While the philosophy of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” might work for some bands, UK metal gods Judas Priest are clearly not counted among them. Rarely repeating themselves from record to record, Priest have always preferred creativity over repetition, unafraid to take risks even when some level of criticism inevitably follows.
Ghost Cult had the pleasure of chatting with Richie Faulkner of Judas Priest! The band has been back on tour supporting their “50 Years of Heavy Metal tour.” The tour performances have been stellar, but not without issues, as Rob Halford missed a show due to a cold. Richie chatted about all the health struggles the band has faced, the bands’ performances on this current leg of the tour, Richie’s personal practice routine while on the road, wellness tips, his personal opinion of the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame and if the band belongs in it, and an update on the progress of the follow up to Firepower and more!
Judas Priest announced last week that Queensrÿche will be the direct support band on the rescheduled “50 Heavy Metal Years” North American tour dates, taking place next spring. The band has now booked addtional dates added to the tour which you can see below. Judas Priest was forced to postpone two-dozen North American shows on its rescheduled 50th-anniversary tour in late September after the band’s guitarist Richie Faulkner suffered an acute cardiac aortic dissection during a performance at the Louder Than Life festival. He ended up undergoing a 10-hour life-saving surgery a short distance away at Rudd Heart and Lung Center at UofL Health – Jewish Hospital in Louisville, Kentucky. Tickets are on sale now.
Judas Priest guitarist Richie Faulkner has undergone a “Major Emergency Heart Surgery” today. He is said to be “stable and resting” afterwards, as updated in a social media post by Richie’s girlfriend Mariah Lynch, daughter of former Dokken guitarist George Lynch. Mariah is Faulkner’s partner and mother of his child, Daisy Mae, born in July 2020. The band postponed the rest of their current headline tour of North America 50 Heavy Metal Years Tour, so Richie could get the medical care and recovery he needed. Continue reading
Devastating news as Judas Priest shredder Richie Faulkner has a major medical condition (heart) that has landed him in the hospital for treatment. Thus the Judas Priest tour is postponed until a later date. News was proken by the Judas Priest PR team. The Priest were finally celebrating their 50th anniversary this year with the The 50 Heavy Metal Years Tour, with Sabaton as openers.Get well soon Richie! Continue reading
Judas Priest is celebrating their 50th anniversary this year with a world tour coming to the US in the fall. The 50 Heavy Metal Years Tour will also feature Sabaton as openers and is being fueled by the highest-charting album of Priest’s career ‘Firepower’ which peaked at #5 on the Billboard 200. Judas Priest originally formed in 1970 in Birmingham, England (an area that many feel birthed heavy metal). The original nucleus of musicians – Rob Halford, Glenn Tipton, KK Downing and Ian Hill (along with several different drummers over the years) would go on to change the face of heavy metal. The band has made some of the greatest albums in music history. Judas Priest’s lineup also includes Scott Travis on drums, and Richie Faulkner on lead guitar. Andy Sneap has been touring with the band on rhythm and lead guitar since 2018. In 2017 (and again in 2019) Their latest studio album Firepower (produced by Sneap and Tom Allom) which received global success and critical acclaim and released via Epic Records in 2018. The band was nominated for the 2020 Rock And Roll Hall of Fame. Continue reading
With some time off due to their tour postponement earlier in the year with Ozzy Osbourne, Judas Priest has been preparing for their upcoming US tour. In answer to a fan question on Twitter, guitarist Richie Faulkner has stated the band will add 8-10 new songs their didn’t play on tour in 2018 and will have an all-new stage. Priest earned rave reviews for their high energy arena tours and amphitheater shows last summer with Deep Purple. The band often mixes the hits with deep cuts. The band is still touring behind 2018’s amazing Firepower (Epic) album. Continue reading
With people on social media proudly sharing photographs of their recently purchased or newly patched up tents, or cirrhosis-inducing beer supplies during the days and even weeks leading up to the event itself, by the time the big day actually arrives, anticipation for Bloodstock 2018 has already turned into a Christmas-like level of excitement.Continue reading
With eighteen studio albums and almost fifty years under their bullet belts, Judas Priest, alongside Black Sabbath and Iron Maiden, have managed to become a household name even in houses where the occupants haven’t even heard of Heavy Metal. Their legacy is inarguable. In fact, there is so little left to say about the band that hasn’t already been documented in some way over the last four (now virtually five) decades, that all you really need to know is this: They’re Judas fucking Priest.Continue reading
Alice Cooper‘s 16th Annual Christmas Pudding benefit concert took place this past weekend in Phoenix, and it was a star-studded event. Continue reading