Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Ex-Judas Priest guitarist K.K. Downing has shared a statement in remembrance of the band’s former drummer, Les Binks, who died earlier in April.

Binks drummed in Priest between 1977 and 1979, and played on the albums Stained Class and Killing Machine, otherwise known as Hell Bent for Leather.

“We had many great tours with Les,” Downing writes in an Instagram post. “He recorded with us throughout a very critical part of the band’s career.”

Binks reunited with Priest to perform with them for the first time in over 40 years when the band was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2022. Downing, who’d parted ways with Priest in 2011 after playing on every one of their albums since their 1974 debut, also took part in the Rock Hall set.

“Myself and Les flew out to Los Angeles and were able to spend quite a lot of time together talking about the old days over a few beers,” Downing recalls of his Rock Hall experience. “We played the gig and it was pretty sensational, but I have to say that the time and days we spent together turning back the clock to when we were just young men aspiring and hoping to one day achieve success, was far more valuable to me than any award or prestigious accolade.”