easiest thing in the world...it's very difficult to replace somebody like Rob. But when we found Ripper we knew it, he had so much strength with his vocals.

FH: A Halford clone as you once put it...

KK: We had to have somebody with the same vocal ability as Rob since our fans expect the songs to be sung the same way. We just recorded a live show in London for a DVD which we hope to have out this summer.

BN: Let's talk a bit about the new CD Demolition. You are preparing to release your second single...

KK: Yeah, I think the label is planning on putting out an edited version of "Lost And Found." You know how hard it is to get radio play these days, so we're gonna go with something a bit more accessible.

BN: Priest was signed to Columbia/Sony for over 20 years. Your previous CD, Jugulator, was released on the indie label CMC. Now you are back on a major label - Atlantic. How has the transition been and do you feel it's tougher to get the support from a major label seeing that metal music isn't their priority?

KK: Well, the thing is, if you don't go with a major you lose out on a lot of the clout they have. Last night we did Rock Line for an hour and a half, and that was syndicated throughout the whole country. That's serious exposure, and you need that. We also did Westwood One this morning, and you need to do these sort of things to get people psyched up for a tour or album.

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