Tim "the Ripper" Owens is the actual true story on which the (rather bad) movie Rock Star was based. Today's Washington Post has a good write up on his experiences.
This wasn't 'sex, drugs, and rock-and-roll.' It was a job, and if you don't treat it like a job, you won't last." (Ripper takes naps before every gig, and all day long chugs not booze but odd teas that he's heard are good for the vocal cords.)
But Hollywood got the biggest thing right. "I had a dream, and my dream became my job," he says. "I got to live it."
For seven years, he toured the world with Priest. But last year, Ripper was — well, defrocked.
Article comments
1 - Andrew Ian Dodge
The only unfortunate thing for poor Ripper is that they two albums he did with Judas Priest were absolute excrement. However, he redeemed himself in spades in his new spot as lead singer of Iced Earth. It is certainly the best thing done by other party. It was good to see that Ripper didn't go down the solo ego band (like Halford, Blaze etc) route.
Its a damn good deal: JP gets Halford back in the frame and Iced Earth gets a damn good singer (better than their old one).
2 - Eric Olsen
Don't fear the Ripper