The Artisan News Service conducted a short interview with JUDAS PRIEST drummer Scott Travis at the third annual Revolver Golden Gods Awards, which took place last night (Wednesday, April 20) at Club Nokia in downtown Los Angeles, California. When asked for an update on the just-announced departure of the band's original guitarist, K.K. Downing, Travis replied, "The update is in the press release [which came out Wednesday morning], so you know as much as I do. But you have to have the burning desire in your heart, in my opinion, to play heavy metal music."

He added, "We all start at a young age and it's not because of money, fame or girls — you start because you love the music. So if he's not feeling that anymore, then I give him props for taking himself out of the game, basically."

When asked about the remaining JUDAS PREST members' decision to go ahead with their previously announced tour plans with a replacement guitarist — 31 year-old British guitar player Richie Faulkner (LAUREN HARRIS, DIRTY DEEDS) — Travis said, "It's never an easy decision to replace any longtime bandmember, but PRIEST is almost like its own machine, and the fans want PRIEST to continue, we want it to continue, and we have to go on. K.K.… I can't speak for him, but we have to go on; that's all."

Downing released a statement earlier today blaming his departure from JUDAS PRIEST on "an ongoing breakdown in working relationship between myself, elements of the band, and the band's management for some time." He added that he "decided to step down rather than to tour with negative sentiments as I feel that this would be a deception to . . . our cherished fans."