Jeb Wright at Classic Rock Revisited recently spoke with former Judas Priest guitarist K.K. Downing, who is making the rounds promoting his new book, Heavy Duty: Days And Nights In Judas Priest. Following is an excerpt from the interview.

Jeb: We have mixed feelings as fans without K.K. Downing in Judas Priest. The band is great today, no doubt but I just wonder if you miss it as much as we miss you?

K.K.: "What I miss about Priest is the powerhouse that we were. It had become less than that. It was tough for me to be there and see things slowing down and not being what it was. I have a saying that goes, 'The older we get the younger we've got to play.' That is a good bar to set in that position and it wasn't happening. What was happening was that it seemed like we were going through the motions. I was struggling to be out there. Things were slowing down. Everybody has a right to play and perform the way they want to but it didn't suit me and it made me nervous."

Jeb: I'd buy a K.K. Downing solo album.

K.K.: "We all have to work for a living to put bread on the table, it takes a lot of time, and it always will. Winter is coming soon and I am going to shut myself away in my room and see what happens by next spring."

Jeb: Are you saying there is music coming from K.K. Downing?

K.K.: "Who knows, mate? Who knows? It is what I do. I am always doing something. Someone will say 'play a solo on this' and I will do that. It is going to have to stop if I am going to put some product out there. If I want to do that then I am going to have to take it more seriously. We will see what happens. For now, I am enjoying speaking to the world one more time about the book and about my life. That is keeping things going for now."

Read the complete interview here.

Heavy Duty: Days And Nights In Judas Priest is out now via Da Capo Press, and available to order here.

A book synopsis states: Judas Priest formed in the industrial city of Birmingham,

England, in 1968. With its distinctive twin-guitar sound, studs-and-leather image, and international sales of over 50 million records, Judas Priest became the archetypal heavy metal band in the 1980s. Iconic tracks like “Breaking The Law”, “Living After Midnight”, and “You’ve Got Another Thing Coming” helped the band achieve extraordinary success, but no one from the band has stepped out to tell their or the band’s story until now.

As the band approaches its golden anniversary, fans will at last be able to delve backstage into the decades of shocking, hilarious, and haunting stories that surround the heavy metal institution. In Heavy Duty guitarist K.K. Downing discusses frontman Rob Halford’s hidden sexuality, the personality conflicts, the business screw-ups, the acrimonious relationship with fellow heavy metal band Iron Maiden, and how Judas Priest was at ground zero for the parental outrage targeting heavy metal in the ’80s. Lastly, he reveals the life-changing moment when he looked at his bandmates on stage during a 2010 concert and thought, “This is the last show.” Whatever the topic, whoever’s involved, K.K. doesn’t hold back.

With the band at the beginning through his retirement in 2010 (and even still as a member of the band’s board of directors), Downing has seen it all and is now finally at a place in his life where he can also let it all go. Even if you’re a lifelong fan, if you think you know the full story of Judas Priest, well, you’ve got another thing coming.