Judas Priest guitarist Richie Faulkner has opened up about the immense physical and mental challenges he has faced following a stroke he suffered while recovering from an aortic aneurysm. In a candid revelation, Faulkner shared that this health setback continues to affect his guitar playing, but he remains determined to stay with the legendary band.
The ordeal began back in 2021 when Faulkner experienced a life-threatening aortic aneurysm while on stage. After undergoing a ten-hour surgery to save his life, Faulkner began recovering at home. However, a month later, while walking his dog, he unexpectedly suffered a stroke. Initially, doctors suspected it was a transient ischemic attack (TIA), a type of mini-stroke. However, further tests revealed that Faulkner had actually experienced a full stroke, which left irreparable damage on the left side of his brain.
“They found some damage on the left side of the brain, which affects the right side,” Faulkner explained. “Now, fortunately, I don’t play guitar with my foot, so that’s fine. I can get away with that. But my hand, obviously, that’s our engine room. Everything started clicking into place in regards to what I was feeling on stage. There was something that was wrong.”
Faulkner’s stroke has impacted his ability to play guitar, but despite these challenges, he remains determined to continue with Judas Priest. He reflected on how the stroke has made certain aspects of his playing more difficult, though he emphasized that he is still able to perform and contribute to the band.
“I still play, we’re still writing records, we’re still playing as hard as we can – it doesn’t affect that,” Faulkner said. “But there’s just little things I have to do. But I go out every night thinking… Sometimes I come off stage and I call home and I say, ‘I can’t f**king do it. I can’t do it. I can’t do it.’”
Faulkner admitted that there are times when his struggles are more noticeable than others, particularly when he finds himself grappling with rhythms that were once second nature to him. “There’s stuff that I used to play – I used to think something and it would come out. And now I’m up there struggling to play like a rhythm pattern. ‘I can’t do it. I can’t. I’m gonna quit. I can’t do it.’ And then you have a good one. So who wants that? But that’s the way it is. That’s the truth. So that’s what I struggle with. That’s the collateral damage.”
While Faulkner acknowledges the difficulty, he has also found ways to maintain his sense of humor. Recalling a performance with his side project, Elegant Weapons, in Paris in 2023, Faulkner openly laughed at his performance during Judas Priest’s iconic Painkiller song. “I was awful. It’s on YouTube. If anyone wants to go and have a laugh, go and check that out. Fuck, it’s bad,” he said with a smile. “Everyone else was great, but the guy [who is actually] in the band – fucking, ‘Ah, I don’t know what…’ Well, there you go.”
Despite the struggles, Faulkner shared that he is no longer hiding behind the challenges and hopes that by being open about his experience, others going through similar struggles can find comfort. “I don’t have to hide behind it anymore. And again, hopefully, maybe it helps someone else that might be struggling with their struggle to think, ‘This is okay’ and ‘I’m not alone. How do I turn this into a positive for myself?’”
Related Topics
- Chad Smith, The Drummer Behind Elton John’s Special
- Amadou Bagayoko, Renowned Malian Singer-Guitarist of Amadou & Mariam, Passes Away at 70
- Robb Flynn Recalls First Meeting with James Hetfield and Metallica’s Impact on Him
