Megadeth Now Has an NFT Because Of Course They Do
There’s being late to the party and then there’s whatever the fuck Megadeth and Dave Mustaine are at this moment, as the thrash metal firebrand took to social media yesterday to unveil the band’s entry into the virtual grift known as NFTs.
Revealed as Megadeth Digital, this latest business venture/scam features 5,000 unique images of the band’s mascot Vic Rattlehead created by an artist named Haddie. Just like every other non-fungible piece of digital bullshit, the idea is that these one-of-a-kind JPEGs will somehow accrue value over time, leading fans to purchase, collect, sell, and trade them amongst themselves.
But don’t let me inadvertently sell you on this idea. Dave Mustaine himself had some words to say in his announcement, which you can read here:
“Ladies and gentlemen, metalheads and Droogies, the time has come for something unlike anything we’ve ever done before. Today, I’ve got something special to share with each and every one of you.
“We’ve been thrashing around for decades, breaking barriers, shattering expectations. But on December 22nd, we’re taking it to a whole new level. We are going digital.
“Megadeth has always been about pushing boundaries, breaking rules and evolving with the times. That’s why we created Megadeth Digital. This is not just another collection. It’s a celebration of our journey together from the early days of thrash to the present. For over four decades, we’ve been thrashing our way through the music industry, and this new venture is no different.
“But it’s not just about us. It’s about you, the devoted fans who have stood by us through thick and thin. This centerpiece of Megadeth Digital is a 5,000-piece generative collection featuring our legendary mascot, Vic Rattlehead. And let me tell you, our incredibly talented artist, Haddie, has brought Vic to life in a way you’ve never seen before.
“Each collectible represents a piece of history as you’ll uncover exclusive versions of Vic in a virtual relic that you can own, trade and cherish. Each relic grants you access to a storm of digital and physical treasures from exclusive unreleased tracks and rare concert footage to exclusive VIP experiences with the band.
“The Droogie family is expanding and we’re thrilled to have you on board.
“So my friends, thank you for all these years of unwavering support. Get ready to thrash in the digital realm like never before, because this is going to be one hell of a metal adventure.
“December 22nd, 2023. See you in the virtual pit.”
Now, I may sound like an absolute luddite, but at this point if you buy into an NFT, you deserve what you get. Not only have some high-profile NFT products proven to be just a massive scam, but a recent study by dappGambl showed that out of 73,257 NFT collections, roughly 95% of them are completely and utterly worthless.
If things pan out exactly as Mustaine says they will and NFT holders will get actual, real-world items and access, then maybe that might be worthwhile to someone. But without knowing how much these things will actually cost, and how the market affects them, then it’s impossible to know for sure without blindly ponying up.
Oh and another red flag about this whole thing? Mustaine’s kids are involved as high-level employees managing the whole thing: his son Justis Mustaine is listed as “management,” while his daughter Electra Mustaine is listed as “project support.” Not sure if that qualifies as a conflict of interest, but…..
And we’re not just talking about tech bros and super rich people getting fleeced — scores of regular folks looking for a fun way to effectively gamble on the internet lost out on a lot of fucking money. It would be tragic if we hadn’t sort of already seen this sort of thing with actual cryptocurrencies in recent years.
So I dunno, you can go ahead and buy some picture of Vic Rattlehead on the 22nd if you so choose. Just don’t say you weren’t warned.
