Jayne Andrews, manager for Judas Priest recently said that she attempted to have guitarist Richie Faulkner inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame along with his bandmates of 12 years, but was unable to overcome the organization’s rules in order to make it happen. Andrews stated that, “I did try and get [Richie] to be inducted, but… it revolves around a classic album, an iconic album, and he wasn’t on [such an] album, I kind of questioned a couple of people – I said, ‘Well, [Binks] wasn’t in that band that long, and Richie’s been in longer than he was.”
She added that, “What I was told was, it’s to do with some of the classic, iconic albums, the artists who were on there.” Even though Faulkner had longer service, Binks appeared on 1978’s Stained Class, “one of the classic albums. So that’s why he [was] being inducted… that does actually make sense, when you kind of think of that… As they said, ‘You look at some bands. They’ve got so many different lineups, different members… We can’t induct everybody.’ Once they explained that, then it did make sense.”
Judas Priest Vocalist, Rob Halford said last month that the band’s next album is very close to completion. Adding in that, “All the writing’s done; the bulk of the recording is done. I’ve still got to put my vocal tracks down. So, in essence, it’s done, which is a great feeling, because that really points us to the metal future.” The untitled album will be the third to include Faulkner.
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