When I was given the opportunity to interview Judas Priest guitarist Richie Faulkner, I could not pass. After all, in the last three years, the 34-year old has gone from being relatively unknown to joining the ranks of Priest, undeniably a musical juggernaut and true architect of the heavy metal genre. Priest have released 17 studio albums, five live outings, and have sold 45 million copies of their catalog during their 40-plus-year career. That’s a lot ot live up to.
Could Faulkner, born a mere three months prior to British Steel, the album that defined Priest, make a smooth transition into the band or would there be some rough patches? Well, in accordance to our conversation, the man radiates nothing but confidence and professionalism, mature beyond his years. His voice sounded excited and very enthusiastic. This is a man who truly is very happy to be involved with Judas Priest (though I have a feeling it truly hasn’t sunk in yet). In addition to his excellent guitar skills, he definitely proves to be the right man for the job. This is especially evident on the band”s 2014 release (and Faulkner’s studio debut), Redeemer Of Souls.
~
Hello Richie.
Hello Bruce. How are you doing?
Great, except I was on hold for a few minutes and forced to listen to rap music.
Oh, well, everything is good, even in small increments.
May seem like a silly question, but were you actually a big Judas Priest fan prior to joining the band?
Oh, I was a huge fan of Priest, I had all those early releases. Rock a Rolla, Sin After Sin. I was absolutely raised on Priest, and metal from the era. But, Priest really stood out for me. I always loved that dual-guitar, the big two-guitar sound. My inspiration came from that. UFO, Thin Lizzy, the Scorpions. I enjoyed how one guitarist fed off the other, and vise-versa. The way it all interlocked. But, I think, a true metal fan can’t be a metal fan without being into Priest. They’re one of the forefathers, if not the actual start of it all, that actual blues-to-metal sound. Sabbath was before them, but Priest refined the metal sound, made it what it is today, that framework every metal band has to draw from.
How did you come about becoming a member of Judas Priest?
Well, actually as a recommendation, through a buddy of mine, Pete Friesen. He did a lot of playing with Alice Cooper and Bruce Dickinson. But his style is more of a blues player. Priest takes its roots from the blues, but Pete is more of a Rory Gallagher-style player. That doesn’t fit with Priest, so my name came up. I had spent some time with Glen (Tipton) and Rob (Halford), so they got to know me a little bit.
Was there an actual audition?
Not so much, not that way. The guys gave me a few tracks to listen to and told me, “See what you can do with these.” They wanted to see what my approach would be, what kind of a lead I would put on these tracks. That was the audition right there.
How was the gig actually offered to you?
I had received a couple of e-mails, and phone calls, but I didn’t think it was serious. I thought someone’s playing a joke on me. You never think something like that is going to happen to you, especially my being a huge fan of the band. But I was having some tea with Glen and he said, “Do you want it?” He meant the gig and it was so casual. They’ve been doing business for so many years, and it was simple like that. But it wasn’t a big issue. And I said, “Of course I want the gig” (laughs).
What was it about your playing, do you think, that won them over?
Well, they told me, they didn’t want a clone. They don’t want someone coming in, just to fill-in for K.K. and just do all his leads. They told me what they wanted, someone to tackle the guitar work and do it with my own style and approach. Just to be considered for the band, just to be a candidate, was thrilling enough, never mind actually earn it.
Were there other candidates?
I’m not sure, they didn’t tell me. They kept it very low-key. Most of the fans didn’t even know the band was looking, There was no public advertising, no big coverage in the metal magazines.
Was there a time when the band decided on you, but still needed to make sure on a band-mate level? You know, a trip to the pub, have a few pints…
Glen and Rob really did that when they gave me the tracks, and through our speaking with each other, at various times, But there wasn’t a big test in that regard.
Why do you suppose European audiences are more die-hard, more enthusiastic about metal? They have this passionate connection with the metal bands that American audiences don’t?
That’s a good question. I don’t know exactly what the answer it. You’ll get different responses from the fans, even in Europe. Different parts of the country even, there was a slight difference in how audiences receive everything, especially live. Maybe it’s on a social, economical level. There may be the reasons right there, the bands inspire European audiences in a different way. But, the bottom line is, people show dedication in different ways. Emotions are shown differently. Because one may watch a show, and simply observe, and another fan gets a little more physical, or make their way to the front, doesn’t mean the first fan is any less passionate. It is simply displayed in a different way, by different people, Everyone everywhere shows different ways of showing their respect. Even, in America, they love Judas Priest, they love metal, but when you get into California or Texas, there’s a different level going in, different than the rest of the country.
The band undertook a 25-date European trek in April.
Yes, that was my first tour with the band. We did Russia also.
The first time you stepped on stage with Priest, not on “American Idol,” but on an actual stage in front of a Judas Priest audience, was that euphoric or was it, “Here we go, let’s do this”?
Pretty much, “Let’s do this.” There’s that level of excitement, the lights are dim, the audience is roaring, but I was hired to do a job. I’m the new guy, and a lot of the fans were skeptical. I’m a Deep Purple fan. When Ritchie Blackmore went, I was skeptical of Steve Morse. But, those shows, those are great fans. I had a very healthy welcoming group. So yeah, knowing I had to go in and I do have something to prove. I am the new guy. That’s what was on my mind.
So, there was pretty much no negative feed-back from the rabid-type fans?
(laughs) No. I’m sure some fans aren’t happy about it, but I have my job to do. I can’t try to impress a few fans that are determined to let themselves be unhappy rather than just take it all in. Too busy critiquing, rather than enjoying the show. Someone said I was trying to be K.K. because I played a Flying V. I played a Flying V since I was a teen and that’s because of Michael Schenker, not K.K. Downing.
The new CD is Redeemer Of Souls. Man, that’s a helluva way to make your debut.
Yeah, definitely is. We are very excited to get out and tour behind it.
Yeah, it may be one of your best. It retains that Priest heaviness but stays melodic. It’s not heavy just to be heavy.
Well, I am glad you like it.
As good as it is, however, how many will actually make it to the set?
We are looking to do three or four.
And balance those with older material, the expected songs?
Yes, exactly. I’m excited about this album, we all are. I would love to go out and do this entire album, actually. But, you have an hour and half, hour and 45 minutes. There’s only so much time. We might actually have too much material to draw from, which is a helluva great problem to have. Remember, we do “Breakin’ The Law,” “Living After Midnight,” “Hell Bent For Leather,” “Screamin’ For Vengeance,” a couple of the solos — there’s 30 minutes at least right there. I would love to do the entire Priest catalog, actually. You know, set up somewhere, and do an entire album, one night, an entire album another night. Do the entire Rock a Rolla Album, do the entire Sad Wings Of Destiny album. But staying in one city, you couldn’t do that. Financially, for the fan, that’s impossible. But, realistically, there are expected songs we do, and so we just can not present an album in its entirety, not yet. Not unless it has become a treasured classic, like Priest did for the anniversary of British Steel.
That was the album that really brought Priest to the forefront.
Yes, so it had significance to being performed in its entirety.
1980, that was an amazing year for metal: Back In Black, Heaven and Hell, On Through The Night, Blizzard Of Oz. Do you think the popularity of these albums helped push British Steel or…
…British Steel would have stood out, regardless. If that’s what you were going to ask.
You said you’d love to do older material. What song would you just love to fit into the setlist?
“Saints In Hell” (from 1974’s Stained Class). It starts out very blues-based. It leads you to believe its heading one direction, then it just goes right into being heavy. That’d would work well live.
Have you suggested it?
Well, a large number of the fans, the ones that came in later, may not be familiar with it. So, if you put a song like that in the set, a more obscure, or lesser known song, now you have to take something out. Now comes that decision on what song, one the audience all knows, comes out. Is it worth it then? You’re risking it, putting in a less familiar song. We tossed around the idea of maybe working on “Deceiver” (from 1976’s Sad Wings Of Destiny). So, yeah, a fan loves to hear a surprise song he didn’t expect, but then they become unhappy that a more popular song was left out. That’s why, really, a setlist stays pretty much the same, it has to. You start tinkering with song selection, the whole set could go a bit out of balance. It’s not worth it, just to put something out-of-the-ordinary in.
What does the American tour begin?
That will begin on October 1st in New York, and we are in your neck of the woods November 11…
…at the Nokia Theatre. Can we expect the typical big-scale Judas Priest show or will it be scaled back a bit?
You always let the music do the talking. That’s why you’re there, it’s the music, But Priest has a reputation now for putting on the big spectacle. You deliver the music the way the fans want to hear these songs, their favorites. You do that right, the music itself becomes a visual, us on stage, the big moves, the music makes it all work. Then you throw in some fire, pyro, it’s just an extra addition, and everyone goes home happy.
Time has run out, but let me throw in a few quick questions, a couple of them meant in a humorous way…
Fire away.
In your opinion, who is the greatest guitarist ever?
Oh, Hendrix. Definitely Hendrix. I mean, hands down without Hendrix me and you wouldn’t be talking right now.
Black Sabbath or Led Zeppelin?
Black Sabbath. Not everyone knows this, but I am not really a big Led Zeppelin fan. I mean, I definitely respect everything they did — you have to, they are all amazing musicians. Their back catalog is simply amazing. No one can write the way that band did. But, for me, Sabbath focused on the big guitar sound, the power chord, the power structure. It was all built around that guitar. Yeah, Zeppelin had guitar, but there were keyboards, there were different factors. With Sabbath, it was the guitar and that give the band their true heavy sound. So, yeah, for me, Black Sabbath.
What is the Number One request on your tour rider?
Energy drinks. Definitely. I have to have my energy drinks. Aside from that, you know, a few beers. Nothing too elaborate. We don’t go too crazy. We do want to eat, yes, but, there isn’t anything that says only blue M & M’s or anything like that. Sometimes we bring in some strippers.
Interesting tour rider request.
Sometimes, we do that. It’s just to, every so often, liven things up. It does get boring being on the road, believe it or not. You heard the rock star stories, but we don’t do that. That worked in the past, for others, but now… So yeah, beer, energy drinks, usual things. I’m sorry I don’t have anything more exciting.
Is the leather real, or have we just been getting fooled all these years?
(Laughs) That’s a closely guarded secret. Seriously. You won’t believe how many times I have already been asked: “Is that leather real?” And the guys said to me, “Oh, that question’s been going around for years.”
You have the lights, the heat from the venue…
That’s why everyone wants to know. The flames, all the pyrotechnics. Leather, that wouldn’t be the most ideal thing to wear, now then, would it? You don’t have to be that close to feel the heat from the flames. They’re very hot. So, yeah, while everyone wants to know, I will simply keep the mystery alive, and the secret to myself.
Final question: If no one’s looking, do you ever take the motorcycle outside the venue for a spin?
There’s no fuel in that motorcycle (laughs). When we travel, there’s laws that say we are not allowed to have fuel in the tank. They put a little bit in, enough to get it into the venue, and a little bit for Rob to actually get it out onto the stage. But, yeah, I wouldn’t mind trying it. One day, who knows, maybe I will take a go at it. But, my bloody luck, I will crash that thing and it ends up coming out of my wallet.
