Judas Priest guitarist Richie Faulkner “struggling” to play after suffering stroke that led to brain damage

Judas Priest guitarist Richie Faulkner has admitted he is “struggling” to play after suffering a stroke that subsequently led to brain damage.

• READ MORE: Judas Priest legend Rob Halford: “Coming out happened in the right way – it wasn’t premeditated”

In 2021, Faulkner’s aorta ruptured on stage during Louder Than Life Festival in Louisville, Kentucky, leading to lifesaving 10-hour emergency surgery. What had not been previously made public, however, is that just a month later, the guitarist suffered a stroke that continues to affect his physical ability.

Faulkner was talking to Premier Guitar about his series of health challenges when he disclosed the nature of his stroke and how it is still limiting his capacity to play guitar.

“We went back out on the road in 2022 and have kind of been on the road since,” he began. “But there’s a bit of collateral damage. Well, not a lot of people know – some nearest and dearest, they know about it. So about a month after the incident, I went back in and we were walking the dog in the neighbourhood back here [in Nashville], and I had the dog, [my girlfriend] Mariah had [our daughter] Daisy. And I felt it come.”

He describes the experience as “my face went” and “I couldn’t talk”. His family took him to hospital and doctors told him they believed he had suffered a transient ischaemic attack (TIA), which is often described as a small stroke. However, Faulkner would later learn that he had in fact suffered a larger stroke, which has caused him lasting brain damage.

He added that he noticed while brushing his teeth one morning that “something’s wrong with the right hand and the right foot”. After undergoing further tests, he was informed: “You’ve got damage in your brain. Now I thought I had brain damage before, but this is real. It’s a small thing on the left side.”

Reflecting on the impact on his playing, he continued: “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 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.”

Following the emergency heart surgery and the stroke, Faulkner also went on to have second open heart surgery in 2022, telling fans that he was “feeling strong” after a six week recovery period.

Judas Priest are hitting the road this year, touring Europe in support of their 2024 album ‘Invincible Shield’. Among the shows is a huge show at London’s O2 Arena alongside Alice Cooper. See the full list of dates here and find any remaining tickets here.

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