JUDAS PRIEST Guitarist RICHIE FAULKNER's 'Lockdown Rockdown' Challenge

JUDAS PRIEST guitarist Richie Faulkner has invited his fans to contribute any musical ideas to a riff he has posted online for download.

Earlier today (Sunday, March 29),he tweeted out a video of him playing the riff and he included the following message: "So as promised, here's another riff for you 'orrible lot! It's another original idea called Virus 19 that I want you maniacs to do your own thing with. Whether it's a guitar part, a solo, a bass line, drum part or vocal... Last time we even had maniacs making things and doing dances so however this inspires you, feel free to express it! Post your ideas on twitter, tag me and include the hashtag #LockdownRockdown and I'll retweet ya. I'll repost my favourite 10 next week. I'm in e standard Tuning in the F sharp position and it's 100 bpm. I slow the riff down at the end so you maniacs can see and hear more clearly what I'm doing. If you want to download the original file to open in your own software, click the link in my bio. Or go to my website richiefaulkner.com under the menu, falcon riffs. There's also a version with no drums for all you tub thumpers out there! Can't wait to see what you come up with RHRF DOTF #judaspriest #faulkyeah #eavyfaulkinmetal #rockersathome @epiphone @gibsonguitar @gibsoncustom @floydroseofficial @emgpickups"

Earlier this year, Faulkner said that he had "a ton of ideas" for JUDAS PRIEST's follow-up to "Firepower" album. Released in March 2018, "Firepower" was the second LP to feature the 40-year-old guitarist, who was selected to fill the void left by founding member K.K. Downing following his exit in 2011.

"Firepower" entered the Billboard 200 chart at position No. 5, making it PRIEST's highest-charting album ever. "Redeemer Of Souls" debuted and peaked at No. 6, while 2008's "Nostradamus" landed at No. 11 and 2005's "Angel Of Retribution" came in at No. 13.

"Firepower" moved 49,000 equivalent album units in first week of release. Of that sum, 48,000 were in traditional album sales, just shy of the 54,000 copies sold by "Angel Of Retribution" in that album's first week. The "Firepower" chart position was bolstered by sales generated from a concert ticket/album sale redemption offer in association with the band's spring 2018 North American tour.

Across the pond, "Firepower" landed at position No. 5 on the U.K. album chart. It marked the band's highest ranking, and first time in the Top 10, since "British Steel" reached No. 4 in 1980. Elsewhere, "Firepower" also became PRIEST's first-ever No. 1 in Sweden.

"Firepower" was recorded by British producer Andy Sneap, the band's longtime collaborator Tom Allom and engineer Mike Exeter (BLACK SABBATH). The cover artwork for "Firepower" was created by the Chilean/Italian artist Claudio Bergamin.

JUDAS PRIEST will celebrate its 50th anniversary this year with a world tour coming to the U.S. in the fall. Support on the "50 Heavy Metal Years Tour" will come from SABATON.