Judas Priest

Judas Priest – Richie Faulkner

By: Lori Smerilson Carson

So many catchy, melodic, heavy metal songs have spawned from legendary band Judas Priest since the release of their debut album Rocka Rolla in 1974. These extraordinarily talented musicians have sold over fifty million albums, won a Grammy Award in 2010 for Best Metal Performance, and in 2022, they were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, awarded for Musical Excellence. Now, with fifty years under their belts, Judas Priest are still going strong, and have recently released their nineteenth studio album INVINCIBLE SHIELD. Not slowing down, they are taking their new music, along with prior fan favorites on the road, and Florida fans can catch their Invincible Shield Tour show in Daytona on May 9^th at Welcome to Rockville (Daytona International Speedway).

Catching up with Guitarist Richie Faulkner at the start of their Invincible Shield Tour, he revealed some details about the new album that he and Lead Singer Rob Halford, Guitarist Glenn Tipton, Bassist Ian Hill and Drummer Scott Travis just released this past March, about the new show, a bit about his past experiences, and what fans can look forward to.

SFL Music Magazine: The new album is INVINCIBLE SHIELD, the 19^th studio LP. Is there a theme with songs like “The Serpent and the King” and “Crown of Horns”? What would you say inspired it?

Richie Faulkner: It wasn’t really. When you start writing an album, you’re not quite sure which way it’s going to go. You might have a group of ideas, but it starts to take shape on its own, and you kind of recognize that and go with it. I think the songs, the ones you mentioned, “The Serpent and the King” and songs like “Invincible Shield”, they had a few twists and turns in them that will take you on a musical journey, if you know what I mean. So, we kind of recognized that’s where the album was dictating it was gonna go, and we went with that. Apart from that, not really. We kind of do what comes out of us naturally, if that makes sense.

SFL Music Magazine: Yes, definitely and the album has that wonderful Judas Priest sound with the strong vocals, drums and guitars. The solos were really impressive! What would you say inspired “Panic Attack”? It really sticks in your head.

Faulkner: I don’t know where is comes from really. Again, when the song starts taking shape, and even more so with the vocals, I think. When the vocals get put on, and the message of the song starts to take shape, we start off with the chorus in terms of the phrase, you know, panic attack, panic attack. Then, I think Rob goes away and thinks well, that was what was coming out naturally, panic attack. What can that panic attack be about? Then I think he comes up with stuff, and then the song starts to take on its message. That’s how it usually works, but where it starts from, I don’t know. For me, I sit down with a guitar in the morning, afternoon or evening and some stuff just jumps out. You say, oh that sounds strong, I’m gonna keep that. And then you might do something else that sounds strong and you put them together, and that’s how it goes, really.

SFL Music Magazine: How did the tour come together with Sabaton?

Faulkner: Well, when you’re putting these tours together, you’ve got a lot of things to think about. Which bands are suitable, which bands want to do it, and which bands are available. Some bands, sometimes they’re not available. So, you consider all those things. We were actually out with Sabaton in 2021, but the tour got cut short, you know, one of us had a bit of a medical episode. So, we approached them again to see if they wanted to do it this time, and they were available. We knew it would be a good package. They ticked all the boxes. Great band. Great group of lads. The crew is great, so we knew that they can get on and off stage quickly. All those things come into consideration, but ultimately, it’s a great band of great guys. So, it’s a pleasure to have them out and tour with us again.

SFL Music Magazine: Definitely looking forward to the show, and glad you are doing better. That was a little scary.

Faulkner: Oh definitely, yeah.

SFL Music Magazine: Is there anything you may recommend to people? You’ve been in great shape and then to hear what happened. Whoa!

Faulkner: Well, I would say what happened was my aortic valve, which they don’t usually check in a lot of checkups. So, they check your heart, but they don’t check around it. You have to actually ask them to specifically do it. So that was something you’re always unaware until it happens (he laughed), you know what I mean? That’s something I would say if your concerned, or if it runs in the family or anything like that, history of aortic or cardiovascular stuff, definitely get it checked out if you’ve got any concerns, for sure.

SFL Music Magazine: That is great advice. What can fans look forward to with the new show?

Faulkner:  We do different things every time. A different stage set up or different songs. New songs, but you’ve got to put the classics in there. You’ve got to put some deep cuts in there. You’ve got to put a loud Harley Davidson in the show somewhere where Rob comes out on the Harley. So, all those things that we know and love about a Priest show. Yeah, that’s what to expect, really. What we know and love about Judas Priest is the live show as well. We’re actually playing tonight.

SFL Music Magazine: The last time we talked was in 2018 when FIREPOWER came out. You were saying you mostly play Les Paul’s and Flying V guitars, and after the interview, you were going to a music store in South Florida to get a new one. Are there any new guitars for fans to look forward to seeing you play?

Faulkner: There’re always new guitars. Yeah, for sure. It’s a bit of an addiction. I love guitars. I love new ones and old ones. Just the hunt sometimes is what it’s about. Sometimes you go fishing, but you don’t catch anything, but it’s about everything else. Not necessarily the catch. In this case, I like to go out and see what there is. If there isn’t anything, better next time, and when you do find something, it’s even more special (he laughed). It’s still the same. I’ve got Flying V’s and Les Paul’s and some Explorer’s. I’ve actually got a new Explorer out with me this run. The great guys and girls at the custom shop at Gibson, they made me this new Explorer with custom appointments, and it’s sounding really good on the road. It’s always exciting to have a new guitar on the road, so that’s a new one the fans can see.

SFL Music Magazine: What would you say influenced you to become a musician? To play guitar?

Faulkner: It was my father really, that introduced me to things like Jimi Hendrix and Black Sabbath and Deep Purple, and stuff like that. So, my father was the catalyst. Then when you see Hendrix, how can you not be for better or for worse, effected by that. You know, sonically, visually, the whole thing. It was mind blowing really, for a seven-year-old boy. I’m obviously, not the only one. There’s going to be millions after me to get influenced by him as well. So, they were the main things really. My father was into Hendrix and he introduced me to that, and then it went from there, really. Hendrix, Thin Lizzy, UFO, (Iron) Maiden, Priest, Metallica. It goes on. So, that’s where it came from.

SFL Music Magazine: You all are playing in Daytona. Are there going to be any other shows added to the tour in Florida?

Faulkner: I’m not sure. Last time we played Florida, it was right next to a swamp and there was alligators in there and it was amazing! It was mosquitos, right by the swamp, so like clouds of mosquitos above us and everything. It was amazing! It was really, obviously, hot and humid as well, by the water there. I love Florida. I spend a lot of time down in Florida. These tours always seem to kind of grow. We started in Europe and then we’re going to the U.S. They always seem to grow, so you never know where we’re going to come back to or where we’re going to tour next. So, hopefully we get down there again.

SFL Music Magazine: People just have to keep their eyes open, right?

Faulkner: Yeah, check out all the socials, obviously. If there’s any new announcements to be about new dates, that’s where to find them.

SFL Music Magazine: Anything else you want to add?

Faulkner: Thank you, guys, for the support down there in Daytona. We saw the big armored truck. It was a knight with invincible shield motifs on. It was incredible! So, the support down there has been great. We just can’t wait to get down there with the mosquitos again, and play some heavy metal for you. We can’t wait!

SFL Music Magazine: We’ll try to keep the mosquitos at bay.

Faulkner: (he laughed) Ok. Nice one.

**SFL Music Magazine readers – check out the entire interview in the June issue!