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Judas Priest touring guitarist Andy Sneap says rockstars today lack the “distance” that “makes them larger than life”
“Rockstars always seemed untouchable back in the day… They were like gods.”
Image: Mariano Regidor / Getty Images
Judas Priest producer and touring guitarist Andy Sneap argues that “distance” is needed between fans and modern day rockstars for the latter to come across as “larger than life”.
Speaking on The Flying V Documentary, Sneap shares how the high level of interconnectivity afforded by the internet and social media has to some extent diminished the allure of rockstars.
“Rockstars always seemed untouchable back in the day; there was that distance between the fan and [them],” he says. “You looked up to them. They were like gods, weren’t they? I think that’s important.”
As the musician explains, “It’s not a case of looking down on your fans. I always think that you should do the meet-and-greets, say hello, and be polite, because these people have put you where you are. But I think there has to be that separation to create that image.”
“When we were kids growing up, the only thing you’d see would be like a poster in Kerrang!, or the picture on the album cover. We didn’t have videos, we didn’t have the internet where you could go and have a look and see what they just fed the dog that day.”
Also in the interview, Sneap shares how the improvements in quality of life over the years has impacted the music of younger bands.
Recalling a conversation with former Priest guitarist KK Downing, in particular, Sneap says: “He said to me, when Priest was writing all those classic records, they didn’t have any way of recording the songs in the rehearsal room, so they had to rehearse ’till they could remember the songs, and it made them a better band.”
Watch the full interview below.
Judas Priest will hit the road in Europe in 2024. For tickets and dates, head to the band’s official website.