Judas Priest Singer Rob Halford Feels Band Deserves RRHOF Induction

Photo courtesy of Billboard

This year the leather clad British heavy metal icons Judas Priest has been nominated for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Due to all of the difficulties the band has faced over the past few decades in the music industry and what they have managed to accomplish despite them, singer Rob Halford feels the they deserve induction.

In a recent interview with Billboard, Halford discusses his feelings on Judas Priest deserving to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, saying:

“This is our Oscars. You often wonder what it would feel like if you were able to be onstage, making an acceptance speech, and having the pleasure to be in the company of all the other musicians and industry people. So if we do get in, it will be an absolute dream-come-true moment. Fingers crossed.

I’ve often talked about metal being the underdog in rock ’n’ roll music. We remember the times through the punk and New Wave moments, when it was proclaimed that heavy metal was dead, it didn’t stand a chance of surviving, it was Neanderthal music, wasn’t very intelligent and all those bad things. I still don’t understand the kind of push-back that we still have to bump up against now and again. Recognition by the Hall of Fame helps to slowly chip away at that kind of stereotype. The metal dog is wagging its metal tail. We do deserve this.”

I'll agree with Halford in that heavy metal often has and still does get the short end of the stick in the music industry. Just because it isn't polished and isn't a soft friendly sound it often gets shoved to the side. It's looked down upon in disgust when in all honesty it's one of the most musically complex genres there is. It requires real skill in terms of playing prowess as well as compositional ability. That said, Judas Priest definitely deserves in to the Hall of Fame because they are one of the pioneering and most influential bands of the genre. They deserve due recognition.