Ex-ICED EARTH Singer MATT BARLOW On His Work As Police Officer: 'We're Just Regular People That Put On A Uniform And Go Out And Do A Job'

In a new interview with George Dionne of The Rock Is George podcast, former ICED EARTH and current ASHES OF ARES frontman Matt Barlow, who works as a police officer in Georgetown, Delaware, was asked if he gets recognized by metalheads on the job. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Some people know me. I've got a nice group of friends that are in law enforcement and the legal field, some lawyer friends and things like that. We just had a [ASHES OF ARES] record-listening party [in July] at The Brimming Horn Meadery here in Delaware, in Milton, and our friends there, that was very cool of them to host us. And a lot of my friends, colleagues and things like that came out, and I was actually surprised to see some of them. And I was really happy that they came out to support. So it was cool."

After Dionne noted that "doing something like that kind of humanizes police officers," Barlow said: "Yeah, I know it does seems strange for us, because we are just humans. We're just regular people that put on a uniform and go out and do a job that a lot of people don't like to do, or wouldn't even consider doing, but at the end of the day, man, we're just people, man. It is a uniform, and I understand the connotation that folks get with it whenever you're just angry at 'the man'. It doesn't matter what uniform it is. But it is what it is, man. I do think that you're right. I think it's a good example of getting out there. But also the other good example for us, at least in our agency, is just getting out there and doing community policing and just talking to people on a regular and just being part of the community and experiencing that. And I know it's different in different jurisdictions and every police force has its own unique characteristics and community has its own unique characteristics. And sometimes it's harder to do, but I know that that's where most agencies are going — in a more community-oriented capacity — but it's also hard to get out there and do that community interaction whenever you're slammed with 900 complaints and got all this stuff going on. And it's all the bad stuff. So, it is tough, but it is nice to get out there and communicate with folks and just let 'em know, 'Hey, I get it. I get your frustrations with certain things and all that,' but at the end of the day, we're just trying to do the best we can, short staffed and everything else. And I'm sure every agency's probably dealing with that as well. It's looking a little better now, but short staffing is tough. And the crime doesn't stop."

Two months ago, Barlow was asked by Tom Wilson of Australia's Sense Music Media what his reaction was when he first saw the infamous photo of ICED EARTH leader Jon Schaffer among the protesters who breached the U.S. Capitol in January 2021. The 55-year-old singer, who is married to Schaffer's sister, responded: "I wasn't happy. That's the thing. It is what it is, man. I'm not gonna dwell on that. Jon, he has done his time. He's apologized to people for what happened. And I don't think that there were too many people, and including, I think, probably Jon afterwards, he wasn't happy with the whole thing. [It was] just a very unfortunate thing, a very unfortunate day in our history. So, hopefully we're gonna move on from that at some point and people will have the forgiveness in their hearts and move on as well."

Barlow went on to say that he keeps his political opinions to himself, and he wishes more musicians would do the same.

"I don't try to influence people," he explained. "It's not my place. It's not my desire to put any of my political views out there for the world to see because it's my business. And I wish everybody would do that, really. Entertainers, certainly, as well. And I get people probably feel like I'm in an area of influence and I can influence people and all that. I'm not here to influence people. I'm here to entertain people. So I don't speak of that. I don't go down that road. I don't wanna be that guy. I don't wanna be put in that category of somebody who spouts out their political beliefs and does that. You can look at my social media. I don't put anything on there about politics, because it's not important enough for me to alienate people that are fans. And it does — it happens, man, because you can't get away from it. And I do my best. Music and all that other good stuff, I do my very best to separate people's political beliefs from the art, the art from the artist and so on and so forth. That's kind of my gig. And I hope that people do that with people that they enjoy whatever art form that they put out. But I know that it's gotta be tough sometimes, especially for ones that are vehemently opinionated. But my thing is I just don't put my politics out there, man. And I don't shove religion down people's throats. I don't do any of that. To me, I think all of that's very, very personal. Because how I can I put my opinion out there for people to possibly follow when I have no idea what their life is like? Politics and religion are really personal things. I make decisions on politics based on my life experience. And I'm not gonna judge other people for their personal experiences and what they do, who they vote for, who they worship, whatever. That's their business. I'm here to entertain. So I really do my very best to not influence people in that way. If I can influence people with my music to make their lives better, fantastic. And if my music doesn't make people's lives better, then please move on to somebody else. That's my thing."

This past April, it was announced that ASHES OF ARES, the band featuring Barlow and fellow ex-ICED EARTH member Freddie Vidales, will celebrate the upcoming 30th anniversary of ICED EARTH's third album, 1996's "The Dark Saga", on a European tour in September/October 2025. Vidales played with ICED EARTH from 2008 to 2012 and is featured on the band's 2011 album "Dystopia". from 1993 to 2003 and from 2007 to 2011.

ASHES OF ARES released its fourth studio album, titled "New Messiahs", in Europe on July 18 and in North America on August 8 via ROAR!

ICED EARTH played its final show with Barlow at the 2011 edition of the Wacken Open Air festival in Wacken, Germany.

Barlow announced his departure from ICED EARTH in March 2011. In a heartfelt statement, he cited his commitment to his family and the need for ICED EARTH to tour more as the reasons for his retirement; however, he committed to performing with ICED EARTH on all 2011 European festival dates, including Wacken Open Air.

Back in late 2020, Barlow reunited with Schaffer to celebrate the holiday season with an EP called "Winter Nights". Released under the SCHAFFER/BARLOW PROJECT banner, the effort contained the duo's unique spin on five Christmas classics and two ICED EARTH songs.

Photon on right courtesy of Georgetown Police Department