In a recent interview with Sonic Perspectives, Elegant Weapons‘ guitarist Richie Faulkner discussed how the band shares a similar dynamic with the legendary rock band Queen. The connection might come as a surprise to some, but Faulkner’s explanation sheds light on this intriguing comparison.
Richie Faulkner is no stranger to playing in a band with two guitarists, as he has been a member of Judas Priest alongside Glenn Tipton. However, in Elegant Weapons, Faulkner takes on the role of the sole guitarist, which presents a different challenge for him and the band’s sound.
During the interview, Faulkner drew an interesting parallel between Elegant Weapons and Queen, explaining that both bands offer different experiences between their studio recordings and live performances. He shared his belief that the two bands share a similar dynamic in that regard and said he is pleased with that.
Asked to compare playing with the Priest to being the sole guitarist in Elegant Weapons, Richie Faulkner said the following:
“I think it’s a different approach. As you said, I’m used to [playing in Judas Priest] with the two guitars. So yeah, I’ll have to fit a bit more space. We’ll see how that transpires on the live circuit. We’ve had a few rehearsals, and it sounds great. It’s different. It doesn’t sound like Queen by any means, but in the same dynamic that Queen on the record sounded different from Queen live. It was a different experience, you know. So, I’m all for that.
If it gets to the point where we’re doing new material that needs another guitar, we might look at getting another guitar player. I’m not against that dynamic, but it’s sounding good at the moment, and it just makes me think a little bit differently about what I’m playing and where I’m playing it. So, it’s good for me to think about that. It keeps you on your toes and keeps it fresh.”
Elegant Weapons is gearing up for the release of their upcoming album, ‘Horns for a Halo,‘ on May 26. Faulkner also mentioned that if the band feels the need for another guitarist in the future, they might consider adding one to their lineup. For now, though, fans can look forward to experiencing the unique dynamic that Faulkner and Elegant Weapons bring to the table, which, as he suggests, has a similar feel to Queen.
