Let’s be real: the “Founding Member” doesn’t mean a damn thing to the suits anymore. We just sat through the absolute train wreck of a Judas Priest documentary discussion, and it’s clear—the industry wants the brand, but they hate the history. Excluding KK Downing and Ripper Owens isn’t just a snub; it’s a rewrite of history that treats a decade of the band’s life like a mistake.
And don’t even get us started on the Van Halen camp. Alex is digging through Eddie’s private vaults, bringing in Steve Lukather—a god on the fretboard, sure—to “finish” what Eddie left behind. If the man who defined modern guitar didn’t finish it, it wasn’t meant to be heard. It’s the same disease affecting The Eagles and Pantera. At what point do you stop being a band and start being a traveling museum of “what used to be”? We’re watching our heroes turn into high-priced tribute acts of themselves, and the fans are expected to just swallow it and buy the 1,700-minute Reload box set.
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