KK Downing keeps hand in at Wolverhampton's Steelmill while enjoying rural life in Shropshire

KK Downing, erstwhile lead guitarist with Judas Priest, is enjoying the peace and quiet of a rural lifestyle in the Shropshire countryside near Bridgnorth.

But music is in his blood and it is natural that he should be the spearhead of KK’s Steelmill, a brilliant club at Star Works, in Frederick Street, just outside Wolverhampton.

The Black Country is the home of hard rock and it’s fitting that it now has a club to celebrate that heritage. It’s equally apposite that its located in the former home of the Star Motor Company, one of the first mass production car companies in the UK.

The story began when Edward Lisle built his own first bicycle in the early 1870’s. After gaining mass success through racing his creation, he then began to build his bicycles to order.

Edward Lisle founded the Star Cycle Company In 1883. In 1889, business was booming and the company were able to purchase a factory on Stewart Street. By 1899, production levels reached an incredible 10,000 cycles per year, and by 1904 Star were the largest bicycle manufacturer in Wolverhampton.

However by 1897, times were changing. As were the demands of the customers. The company followed suit and acquired a ‘Benz Car’, using it as a template and basis for the design of their very own car.

The Star Cycle Company went on to purchase the rights to produce Star-Benz cars in Wolverhampton and began production at the Stewart Street Works. The cars were now being sold under the Star Motor Company name, a registered subsidiary of Star Engineering Limited, who adopted a policy of building as much as possible in house.

In 1902, the Star Motor Company finally changed its name to the Star Engineering Company. The business grew rapidly and diversified, expanding the Stewart Street works and obtaining additional premises in neighbouring streets.

The company went on to undertake their final quest in 1903 – building a magnificent 40,000 sq. ft. site on Frederick Street, where it remains to this very day.

Fast forward a century or more and the very building that Lisle and his team strove towards remains pretty much exactly as it was in 1903. It’s also rocking Wolverhampton again.

Portal framed, with steel columns supporting the original ‘A-framed’ roofs, the ‘U-shaped’ perimeter of the factory consists of a two storey brick built structure featuring a striking pitched roof and a vast open centre area. It’s all supported on a raw steel framework.

An historic environment, it has artistically curated to emphasise the awe of the space. And since the launch of KK’s Steel Mill, it has become a fashionable backdrop which can be manipulated to host art exhibitions, product launches and huge music events.

KK was thrilled when he was asked to become the ambassador for the Steel Mill. The family who own the premises live nearby to his home, in the Shropshire countryside near Bridgnorth.

“I thought I’d chosen somewhere remote to live but then on Sunday mornings all I could hear was the noise of drums and guitars. It turned out a neighbour of mine was into rock music.

“The guys dad was in the furniture trade and so they’d needed a big place to store stuff. They’d brought the old car factory in Wolverhampton and imported stuff. But that took a bit of a turn so they came up with a new idea for the space.

“They asked me if I wanted to get involved in launching a rock club and after their dad had given them the thumbs up, I agreed to become the ambassador for KK’s Steel Mill.

“It’s great because I’m a man of the Midlands. When I was coming through, everywhere was a gig. There were clubs and working men’s clubs. It was a good breeding ground for musicians and music. We probably never realised how lucky we were. Even as a fan, there was always somebody playing, somewhere, almost within walking distance. We didn’t have cars, it was a bus ride. We could go and see all sorts of people. It was a great time to be growing up.”

KK’s Steel Mill has been an out and out success. It’s hosted such arena-sized acts as Skid Row and Thunder since opening in 2018 and as the pandemic comes to an end, it remains at the forefront of rock music in the UK.

The venue is giving rock and metal fans a cool new way to watch their favourite bands and artists. From touring bands to one off exclusives, million selling international groups to local up and coming talent, its aim is to put on the most amazing shows.

“A lot of the venues and clubs and pubs have closed down, so the opportunity with the Steel Mill has been great. Opening up with Skid Row was great, but then the pandemic came in and knocked us for six. But the venue is still there, it’s not going away so it should all be fine.”

There’s a synchronicity between KK and the venue. KK was born in West Bromwich and after being kicked out of home at 15 and dropping out of school soon after, he focused on music. He worked as a trainee chef at the Lyttleton Arms, in Hagley, before enjoying colossal success with Judas Priest. He remained with the band until 2011. He stayed off the stage for about ten years before featuring at the 2019 edition of Bloodstock and then in 2020 he formed KK’s Priest, which has given him the opportunity to work on new material.

All the while, he’s retained his focus on the Steel Mill as the venue has moved increasingly to the forefront of the UK’s rock scene.

“It’s been tough during the pandemic and there has been a bit of a lull for the past few months when everybody got a bit spooked again by Omicron. I think it was mainly the foreign bands that were postponing their gigs, Cheap Trick and stuff like that. Seemingly we are coming out of it a little bit. We’ve got some pretty good things happening. All being well mate I think we should be okay. I think things will start to accelerate and do a lot better.”

He has an undeniable pride in seeing the region’s rock roots being given a new place to shine. The heritage that gave him his start is something that he’s keen to build upon for a new generation of rockers.

“When I was a kid, seeing all those gigs locally was massive. When you think about the venues, you can’t even get your head around it. You’d see Saxon playing Walsall Town Hall, you’d see Free in Freer Street playing a club, you’d see Black Sabbath playing Walsall. You could go to a bus and see the same band the next night at Dudley College. There was a pub between Carter’s Green and Wednesbury called The Fountain. I remember going there to see a blues band and you’d bump into Robert Plant who was paying his two shillings to get in. You’d see him there standing in line to see a little three-piece blues band. It was a wonderful, wonderful time. It’s surprising really that there weren’t more bands.

“So the Steel Mill is a great place for the artists. They love it. It’s like turning back the clock to venues like the old Bingley Hall. It’s very old school. It’s got a good vibe about it. It is steeped in history. It feels like it’s got that long heritage and history. It’s got a vibe and it feels like it’s always been there. You almost expect to see troops of dudes in trench coats walking in.

“I think it will have a very long life and legacy. I’m sure it will, especially when they set the stage up horizontally like they did for Thunder. It doesn’t feel stodgy. Your feet don’t have to stick to a beer-soaked carpet, a la JB’s, at Dudley, but it’s got that vibe. The fans love a venue this size. They know they’re going to see some big bands there. So they’re very supportive. Instead of having to travel to see Skid Row in other towns and cities, they can come here. They know those bands can do the business.”

There are more plans for the venue and a museum-like attraction may develop, reflecting on the area’s rich history. “It is early days and I’ve been busy myself doing things but it’s our intention to create almost a destination. You know, you have the Black Country Museum, the Steel Mill will be that on the music front. There will be a lot of additions. It’s all work in progress to create that vibe.”

And then, of course, there’s KK’s Priest, which is a massive project. “I was offered two very good tours in the last couple of years but they got cancelled but now we’re working on tour dates again.

“I think by the summer, we’ll be nudging into the safety mode for people like me with aeroplane travel. I’m obviously bothered about catching Covid but if that happens to me I’ll fight it off like the good old metal merchant I am. The worst nightmare is having crew go down with it. We want to set sail and get back out that. I won’t let that frighten me. The booking agents won’t hold back, nor the promoters. It’s looking pretty good.” As it is for KK’s Steel Mill.