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TIM' RIPPER' OWENS: 'I Was Starting To Feel Handcuffed' In JUDAS PRIEST

October 19, 2006

Malcolm X Abram of the Akron Beacon Journal recently conducted an interview with former JUDAS PRIEST and current ICED EARTH/BEYOND FEAR frontman Tim "Ripper" Owens. A few excerpts from the chat follow:

On fronting, writing and running his own band:

"It takes a lot more work. Being in PRIEST and ICED EARTH has opened a lot of doors and the guys in my band still have to have (day) jobs. I'm just fortunate enough to have enough work to be able to have this be my job."

On his ouster from JUDAS PRIEST in 2003, which was delivered by e-mail:

"It's funny. My wife and I had just been discussing how I could back out of Priest, because I was starting to feel handcuffed, and a week later I got the e-mail and it was like, cool, now we can move forward.''

On BEYOND FEAR album opener "Scream Machine":

"Yeah, those lyrics are pretty cheesy, even for metal. I asked my wife, 'Are these corny?' She said, `Yes, but people like that,' and it is one of the most popular songs on the album."

On the midtempo "My Last Words", inspired by the fatal plane crash of golfer Payne Stewart:

"My wife hates that song. I think she hates the idea more than the actual song, but she may just hate the song, too. I can't remember."

On living out his rock star dreams:

"I never thought I'd be doing this at 39. I really didn't consider myself a full-time professional musician until I made PRIEST. I always thought I'd do music, but I assumed I'd have a regular job and I always did work regular jobs, even when I first made PRIEST."

Read the entire interview at www.ohio.com.

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