RICHIE FAULKNER: Performing With Each Ok.Ok. DOWNING And GLENN TIPTON ‘Was An Expertise I will By no means Overlook’

Richie Faulkner says that performing with Glenn Tipton and Ok.Ok. Downing ultimately night time’s (Saturday, November 5) Rock And Roll Corridor Of Fame induction ceremony in Los Angeles was an expertise he’ll “always remember.”

PRIEST obtained the Musical Excellence Award on the occasion, which honored Eminem, Dolly Parton, DURAN DURAN, Lionel Richie, Pat Benatar, EURYTHMICS and Carly Simon within the Performers class.

The JUDAS PRIEST members that received inducted embrace present members Rob Halford (vocals),Ian Hill (bass),Glenn Tipton (guitar) and Scott Travis (drums),together with former members Downing, drummer Les Binks and late drummer Dave Holland.

Halford, Hill, Tipton and Travis have been joined by Binks, Downing and present guitarist Faulkner for a three-song medley consisting of “You have Received One other Factor Comin'”, “Breaking The Legislation” and “Residing After Midnight”.

Earlier immediately (Sunday, November 6),Faulkner shared a photograph from final night time’s occasion, and he included the next message: “One life, I am gonna stay it up!! What an evening!

“I am positive it was a flood of feelings for everyone concerned and for all of the followers, however to be up there with each GT and KK as a part of a guitar TRIO with @judaspriest was an expertise I will always remember.

“A HUGE congrats to all the fellows and to all of the wonderful artists who received inducted final night time. It was really surreal to be there.”

Faulkner, practically three many years Downing‘s junior, joined PRIEST after Ok.Ok. left in 2011 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 stop JUDAS PRIEST. The primary was described as “a swish exit observe, implying a clean retirement from music,” whereas the second was “angrier, laying out all of his frustrations with particular events.”

Downing later mentioned that he believed the second letter was “a key purpose” he wasn’t invited to rejoin PRIEST after Tipton‘s choice 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, taking part in 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 totally different, I’d have been shot down,” he continued. “You have gotta be actual; you have gotta be who you might be. And I grew up on Ken, I grew up on Glenn [Tipton, JUDAS PRIEST guitarist] and the fellows that I discussed. So you have simply gotta be who you might be. 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 isn’t any level in making an attempt to cover it. However it’s gotta be pure as properly. And I feel one way or the other it labored out organically. I did not attempt to copy him. And because it goes on, you at all times attempt to do your personal factor and make your personal assertion.”

4 years in the past, Downing mentioned that he felt like he was “being cloned” when he first came upon 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 greatly surprised when he first noticed his alternative.

“Richie, so far as I do know, is a pleasant man and clearly a superb participant,” Downing mentioned. “I used to be a bit disillusioned when, principally… I feel the thought was to switch me [with a lookalike], so I did really feel as if I used to be sort 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 feel Richie had the appropriate to carry himself to the stage together with his personal… painting his personal picture and skill 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 pink 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 loads of secret, sort of, looking for one other participant. And Richie simply occurred to be the man. And he simply occurs to look a little bit little bit of the Ok.Ok. picture, you already know?! I feel it could be foolish to say, ‘We regarded for a guitar participant that appears like Ken.’ What we would like is an excellent steel guitar participant, and that is what Richie Faulkner is.”

The 2022 Rock Corridor induction ceremony will air at a later date on HBO and stream on HBO Max.