Golf365's Matt Cooper and Dave Tindall have issued an interview with JUDAS PRIEST guitarist K.K. Downing. The following is an excerpt:

Q: How do you find the differences between the US and British golf?

A: "Golf is much more welcoming in the States and I think that's where I got it from, my vision for this place. But then, whenever you are an entertainer in the States they love it. Over here they worry a bit about your reputation."

Q: Tell us about your early experiences of playing golf in the UK.

A: "Well, golf's moved on a long way since I first thought about it. Coming from the Black Country, I know that it used to be a sport for people of a certain class. It wasn't that working class people didn't want to play because you'd see them knocking a ball around in the park. But where could they play? It reminds me of the way things are in Japan now. I don't know what the stats are but I've played there and I've felt guilty playing - yeah, guilty! It's something like 9 out of 10 Japanese golfers won't get to see a course!"

Q: Is it a bit obvious to say that golf offers you a bit of calm after the adrenalin rush of being on stage?

A: "Well, that is true, but, you know, it didn't take me that long to realise that I just like to be around golf and golf courses. I love it: playing a different course, the challenge of it, the atmosphere. It's almost like I'm about to go on stage, putting my stage clothes on and all I'm thinking about is a golf course!'

Read the complete interview at this location.