Today's article is from our friend HIM.
In news that should shock no one, metal greats Judas Priest limped along in the fan vote category once again. And, really, who cares? Me? Not at all. Some of you? I guess so.
https://www.rockhall.com/2022-nominees
The results are, yet again, an indication why no one who loves rock should actually care about the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. It is nonsense. And before any of you start to spit up and yell, remember: the fan vote thing is just a bit of misdirection. It barely counts for anything when it comes to actual inductees.
It also barely counts when you are sifting and sorting actual acts that had an impact. Look waaaaay down on the list. You see that band named MC5. They are/were pretty important.
So why am I bagging on Halford? He doesn’t need this sort of thing. He already has his status, his legacy. Same, too, Downing (in spite of the fact that he actually comes out a lot better than some of you give him credit for, especially when you factor in all the shenanigans that involve people named Tipton and Andrews). Blinks also deserves recognition, as he slammed on some of their classics. Oh, and then there’s Holland. Tough sell. Great timekeeper. But his other actions tarnish (if not destroy) his legacy (and Downing hurts his credibility with apologetics regarding Holland’s actions). Exhibit A and B? Iommi removed his tracks from a record and Priest has basically erased his image from their history. If I was a prude, I would say it is suspect that the Rock Hall even included him. But that is for others to sort out. See? I can be fair to a sham institution too.
And I know that countless other people (and sites) say this is really just about the fans. Really? Is it? I don’t think so. True fans of any of these artists love them regardless of what goes on in some ballroom, or what is stapled to a wall in Cleveland. So, again, Halford: stop it. Your band has made a lot of mistakes over the years. You could still be as big as Maiden if you had played your cards right. But you didn’t. And you aren’t. Still, you have fans that love you. A Metal God should stand above the riff-raff, above the cheesy trinkets, and just demonstrate that you are what you say you are. Because, after all, it is a bit cloying when a person tells you they are a God, while asking for others to get them inducted into something that isn’t even Parthenon-adjacent. Just saying.
Wednesday, May 4, 2022 at 09:43AM