RICHIE FAULKNER: 'We've Got Ideas Coming Up All The Time' For New JUDAS PRIEST Music

In a new interview with George Dionne of KNAC.COM, JUDAS PRIEST guitarist Richie Faulkner was asked if he and his bandmates are planning to continue touring in 2025 or if they will hit the studio to write and record new music. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “I think a bit of both, really. These tours tend to grow and evolve over time — the more we do, we get more offers from different territories and stuff — so I'm sure there'll be more touring. And there's always ideas coming up, there's always creative juices flowing. So if we're able, we might be able to get in and see where we are. I know we've got ideas coming up all the time — riffs and melodies and song ideas and stuff. We're creative people — that's gonna happen. So I think, hopefully if we get some time early next year, we'll be able to pool those ideas and see what we've got and then hopefully hit the road again somewhere else.”

JUDAS PRIEST has just completed leg two of its “Invincible Shield” tour with special guest SABATON. Produced by Live Nationthe 23-date tour launched on September 13 at the Bell Center in Montreal, Quebec and is making stops in Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Omaha, Nebraska; Spokane, Washington; Portland, Oregon; Los Angeles, California; Phoenix, Arizona and more before wrapping up with three shows in Texas on October 22, 24 and 26.

In a recent interview with Full Metal Jackie's nationally syndicated radio show, JUDAS PRIEST singer Rob Halford was asked what's on the horizon for him and his bandmates at the moment. He responded: “It's just this wonderful, wonderful renaissance going around, not only for PRIESTbut for metal in general, for bands that were there from the beginning. Our good friends SAXONwho we worked with recently in Europe — we were selling out places all over Europe because people not only are the fans of the band, but there are also people that were maybe on the outside looking and going, 'I've gotta check this out. What is this happening now? Why is there such a buzz about these bands?' And so we're thriving on that, we're thriving on that.”

He continued: “We're so grateful and honored and humbled to be in this place all these years later and still have this thing called relevance. We're a relevant heavy metal band that's not living on their past glories. And there's nothing wrong with that. But we've always felt that who we are and what we're about is representative of what we're doing and saying now [PRIEST‘s latest album] 'Invincible Shield'and it's not dissipating. There's still tremendous love and interest for that particular album and this band. And so we're just out there roaring away, giving you all of these moments from PRIEST right from the beginning of our metal lives to where we are right now 'Invincible Shield'.”

“Invincible Shield” entered the UK chart at No. 2, just behind Ariana Grande's “Eternal Sunshine”.

Prior to “Invincible Shield”'s arrival PRIEST's highest UK chart achievement was with 1980's British Steelwhich reached No. 4.

PRIEST's 2018 album “Firepower” entered the chart at No. 5.

“Invincible Shield” was JUDAS PRIEST's fifth Top 10 album, after the aforementioned British Steel swear “Firepower”as well as 2014's “Redeemer Of Souls” (No. 6) and the 1979 live album “Unleashed In The East” (No. 10).

“Invincible Shield” landed at No. 1 in Germany, Finland, Sweden and Switzerland, as well as No. 5 in France, No. 8 in Italy and No. 16 in Australia.