Beyond Fear Interview

The Gauntlet: How does it feel to finally have released an album under your own name?

Ripper: It's great. It feels great to have written the stuff. That's probably the main thing - to be able to put stuff out there that I've written. So yeah, it feels great.

The Gauntlet: At what point in your career did you decide you wanted to form a solo band like Beyond Fear?

Ripper: I had wanted to do it for quite a while, but after Priest and I split it definitely seemed like a no-brainer thing to do. So when I joined Iced Earth it was something I definitely wanted to do.

The Gauntlet: Describe the steps you took writing the Beyond Fear album.

Ripper: Well I started writing stuff quite a while ago, a lot of it myself. And then I decided to go with John Comprix, a buddy of mine, who I thought was a perfect fit to do a lot of my writing and a lot of my stuff with, and we kind of teamed up and started really doing stuff together. It was definitely something that went back a way, and it was easy for him and I to get together and write stuff.

The Gauntlet: Were you able to do more things with your voice on this album because you were in control of the project, opposed to on the Priest or Iced Earth albums?

Ripper: I did, but I did just as much with the other bands, but I could do exactly what I wanted on this one, I think that was the big thing. It was more of me being exactly me, and I think that was the big thing. I still do as much with the other stuff, but I think this is definitely the best vocals I've done. Not saying the other ones were bad, because they were awesome, but they're just something about it. To me it's just a great CD.

The Gauntlet: What does your tour schedule with Beyond Fear look like at the moment?

Ripper: Well I just got back from Europe, toured with Anthrax there. We're off to Europe again on the first of June, so we're pretty damn busy.

The Gauntlet: You've played huge, sold-out arena shows back when you were with Judas Priest, and now you're doing smaller club shows - which kind do you prefer?

Ripper: Paycheck wise I would always take the larger ones, you know? Haha. I like them both, really. I'm a fan of the club shows crowd-wise because they're always better, they're always louder. There's something always great about it. I'd rather be playing the big ones, though.

The Gauntlet: Do you think the fans are going to pick up this Beyond Fear record and come to your shows because of the quality of the work you've done, or because you're the guy who sang for Judas Priest and sings for Iced Earth?

Ripper: Well, I think it's both. If that stuff leads them to get the record then that's great, because really it's one of the best records I've done. It's probably gotten the best reviews out of just about everything I've done, so I think that's a big thing there. I think it's going bring people into it; people are going to want to hear it because of that. And that's what happens, that's always what brings people in.

The Gauntlet: How is the new Iced Earth album coming along?

Ripper: It's coming along good � Jon's been working on it. I'm gonna go hang out with Jon in a couple of days and see what's going on and how it's coming. That's the cool thing about it � it's his baby, the "Something Wicked" thing, there's not a whole hell of a lot that I can do.

The Gauntlet: So then he's pretty much in control of the writing process � he's doing everything?

Ripper: Well on this record especially more because it's his story. I can't write any of the lyrics because I don't know his story. I can give him some ideas on a few melodies. But it's just so hard when someone's writing their own thing � and I understand that, and it's cool to me, because it gives me some time to do this. It's actually kind of good.

The Gauntlet: How is your personal relationship with Jon? A couple of months back the media was kicking around a couple of interviews where you two said a few things back and forth � so what's the dynamic like there?

Ripper: Our relationship is great � we're like brothers and we get along really well. It's a great thing � he's a great guy and a great friend. It's really a good relationship. Jon hates the internet because of all the stirring up of things that people do. We're great friends, there's nothing.

The Gauntlet: Are you two and the rest of the band planning on an Iced Earth tour after the album's released?

Ripper: Oh yeah, definitely. It's all going to depend on Jon's back as well; we have to really see how his back is doing. But it's been doing really good, so as of now it looks pretty good. That's the goal, we have to tour. We definitely have to get to Europe because we didn't get to do it last time, so I think that's going to be our main goal, to get over there.

The Gauntlet: Looking back, was it more difficult to step into Rob Halford's shoes in Judas Priest, or into Matt Barlow's in Iced Earth?

Ripper: It's definitely Halford. You're going from a band and a singer who invented something and have one album that sold as much as all of Iced Earth's. So it's a big difference � to me, it wasn't a problem doing either one of them vocally, they're both very similar to my style � but it was definitely harder to do Halford's. And it also prepared me more for replacing Matt � when I did that, I had already done something, so I was ready.

The Gauntlet: At what point in your singing career did you pick up the nickname "Ripper?"

Ripper: I got it the first time I auditioned for Priest, they started calling me that right away. It was kind of funny that it happened � all of a sudden they were calling me "Ripper" and it kind of stuck with me. It's kind of a funny thing, but it's kinda cool. People ask me why I still have it, why wouldn't I get rid of it � but I've had it for ten years. People don't realize that I've have that nickname for ten years.

The Gauntlet: Out of all the albums you've recorded, what are you the most proud of?

Ripper: I think definitely this one, because it's my own, so I'm the most proud of it. But actually, I'm very very proud of every one of them. I think that's the key � every one of them I love. I absolutely love The Glorious Burden, I absolutely love the Judas Priest records. But proud-wise, this is the one that I've written, this is the one that I did, so that's a good thing for me.

The Gauntlet: Looking to the future, do you see Beyond Fear being your primary focus?

Ripper: No, I've definitely got them both. My goal is to get Beyond Fear as big as Iced Earth, and to get Iced Earth to the next level. So if I could just get Beyond Fear close to Iced Earth right now, an album or two down the road, I'd like to see Iced Earth get even bigger, that's what I want to do.

The Gauntlet: So you see yourself staying as Iced Earth's vocalist long-term?

Ripper: Oh yeah, definitely. I'm Iced Earth's singer, no doubt about that.

The Gauntlet: When your career is over, what do you think you'll be remembered for?

Ripper: Probably the guy that took Rob's Halford's place, haha. Unfortunately that's gonna be a big thing. But I think one thing is that after people hear this record, it's going to start being something a little bit different.


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Tags:  Beyond Fear  , Tim 'Ripper' Owens, interviews

Andrew Sudano    May 16, 2006