He shocked fans by announcing his departure from the metal icons in 2011, then last year clarified that he'd quit rather than retired. Now Downing tells Metal Talk:

"People say to me all the time: 'Do you miss it? I know you miss it.' My response is the fact that, after a 40-year, full-on career, I'm not going to miss it in the first week, month or even year.

"I just received a nice letter from a guy in Costa Rica, saying he misses me in Priest. When that happens it does become more and more difficult for me to take in the fact that I'm no longer a part of all that.