Judas Priest Postpone Tour Due To Richie Faulkner’s Hospitalization

[mpexus]

“It is with deep regret that we have to postpone the rest of our U.S. tour. Richie Faulkner has major medical heart condition issues which have landed him in the hospital where he is being treated,” they wrote. “In the meantime, we are all sending love to our Falcon to with him a speedy recovery.”

https://www.revolvermag.com/music/judas-priest-postpone-tour-after-richie-faulkner-suffers-major-medical-heart-condition

[Mike]

Seems like a good guy. This sucks.

[Chris]

He's only 41, so hopefully this is something he can overcome.

For anyone else wondering, this is the dude who replaced KK Downing. (I had to look him up.)

[jacksonplayer]

Yikes! Hope he's okay.

[Valtteri]

Oof, that sounds bad, doesn't seem like a guy that should have heart problems.

[Chris]

[lespauled]

When I met Richie at music zoo a while back, he seemed incredibly down to earth, and came off are a really nice guy. Definitely didn't give off any "I'm a rock star" vibe at all. A pleasure to talk to. Just a really nice, down to earth guy. Hope he gets better soon.

[Megametal7]

Richie is a cool dude, I wish him speedy recovery. Its scary having those kind of issues with health..

[Ghost.]

One of my favorite modern players with killer tastes in guitars.

His wife said he made out of surgery just fine who by the way is George Lynch's daughter if no one knew.

[Blazon_Stone]

It's sad, but I'm really wondering, cannot they get a temporary replacement for a few shows?

[Blazon_Stone]

I mean, they can just find a guitarist in the USA. I dont see how that would be problem of VISA? Somebody who already lives there...
Plenty of great guitairists who would know most of classic JP songs by heart and can learn the newer songs in an evening

[thrashinbatman]

I mean, they can just find a guitarist in the USA. I dont see how that would be problem of VISA? Somebody who already lives there...
Plenty of great guitairists who would know most of classic JP songs by heart and can learn the newer songs in an evening

the prospect of putting out a call for some rando to come and play guitar for Priest sight unseen, no rehearsal, while still trying to keep a tour running is a serious one. no serious rehearsal time to make sure they can cut it and no time for the player to get comfortable playing with the band. huge risk for little reward. maybe if they had a guy who had proven himself to the band already, but even then, "hey, can you drop your entire life like, right now to come play guitar for us?" is tall ask for pretty much anyone. this type of situation pretty much requires the band to call off a decent chunk of the tour, and at that point, you might as well just do what Priest did and postpone the rest of it.

[Ghost.]

I still think it's weird that even Andy Sneap fils-in on guitar for the band especially after all this time when they could have found a proper guitarist who could plays Tipton's Leads.

Brandon Ellis (Tipton's Parts) & Richie Faulkner (K.K.'s) , now that would be tasty.

Not to mention they are around the same age. Brandon is 40.

[Chris]

It's sad, but I'm really wondering, cannot they get a temporary replacement for a few shows?

You'd get my vote buddy.

[Überschall]

It's sad, but I'm really wondering, cannot they get a temporary replacement for a few shows?

KK ain’t busy…

[bigdave]

KK ain’t busy…

I thought him and Ripper are gonna be playing dates?

[bigdave]

I mean, they can just find a guitarist in the USA. I dont see how that would be problem of VISA? Somebody who already lives there...
Plenty of great guitairists who would know most of classic JP songs by heart and can learn the newer songs in an evening

This is what YOU should do Ced, I know you can play all their stuff or learn it in a very very short time, you look the part and are already a touring musician... you'd KILL in this gig... you where born for it

[Blazon_Stone]

the prospect of putting out a call for some rando to come and play guitar for Priest sight unseen, no rehearsal, while still trying to keep a tour running is a serious one. no serious rehearsal time to make sure they can cut it and no time for the player to get comfortable playing with the band. huge risk for little reward. maybe if they had a guy who had proven himself to the band already, but even then, "hey, can you drop your entire life like, right now to come play guitar for us?" is tall ask for pretty much anyone. this type of situation pretty much requires the band to call off a decent chunk of the tour, and at that point, you might as well just do what Priest did and postpone the rest of it.

I'm just speaking from my own experience...

I have been stand-in drummer for a few bands with only 1 or 2 rehearsals before.

AND HEAR THIS:
When Morgana Lefay was supposed to play a festival gig in Sweden and the original drummer couldn't attend...
They called up a drummer a few hours before the gig, who never listened to them, and he learned the songs on a mp3-player on the way to the festival, and fucking KILLED IT.


So there's DEFINTIELY people who has lighting fast learning skills out there, with little to no need for rehearsal.


Here's a clip of me playing a 1+ hour gig with a band I rehearsed ONCE with, only with singer+bass player 1 week before gig (the guitarists had no opportunity to attend)

Here's a clip of me playing with Starblind after just 2 rehearsals, with one guitairist not able to attend because he had fucked up his finger in the military (he head "enough" to play the show tho)

But, as mentioned above, the real star of the show is this fucking guy here, NO REHEARSAL AT ALL BEFORE SHOW and he didn't even know the songs before the gig, he listened to the mp3 player on the way down to festival and KILLED IT.

Judas Priest shouldn't have a hard time finding a guitarist who can learn everything and just get up on stage.

There's tons of super-talented guitairists out there who would shit their pants if they had opportunity to play alongside JP at least for once in their life.

[Blazon_Stone]

This is what YOU should do Ced, I know you can play all their stuff or learn it in a very very short time, you look the part and are already a touring musician... you'd KILL in this gig... you where born for it

Well, I could probably learn all the rhythm parts, but Judas Priest are a couple of levels above my technical skills as a solo guitarist... I "can" play Judas Priest solos, but it's a stretch!

[mpexus]

Most certain they dont want to. How can they be doing it when one of his members needed an urgent heart surgery?



- Richie Faulkner reportedly underwent a "10-hour open-heart surgery" after suffering a "heart attack" following the band's performance at the Louder Than Life festival in Louisville, Kentucky on Sunday (September 26).


https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/ju...b2yVsq7wpTieX0



Not everything is about money.

[Ghost.]

Most certain they dont want to. How can they be doing it when one of his members needed an urgent heart surgery?



- Richie Faulkner reportedly underwent a "10-hour open-heart surgery" after suffering a "heart attack" following the band's performance at the Louder Than Life festival in Louisville, Kentucky on Sunday (September 26).


https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/ju...b2yVsq7wpTieX0



Not everything is about money.

Woah!

They didn't make it seem it was something like that. Goodness, I hope he recovers well. That is nuts for 41. God Bless him.

[Megametal7]

Most certain they dont want to. How can they be doing it when one of his members needed an urgent heart surgery?



- Richie Faulkner reportedly underwent a "10-hour open-heart surgery" after suffering a "heart attack" following the band's performance at the Louder Than Life festival in Louisville, Kentucky on Sunday (September 26).


https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/ju...b2yVsq7wpTieX0



Not everything is about money.

Yea, wont be cool to keep the show going while one of their brother is down with life threatening problem.

Im sure they will come back and make up for it once Richie is well enough to do shows.

I do like Ritchie, he is really down to earth fella, I hope he fully recovers fast.

[Blazon_Stone]

Sure I guess I was just thinking too "practical", I guess it was a bit insensitive or whatever, I dont know.

But sure, as Megametal7 says, if somebodies life is in danger then I guess sure, make sure that is priority one.

[mpexus]

Good news he seems to be recovering.


We have an update on Richie – see below in Richie’s own words….
Maniacs…
I’ve always been grateful for the opportunities I’ve been presented with. I’ve always considered myself THE most fortunate man ever - to be able to play my favourite music - with my favourite band - to my favourite people around the world…
Today just being able to type this to you all is the biggest gift of all…
As I watch footage from the Louder Than Life Festival in Kentucky, I can see in my face the confusion and anguish I was feeling whilst playing ‘Painkiller’ as my aorta ruptured and started to spill blood into my chest cavity….
I was having what my doctor called an aortic aneurysm and complete aortic dissection.
From what I’ve been told by my surgeon, people with this don’t usually make it to the hospital alive…..
I was taken to nearby Rudd Heart & Lung Center and quickly went into what turned out to be a 10 ½ hour emergency open heart surgery
Five parts of my chest were replaced with mechanical components…..I’m literally made of metal now….
It could have all ended so differently – we only had an hours set that night due to Metallica’s performance after us – and it does cross my mind if it was a full set, would I have played until total collapse…? If it hadn’t happened in such a high adrenaline situation would my body have been able to keep going long enough to reach the hospital…?
The amazing Heart & Lung Center was 4 miles away from the gig site – if it had been further away……..
We can always drive ourselves crazy with these things but I’m still alive thankfully. Whatever the circumstances, when watching that footage, the truth is, knowing what I know now, I see a dying man…..
I’ve been moved to tears and humbled by friends, family, my fantastic band, crew and management and also you guys sending me videos and messages of love and support during the last week – I thank you all so much and although I have a recovery road ahead of me, as soon as I’m able to get up and running again, you’ll be the first to know and we’ll get back out there delivering the goods for you all….!
One last thing maniacs, this came totally out of the blue for me – no history of a bad heart, no clogged arteries etc…my point is I don’t even have high cholesterol and this could’ve been the end for me. If you can get yourselves checked – do it for me please……
Lots of love and see you down the front again soon….
Richie…
This is from our strong falcon - he will be flying high again just as soon as he is able….
JUDAS PRIEST
6th October 2021

[Mike]

Yeah, I saw that. He's fortunate to still be here. Unreal.