Richie Faulkner has now enjoyed over a decade of playing Judas Priest music, taking over guitar duties in 2011 after K.K. Downing stepped away from the band, and over that time he's had the chance to play many of the classics that drew his admiration before he even joined the group. So during a chat with Houston's Eagle + Rock Rage Radio host Harley Roxx, the guitarist shared which of the band's songs has become his favorite to play live.
As you might expect with such an extensive catalog, that answer is not an easy one, with Faulkner naming off several favorites before zeroing in on his top choice. "I love 'Victim of Changes.' I love 'The Sentinel.' I mean, the ones that I've written with the band, they're kind of your favorites for a different reason — you've had a part in creating them and they're great to play for a different reason. But the classics you've grown up with, like, as I said, 'The Sentinel,' 'Freewheel Burning' is always fun to play. 'Night Comes Down' is a great one to play. I think they're all great. 'Electric Eye.' When that intro goes off, 'The Hellion' before 'Electric Eye,' that's like a goosebump moment. They're all great," Faulkner initially offered, as transcribed by Blabbermouth.
But eventually making his choice, he commented, "But I have to say if there was one, it would probably be 'Victim of Changes.' It's just an epic, epic song."
Still, Faulkner then credited one more song that deserves its recognition as well, stating, "'Painkiller' is great too. It just goes off; the audience goes off. For a guitar player, it's great. It's just a fantastic song."
Faulkner recently had the chance to share the stage with the man he replaced in the band, as both he and K.K. Downing rocked out an epic medley of songs at the 2022 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony.
In a recent interview, Downing revealed that there is no discord between himself and Faulkner, adding that he shared "nothing but respect" for the band's current guitarist.
Downing elaborated, “I managed to have a chat with him, and we shared the stage and even jammed together. It could have been awkward, but it wasn’t. I’ve nothing but respect for him, and I know he’s working on other projects outside Priest, and I wish him well.” Downing then joked, “The only potentially awkward moments were because I like a lot of room and have always raced around the stage, and we had to avoid each other!”
Judas Priest's Richie Faulkner Chats With Harley Roxx of Houston's Eagle + Rock Rage Radio
Judas Priest, "Victim of Changes (Epitaph)" (Live)
