JUDAS PRIEST's RICHIE FAULKNER Says Someone Tried To Copyright One Of His Original Riffs From Online 'Riff Challenge'

JUDAS PRIEST guitarist Richie Faulkner says that someone tried to copyright a riff he wrote as part of an online riff challenge.

Earlier this year, Faulkner launched what he called a "fun experiment" where he posted a series of original riffs that he wanted his fans to "get hold of, kick around and record [their] own ideas to." While the response to the challenge was overwhelmingly positive, it appears that a few "trolls" have done their best to "ruin the experience" for the rest of Faulkner's social media followers who "actually like to hang out and learn stuff."

On Tuesday (June 30),Faulkner sent the following series of messages to his 22,000 followers on Twitter: "I love creating content and interacting with you all, but i'm over the negativity and trolling on Instagram and Facebook etc and looking into other platforms. There would be a fee depending on tier level but it would create more of a community for maniacs who want to be there

"It's not about getting me down, it's about ruining the experience for the rest of you maniacs that actually like to hang out, dig PRIEST and learn stuff," he continued. "Also looking into tiers where the proceeds can contribute to Glenn's [Tipton, PRIEST guitarist] Parkinson's foundation

"I've dealt with trolls in bars all my life, as I said it's not that they are getting to me, it's that they take away the experience from you maniacs. Someone actually tried to copyright a riff i did as part of the riff challenge. It's things like that that ruin it for everyone"

As previously reported, all of JUDAS PRIEST's previously announced 2020 tour dates appear to have been either canceled or postponed to 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic which is sweeping the globe.

JUDAS PRIEST's spring/summer 2020 European tour was scheduled to kick off on May 30 in Helsinki, Finland and conclude on July 28 in Tilburg, the Netherlands. The band was also slated to headline the U.K's Bloodstock Open Air festival on August 9 at Catton Park, Derbyshire.

The U.S. leg of the "50 Heavy Metal Years" tour was due to launch September 9 in Oxon Hill, Maryland and wrap up on October 17 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Faulkner recently said it is likely the next JUDAS PRIEST album will be once again produced by Tom Allom and Andy Sneap.

Allom and Sneap worked on PRIEST's 2018 album "Firepower", which was the band's second LP to feature Faulkner, who was selected to fill the void left by founding guitarist K.K. Downing following his exit in 2011.

Image courtesy of Gibson TV