Former JUDAS PRIEST guitarist K.K. Downing checks in with the following year-end update:

"Season's greetings to everyone!

Wow! Where did that year go? Anyway, I think that you will agree that it was another great festival year and metal has been in full flight once again. Please feel free to write in to Steel Mill and tell us about your particular highlights and the band that you thought were great and why!

It's great to hear that Sabbath are gearing up for something special next year, in addition I suspect that there will be many other great things that will come to fruition in 2012. But for now I just want to wish you the best festive season that you have ever had.

As always I am indebted to the loyal millworkers for all of their hard work and dedication to me and to metal. And it goes without saying that without you the loyal fans to metal, there would not be a metal world at all!

Until we meet again, keep feeding the flames that keep the metal furnaces alive and burning. My love and respect will forever be there for you all! Where ever you may be."

In a recent video interview with Valley FM's Grace Bailey, K.K. discusses, among other topics, his split with Judas Priest.

Asked if he's happier now, having left the band, Downing states: "I wish things could have been different, so I could have continued. Obviously, 'cause of the passion. In the 60s, I was very instrumental in creating Judas Priest, and it was a hard bullet to bite. But I thought that if this is gonna be the way that it's gonna be, then perhaps it's time to step down. I think we had a lot of great years."

K.K. continues: "It was a massive consideration, obviously, the fans, who I love, and many of them have become very good friends. But I just hoped that they would appreciate that I couldn't continue with the way that I felt inside for reasons which I'll… I mean, certain reasons I will never, ever disclose."

The 15+ minute interview can be found below: