Interview: TIM RIPPER OWENS
Dear Tim,
thank you for this chance doing this interview, I am totally happy you taking the time to answer.
I saw you back in Giessen playing before Heaven and Hell this June and it was so amazing!
1. Maybe it sounds funny, but please introduce yourself to our readers first. It is really no joke because from what I heard there are still people out there who sadly didn`t know you by now.
Tim Ripper Owens: Well I sang for Judas Priest from 96 to late 2003 and then Iced Earth for a few years! I just put out my first solo cd and have a lot of other stuff going on as well.
2. I saw you this summer live playing SOLO to support the famous Heaven and Hell in Germany, Gießen (my hometown) and the show was really amazing we all liked it very much and it was totally rocking. So how did you got this chance touring with H & H - how did it come to this? Another question is.... was it really this line-up as follows: Simon Wright..drumsDavid Ellefson..Bass Chris Caffery..GuitarsJohn Comprix..Guitars Sadly i couldn`t see much and as it starts early I sadly couldn`t see much of your gig - that's why i want to make sure if it was really like this?
Tim Ripper Owens: Yea it was great touring with the, HnH are all class acts! The solo line up I had was a dream line up and a great line up all friends so it was nice being able to do a tour with them, I hope to do another one someday.
3. So in May you released your SOLO Cd called " Play my game" via Steamhammer/SPV. Be-lated congratulations on this. So what are you doing at the moment.... doing some more solo-stuff or working both Beyond Fear and SOLO?
Tim Ripper Owens: I have been touring supporting my solo cd, I just now stoped for the holidays to be with the family! I plan on working on the new Beyond Fear next and doing some more Hail shows and supporting the cd I did with Richard Christy the band is call Charred walls of the damned and it is GREAT.
4. On your solo CD you got tonz of known musicians like: Bob Kulick, Rudy Sarzo, Vinnie Appice, Billy Sheehan, David Ellefson, Jeff Loomis, Chris Caffery, Doug Aldrich, Marco Mendoza, James lomenzo, Bobby Jarzombek, John Comprix, Simon Wright, Craig Goldy, Brett Chassen, Mike Callahan, Dennis Hayes, Ray Luzier, Steve Stevens, Carlos Cavazo, Michael Wilton, Tony Franklin, Neil Zaza playing was it easy to make these arrangements with all of them? Or did you have more/other musicians on your mind which you would like to have on this album?
Tim Ripper Owens: I had most of the songs written but they all put their style and two cents in..Bob Kulick, Mike Callahan, Chris Cafferey and John comprix wrote some tunes with me as well...Man having all these players on there..WOW.
5. You got the whole Dio-Band on your album - that's excellent.... so while talking bout Dio have you ever thought about doing a duette with Ronnie James Dio maybe? (by the way - god bless ronnie james dio, getting well real soon.)
Tim Ripper Owens: Ronnie is a great man, I hope he gets better, I know he will have a hard road ahead of him...I would sing with Ronnie any day, I learn from him every time I see him..just a great, great guy.
6. Well so you have got some musical projects running. You sung for Yngwie Malmsteen back in 2008. What about the recordings, where did you record and did Yngwie all the lyrics or have you written some of them too?
Tim Ripper Owens: I did it at Yngwies home studio and he di all lyrics and music! It was a blast and I can not wait to do more with him, I really get a long with him and man he is just an amazing player and a good friend!
7. The latest Yngwie Malmsteen album is called "High Impact" and you are still singing along with Yngwie, very cool. So can you already tell us something about the up-coming album please?
Tim Ripper Owens: I just sang on a bonus track..I dont know much about the cd but anything he does is High Impact. LOL.
8. What are your future plans with Beyond Fear, Tim Ripper Owens and Yngwie Malmsteen?
Tim Ripper Owens: Well gonna do them all and plan to tour as much as I can with all of them.
9. You are also a part of Tobias Sammets Avantasia project. The new album is supposed to be released at the beginning of 2010. So would you like to tell us something about your cooperation with Tobias and Avantasia? Are you singing for just a song ore more?
Tim Ripper Owens: What a tune, man Tobias is a real Talent doing the song was a blast, we are such different singers it makes it that much cooler, thanks to Tobias for bringing me in
10. Last but not least I have heard that there were some mean voices about you playing concerts at your hometown. Can you imagine why? Well i mean anyones got the right to do concerts for friends only and so its tootally okay to do so - so i wondered about this jealous people talking this nonse.
Tim Ripper Owens: hahaha Just the same old peopl, If I came home and did nothing they would bitch..I toured the world last year, the most touring I have done in my life, so I come home and just do a local gig for fun..a FREE concert! Se I love what I do, I love to sing, some of those people on blabbermouth love to work at Target or Wallmart or mcdonalds but I love to sing and it is a passion, so whenever I can do it I DO IT.
11. Please leave a little message for all your fans and friends.
Tim Ripper Owens: Thanks to everyone..Keep it heavy and spread the word about my SOLO cd Play my game and the merch on my sites.
RIPPER
www.timripperowens.com
www.myspace.com/timtheripperowens
www.facebook.com/timripperowens
Thank you so very much for this interview, Tim. It was really nice talking to you. I wish you all the best and would be amazing to
see you live again in Gießen some time! All my best wishes to you your band(s) and family. Keep up the good work. Susi
© 12 2009 by Rocket Queen *Promotion*