Judas Priest Bassist Ian Hill Criticizes AI in Music Because It “Can’t Really Perform Live”
Artificial intelligence, or AI, has become a hot button issue relatedly, particularly the use of AI to create art. Many people consider AI art to be unethical because it learns from the hard work of real artists and then replaces them. AI art hasn’t really made a foothold into the world of music yet—aside from bands like Pestilence trying to use AI for their album artwork and then doubling down on its use — but there’s a lot of potential for AI to be used to replace human musicians.
In a recent interview with Elena Rosberg of Radiocast BG, Judas Priest bassist Ian Hill was asked about the potential impact of AI on the future of heavy metal, and he raised a very good point about AI’s limitations: AI can’t play a live show, at least not one with the same sense of authenticity as a real band. Here’s what he had to say, as transcribed by Blabbermouth:
“If something was put together — they’re not gonna be able to play the instruments for a start, so they’re gonna have to use some kind of music stem, some sort of source. And you’d know. I’d know, I’d know if something was put together. You can listen to — I don’t know — even now songs, pop songs in particular, and you think, ‘That’s not a bass guitar. Some guy’s playing that on a keyboard.’ You know it. It might fool some of the public, because, obviously, I go into things a little bit more deeply. I drive my wife mad. She won’t let me anywhere near… If she’s going to a concert, I don’t go, basically because I start picking it apart. But that’s what we do. A welder would do the same thing. He’d look at something (and go), ‘That’s a load of rubbish.’ That’s what you do.
“But I don’t know. I just think that artificial intelligence can’t really perform live. I mean, this is what it’s coming down to. A lot of music, especially in the pop world these days, is a little bit on the false side — people mime to it and what have you. And A.I. can’t even do that. You can’t have artificial intelligence standing on stage. That ain’t gonna work. So, from a recording point of view, yeah, they might fool people — they might fool a hell of a lot of people — but, actually, when they say there’s a band playing live, that’s gonna be the acid test, isn’t it? And I can’t see, really, unless they’re all holograms standing up there. — which has been done. What am I saying? ABBA have just done it, haven’t they? But it’s there. It is advertised. You know it ain’t ABBA. It’s trickery. But it’s in the live performance where it’ll fall down and it won’t stand up to scrutiny, I don’t think.”
Hill is right, as even bands like Dethklok or Gorillaz require actual, human band members to play live shows. Even if someone figured out how to put on an AI live performance, who would want to see that? The appeal of a live show is seeing the actual band members in person, and there’s no appeal like that to AI music. I’d still rather watch some sort of AI performance than be caught dead at, for example, an Imagine Dragons concert, but I can’t imagine AI could replace the joy of seeing a real band that I actually enjoy.
If you want to see a real band live, Judas Priest are currently on their Invincible Shield tour and wrapping up their US dates before heading off to Europe. You can check them out at the dates below.
Sun, MAY 19 – The Theater at MGM National Harbor – Washington City, DC
Tue, MAY 21 – MVP Arena – Albany, NY
Wed, MAY 22 – Empower FCU Amphitheater at Lakeview – Syracuse, NY
Wed, JUN 5 – Tampereen monitoimiareena – Tampere, Finland
Fri, JUN 7 – Sweden Rock Festival AB – Sölvesborg, Sweden
Mon, JUN 10 – AFAS Live – Amsterdam, Netherlands
Thu, JUN 13 – Sant Jordi Club -Barcelona, Spain
Sat, JUN 15 – Navarra Arena – Pamplona, Spain
Mon, JUN 17 – Palacio Vistalegre – Madrid, Spain
Jun. 19 – 22, 2024 – El Batel Park – Cartagena, Spain
Fri, JUN 21 – Plein Air – Dessel, Belgium
Sun, JUN 23 – Zénith de Nancy – Maxeville, France
Wed, JUN 26 – Royal Arena – Copenhagen, Denmark
Fri, JUN 28 – Tons Of Rock – Oslo, Norway
Mon, JUL 1 – Barclays Arena – Hamburg, Germany
Tue, JUL 2 – Max-Schmeling-Halle – Berlin, Germany
Thu, JUL 4 – Arena Nürnberger Versicherung – Nuremberg, Germany
Sat, JUL 6 – Rockharz Festival 2024 – Ballenstedt, Germany
Mon, JUL 8 – SAP Arena – Mannheim, Germany
Wed, JUL 10 – MESSE DRESDEN, HALLE 1 – Dresden, Germany
Fri, JUL 12 – Masters of Rock 2024 – Vizovice, Czechia
Sat, JUL 13 – Rockmaraton 2024 – Dunaújváros, Hungary
Wed, JUL 17 – Metalhead Meeting 2024 – Bucuresti, Romania
Fri, JUL 19 – Sofia, Bulgaria – Sofia, Bulgaria
Sun, JUL 21 – Release Athens Festival 2024 – Kallithea, Greece
Wed, JUL 24 – Parkorman – İstanbul, Turkey
Sep. 26 – 29, 2024 – Louder Than Life 2024 – Louisville, KY
Oct. 10 – 13, 2024 – Aftershock 2024
