Tim 'Ripper' Owens claims he's been 'erased' from Judas Priest's history
"It's shocking," he claims
Last updated 19th Jul 2022
Former Judas Priest vocalist Tim ‘Ripper’ Owens says he’s been ‘erased’ from the heavy metal band’s fabled history.
Four years after the departure of Rob Halford, Tim ‘Ripper’ Owens was hired to front Judas Priest in 1996 and he performed on two studio albums – 1997’s ‘Jugulator’ and 2001’s ‘Demolition’ – before Owens had his contract terminated “by fax” in 2003 when Halford rejoined the band.
In 2020, Owens joined KK Downing’s Judas Priest spin-off band KK's Priest, and they unleashed their debut album ‘Sermons of the Sinner’ last year.
In a new interview with Rolling Stone, Owens revealed he’s still friends with Judas Priest but expressed his frustration that his tenure with the band is overlooked.
Commenting on his name not being included in Judas Priest’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction later this year, Owens said: “It’s a shame that they can’t bring in members that were in the band almost 10 years and had a Grammy nomination, two studio records, two live records, a DVD. It’s a shame that they can’t do it.
"What gets me more than anything is that I haven’t even gotten a call from Judas Priest on it... There’s never been a call saying, 'You were a big part of this. Here’s the reasons you’re not being inducted, but you were a big part of us and you’re a big part of the family.' There wasn’t even a phone call. Not getting in, whatever.”
Owens continued: "Here’s how I look at it: I’m in the Hall of Fame. I was in the band for almost 10 years. When someone says that Judas Priest is in the Hall of Fame, I sang for Judas Priest, so I’m basically in the Hall of Fame.
"It just would have been nice to get an e-mail or a call. The only e-mails I ever get are threats. It’s a shame because we’re friends. It’s a shame that’s all management is worried about, instead of, 'We should probably send a letter to Tim or a bottle of champagne to thank him for his years in the band'."
Elsewhere in the interview, Owens was asked why Judas Priest’s ‘Jugulator’ isn’t on Spotify.
Owens replied: "I don’t know. It’s funny. I won’t make any money from it if they’re being sold on Amazon and Spotify. I wouldn’t make any money from sales. But the guys in the band would. I’m dumbfounded. They would sell. I don’t know if they realize that. They must not need any more money.
“It’s easier to find ‘Demolition’, but that was recorded on Atlantic in America and SPV in Europe. Jugulator was on CMC International. That was a new label that went under. But it’s strange to me.
“I know I’ve talked in the past about re-recording them, but I’m just so busy now. It’s the last thing I want to do.
“It is shocking though that they’ve kind of erased my time. At least (Iron) Maiden plays Blaze Bayley stuff live."
Judas Priest have never performed songs from 'Jugulator' and 'Demolition' since Rob Halford came back to the band.
17 rock bands named after songs by other bands:
Judas Priest
British heavy metal legends Judas Priest took inspiration for their brilliant name from the Bob Dylan song 'The Ballad of Frankie Lee and Judas Priest' from his 1967 album 'John Wesley Harding.' The moniker was the idea of early Judas Priest bassist Brian 'Bruno' Stapenhill who exited the band in 1970 before they had laid down any recordings.
Deep Purple
Initially called Roundabout, the rock legends initially toyed with band names including Orpheus, Concrete God and Sugarlump but eventually settled on Deep Purple; taken from the 1933 Peter DeRose piano composition. The song was a huge favourite of Ritchie Blackmore's grandmother and she would often perform it on piano throughout Ritchie's childhood.
Mr Big
In 1988, Eric Martin, Billy Sheehan, Paul Gilbert and the late-great Pat Torpey named their new band after the Free song 'Mr. Big', which appeared on their breakthrough 1970 album 'Fire and Water'. Mr. Big later covered 'Mr. Big' on their third studio album 'Bump Ahead' in 1993.
Motörhead
After being dismissed from Hawkwind in 1975 following an arrest for drug possession in Canada, Lemmy started his own self-professed "fast and vicious" band and took the name Motörhead from the final song he had penned for Hawkwind just a few months earlier, 'Motorhead'. Two years later, Motörhead re-recorded 'Motorhead' as the opening track on their eponymous debut album.
Poison
Originally called Paris upon their formation in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania in 1983, singer Bret Michaels, guitarist Matt Smith, bassist Bobby Dall and drummer Rikki Rockett wisely ditched their tame sounding band name in favour of 'Poison'; a nod to the 1981 track 'Poison' by glam metallers 'Sinner'.
Nazareth
The Scottish hard rock veterans were called the Shadettes upon their formation in the late 1960s but were unhappy with what they perceived to be a 'lightweight' name. They decided to hit a boozer to discuss a new name when 'The Weight' by The Band started playing through the bar's soundsystem. Upon hearing the opening line "I pulled into Nazareth, was feelin' about half past dead", bassist Pete Agnew suggested 'Nazareth' and the band agreed. The rest, they say, is history.
Volbeat
Danish rockers Volbeat took their name from the 1997 studio album 'Vol.Beat' by singer Michael Poulsen's previous band, the death metal act Dominus.
The Rolling Stones
Founder and original band leader Brian Jones gave The Rolling Stones their moniker after the 1950 Muddy Waters track 'Rollin' Stone'. The fledgling group played their first show as The Rolling Stones on 12th July 1962, at the famous Marquee Club in London.
Sepultura
The idea of former guitarist, singer and co-founding band member Max Cavalera, the Brazilian metallers called themselves Sepultura, which is the Portuguese word for "grave". Max took inspiration from one of his favourite songs, Motörhead's 'Dancing On Your Grave.'
Radiohead
Founded in Oxford in mid-1980s, Radiohead were originally called On A Friday in reference to their music rehearsal day at Abingdon School. When they signed a six-album deal with EMI in 1991, the imprint implored them to change their name and they ultimately took their band name from the song 'Radio Head' from Talking Heads' 1986 album 'True Stories'.
Bad Brains
Washington DC punks Bad Brains named themselves after the Ramones track 'Bad Brain', which appears on their 1978 album 'Road To Ruin'.
Lady Gaga
Stefani Germanotta's stage name is derived from the Queen classic 'Radio Ga Ga'. Producer Rob Fusari claims to have been the person who coined 'Lady Gaga' in the mid-noughties when they worked together.
At The Drive-In
Influential post-hardcore noisemakers At The Drive-In got their moniker from a line in Poison's 1987 single 'Talk Dirty To Me' – "Cause baby we'll be / At the drive-in / In the old man's ford / Behind the bushes / Till I'm screamin' for more." The name was guitartist Jim Ward's suggestion shortly after the band former in 1993.
Seether
Formed in South Africa in 1999 as Saron Gas, the band ditched the name as their US label Wind-up Records noted its similarity to the toxic synthetic organophosphorus compound, sarin gas. Ultimately they settled on Seether after the 1994 Veruca Salt single 'Seether'.
The Sisters of Mercy
When they formed 40 years ago in Leeds, the gothic rockers took their name from the Leonard Cohen track 'Sisters of Mercy' from his seminal 1967 album 'Songs of Leonard Cohen.' The Sisters of Mercy took inspiration from Robert Altman's 1971 movie McCabe & Mrs Miller thats' soundtracked by three Leonard Cohen songs.
Stiff Little Fingers
Previously called Highway Star and The Fast, the Belfast punks eventually decided to call themselves Stiff Little Fingers after the 1977 Vibrators song of the same name.
Overkill
Wisely abandoning the prospective band name Virgin Killer (a nod to the Scorpions), New Jersey thrash metallers Overkill ultimately honoured their other musical heroes Motörhead by naming themselves after the trio's 1979 album 'Overkill' and the single of the same name.
Panic! at the Disco
Although many people erroneously think that Panic! at the Disco are named after The Smiths' song 'Panic' and its chorus of "burn down the disco", former band leader Brendon Urie has said in multiple interviews that they take their name from a track also called 'Panic' by Californian emo band Name Taken. The song's lyrics read: "Panic at the disco/Sat back and took it so slow/Are you nervous?/Are you shaking?".