RICHIE FAULKNER Wants JUDAS PRIEST To Do A Tour Focusing On 'Screaming For Vengeance' And 'Defenders Of The Faith' Albums

In a new interview with Slovenia's PodRaznoKast podcast, JUDAS PRIEST guitarist Richie Faulkner was asked if there is a "particular era" of the band that he would like to focus on in terms of the setlist for an upcoming tour. Richie replied (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Personally, I'd like to do a 'Screaming For Vengeance' and 'Defenders Of The Faith' tour, [focusing on] those two records. So maybe it could be called 'Screaming For The Faith' or 'Defenders Of Vengeance' or something like that. But that's totally fantasy. That's nothing that we've spoken about or anything like that, but that's just something I'd like to do."

He continued: "The last [tour] was pretty album specific — it was [focusing on the] 'Invincible Shield' and 'Painkiller' [albums] — so I think this summer in Europe, it's just gonna be a bit more free, over the band's career, and nothing too specific — just a celebration, I think, of everything JUDAS PRIEST. So it will be fun to see what we come up with."

Asked if there is any particular song that he would like include in the setlist that hasn't been performed yet by PRIEST's current lineup, Richie said:"Let me think. I think we've done a lot of songs — over the last few years, we've done a lot of songs. Because usually if we go out for a third leg in the U.S. or something, we have to do different stuff, 'cause we can't play the same stuff again that we played twice before. So we have to change it up. So, we pull some good ones out. But I would like to play — we've played it before, but I'd like to play 'Night Comes Down' again. I love 'Night Comes Down'. I love that song. It's such a great song, especially for festivals. But as far as songs that we haven't played, 'Reckless' from the 'Turbo' album — we haven't played that one. I'd like to play that. We rehearsed it, I think, for the 'Redeemer Of Souls' tour, I think, but we never played it. Or maybe it was [the] 'Firepower' [tour]; I can't remember. But we've played so many. No, I think apart from 'Reckless', we've played all the ones that I wanna play, really — unless I'm forgetting one."

JUDAS PRIEST will release "The Best Of Judas Priest", a career-spanning collection celebrating one of the most influential and enduring bands in heavy metal, on June 19 via Sony Music.

An in-depth documentary, "The Ballad Of Judas Priest", premiered at the 76th Berlinale - Berlin International Film Festival in February. Directed by Tom Morello and Sam Dunn, this fascinating insight into the band's vast career will be released later this year.

"The Ballad Of Judas Priest" will receive its North American premiere at the Hot Docs Canadian international documentary film festival, which will present documentaries from around the world to audiences in Toronto from April 23 to May 3.

Rising from humble, working-class roots in Birmingham, U.K., to become global rock legends, JUDAS PRIEST didn't just help shape heavy metal culture — they forged it. Widely credited as being one of the pioneers of the heavy metal genre in the 1970s, JUDAS PRIEST has sold more than 50 million records and released 19 studio albums for their legion of dedicated fans around the world. In 2022, they were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. With their 2024 album "Invincible Shield", the band became the first heavy metal act to release studio albums 50 years apart. The album drew widespread acclaim, receiving a Grammy nomination for "Best Metal Performance".

JUDAS PRIEST's current touring lineup consists of singer Rob Halford, bassist Ian Hill, guitarists Richie Faulkner and Andy Sneap and drummer Scott Travis.

PRIEST guitarist Glenn Tipton was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease more than 15 years ago but announced in early 2018 he was going to sit out touring activities in support of PRIEST's "Firepower" album. He was replaced by "Firepower" and "Invincible Shield" producer Sneap, who is also known for his work in NWOBHM revivalists HELL and cult thrash outfit SABBAT.

Released in March 2024, PRIEST's latest album, "Invincible Shield", entered the U.K. chart at No. 2, just behind Ariana Grande's "Eternal Sunshine".

Prior to "Invincible Shield"'s arrival, PRIEST's highest U.K. chart achievement was with 1980's "British Steel", which 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" and "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.