In a brand new interview with Andrés Durán of El Expreso Del Rock, JUDAS PRIEST guitarist Richie Faulkner spoke about what it was like for him to hitch the band in 2011 because the substitute for unique guitarist Kenneth “Ok.Ok.” Downing. He stated (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “I believe you’ll be able to by no means substitute somebody like Ok.Ok. Downing. He was within the band for 40 years. He began the band with them. He helped create what they created collectively. So that you’re by no means gonna substitute that. I do not assume that is ever been my mindset. However if you get the chance for that place, it’s a must to respect what went earlier than however I believe you additionally need to attempt to create your individual sound transferring ahead with the band.”
Richie continued: “I am the identical with bands like UFO. I like [former UFO guitarist] Michael Schenker or [former DEEP PURPLE guitarist] Ritchie Blackmore. DEEP PURPLE have had completely different guitar gamers as effectively. I like Ritchie Blackmore. Some individuals love Ok.Ok., some individuals love us all, some individuals adore it all, and it is nice. However there’s all the time gonna be people who have their favourite guitar gamers. I am simply glad to be there serving to and provides what I can and paying respect, hopefully, to what he laid out earlier than.”
Requested by Durán how he feels about the truth that PRIEST singer Rob Halford beforehand credited Faulkner with “saving” the band practically a decade and a half in the past, Richie stated: “I might say, after 50 years the band is placing out new music and we’re nonetheless touring in Colombia, all over the world. We received nominated for a Grammy within the steel class for brand new music. I believe that it is a sturdy message that heavy steel remains to be related and JUDAS PRIEST is without doubt one of the bands that is nonetheless making it related. Whether or not you assume the Grammys are — whether or not they imply something, the actual fact is the world watches that they usually see hip-hop they usually see nation they usually see pop, however they see heavy steel there as effectively. And it is GOJIRA, METALLICA, PRIEST, SPIRITBOX — we’re nonetheless up there. PRIEST remains to be up there as a contender after greater than 50 years. And I believe that feels, to me, like we’re doing one thing proper and we’re nonetheless flying the flag for heavy steel, and we’re all proud to do it. And that is all I can say, actually. What it was earlier than, I do not know, so coming into the band, I do not know what it was like earlier than.”
Faulkner continued: “I believe it is a very nice factor of Rob to say, however I believe we’re a staff — we work as a staff — not simply the band, however administration and the label and our crew; the crew’s incredible. So we’re all a part of the machine. And what’s gone earlier than was the identical and what’s going to come after was the identical. It’s going to be the identical. We’re a part of a staff, we’re a part of the JUDAS PRIEST household — Ok.Ok., Ripper Owens, Les Binks, Dave Holland, John Hinch, so many — we’re all a part of that legacy, and the perfect factor we are able to do is simply give a thousand p.c and hopefully nonetheless fly the flag for heavy steel 60 years later or 70 years later. I believe that is that is what the aim is. Whether or not you obtain that, I believe that is what your focus needs to be.”
Again in December 2022, Faulkner spoke to Nice Day Houston about what it was like for him to hitch the band in 2011 because the substitute for Downing. He stated: “I performed in a canopy band in London and across the U.Ok. And JUDAS PRIEST songs had been the staple weight loss program of a gig in rock guitar enjoying. You needed to know JUDAS PRIEST and DEEP PURPLE and IRON MAIDEN and all these songs should you wished to play repeatedly. So I used to be intimately conversant in the band’s materials — by no means met the band earlier than. I knew one in all their ex-drummers, Les Binks. And I received the decision from the administration someday. I used to be a little bit of… You recognize the ‘Goldilocks And The Three Bears’ the place the porridge is excellent; I wasn’t a totally new man the place I used to be gonna get stage fright, however I hadn’t been across the block for the final 10 years the place I used to be gonna have an inventory of calls for. I used to be proper within the center.”
Concerning how his addition to PRIEST proved to be such a seamless transition, Faulkner stated: “I believe half of it was the scale of it. You simply form of get swept together with the wave of it. You understand how a lot this implies to so many individuals all over the world. I believe I used to be prepared for the problem. I do know the responsibility that comes with being the guitar participant in such a significant band.”
Faulkner, practically three a long time Downing‘s junior, joined PRIEST after Ok.Ok. left amid claims of band battle, shoddy administration and declining high quality of efficiency.
In 2018, Downing revealed that he despatched two resignation letters to his bandmates when he determined to give up JUDAS PRIEST. The primary was described as “a sleek exit notice, implying a easy retirement from music,” whereas the second was “angrier, laying out all of his frustrations with particular events.”
Downing later stated that he believed the second letter was “a key cause” he wasn’t invited to rejoin PRIEST after Tipton‘s determination to retire from touring.
Again in 2019, Faulkner dismissed the criticism he obtained for supposedly making an attempt to look an excessive amount of like Downing. “Clearly, you get the [haters] — the ‘clone’ feedback,” Richie instructed the “Let There Be Speak” podcast. “I’ve received lengthy blond hair, enjoying a flying V [guitar]… [Michael] Schenker, Zakk [Wylde], Ok.Ok., Randy Rhoads — all these guys. To say I used to be a Ken clone was pretty narrow-minded. There’s tons of men who’ve flying Vs and lengthy hair.
“The factor is that if I had dyed my hair black to be completely different, I might have been shot down,” he continued. “You have gotta be actual; you’ve got gotta be who you’re. And I grew up on Ken, I grew up on Glenn [Tipton, JUDAS PRIEST guitarist] and the blokes that I discussed. So you’ve got simply gotta be who you’re. And I grew up with these guys, and I am not ashamed. I put on it on my sleeve — they’re all my influences, and I am not afraid of that… There is no level in making an attempt to cover it. But it surely’s gotta be pure as effectively. And I believe in some way it labored out organically. I did not attempt to copy him. And because it goes on, you all the time attempt to do your individual factor and make your individual assertion.”
Seven years in the past, Downing stated that he felt like he was “being cloned” when he first discovered he was being changed by Faulkner.
Downing, who introduced his retirement from PRIEST in April 2011 after practically 42 years within the job, admitted to the “Urge for food For Distortion” podcast that he was shocked when he first noticed his substitute.
“Richie, so far as I do know, is a pleasant man and clearly a wonderful participant,” Downing stated. “I used to be a bit dissatisfied when, principally… I believe the thought was to exchange me [with a lookalike], so I did really feel as if I used to be form of being cloned. However I am unsure that was precisely truthful to Richie. I imply, I might be off the mark right here, however I believe Richie had the suitable to convey himself to the stage together with his personal… painting his personal picture and talent to play the instrument the way in which that he does. However it’s what it’s.”
He continued: “When Glenn retired from touring [in early 2018], the identical did not occur — clearly, [Tipton‘s replacement] Andy [Sneap] does not look something like Glenn; he does not put on the identical garments, the crimson pants, guitars or something like that. So I do not actually know what is going on on. However it’s what it’s.”
In a 2011 interview with the Finnish newspaper Ilta-Sanomat, Halford acknowledged about Faulkner‘s bodily resemblance to a youthful Downing: “Persons are saying, ‘It is a clone. You have received a few of Ok.Ok.‘s DNA.’ It is simply the way in which it turned out. We made, like, a secret search. Once we knew Ok.Ok. was not gonna be making the tour, we did a variety of secret, form of, trying to find one other participant. And Richie simply occurred to be the man. And he simply occurs to look just a little little bit of the Ok.Ok. picture, you already know?! I believe it will be foolish to say, ‘We regarded for a guitar participant that appears like Ken.’ What we wish is an excellent steel guitar participant, and that is what Richie Faulkner is.”
