In a recent interview with 101 WRIF, Judas Priest guitarist Richie Faulkner opened up about a fascinating chapter in his career. He touched upon the subject of joining Pantera, taking up the mantle from none other than Zakk Wylde himself. The prospect of Faulkner shredding alongside Pantera is enough to send chills down any metalhead’s spine but let’s see how Faulkner feels about this.
The world mourned the tragic death of guitar hero Dimebag Darrell in August 2004. Later, the band suffered another devastating loss with the passing of drummer Vinnie Paul in 2018. Despite disbanding in 2003, the resilient group reunited last year, showing that the Pantera family bond is unbreakable.
Faulkner’s comments on the possibility of joining Pantera give us a glimpse into his thoughts on the subject. In his interview, he expressed his admiration for the band and their dynamic with Zakk Wylde. Even though he believes that a lot of people can play Pantera songs, no one can do it like Wylde. Richie doesn’t believe anyone should replace Wylde, as he thinks Zakk’s relationship with the band and Dime is truly unique.
The interviewer asked:
“Did you ever talk about joining Pantera or no?”
Richie said:
“No, it was always, to me there was only one guy that could do that and that’s Zakk. There’s a thousand guys on YouTube that can play that stuff note for note but there’s only one guy that had that relationship with the band and with Dime and that’s Zakk who they’ve got doing it so there’s only one guy to me that can do that gig.”
Right after his words about joining Pantera, the interviewer went ahead and asked him if he had ever met the band members. Faulkner is a huge fan of the band and he had listened to them continuously as a teenager. However, he never got the chance to see them live or the opportunity to meet Dimebag Darrell.
The interviewer asked further:
“Did you ever get a chance to meet Dimebag Darrell or Vinnie Paul? A bunch of times, right?”
Richie replied:
“I think I met Vinnie. Vinnie came down to a couple of shows that we played with Judas Priest in Texas. I never met Dime. I’ve met Philip a few times, never lucky enough to meet Dime, no.”
Richie Faulkner holds Pantera and Zakk Wylde in high esteem. While the prospect of Faulkner joining the band might have been electrifying for metal fans, his respect for Wylde and the unique bond he shares with the band members is definitely something.
