Iced Earth... Barlow.. Tim Owens..

[SavaVIDude]

That said, Ripper never fails to take me back to that day with When The Eagle Cries. Listening to that song I can completely relive the sense of stunned disbelief and sadness I experinced 5 years ago. Watching the video will compound those feelings tenfold.

I was wondering when somebody would get around to that!! EVERY time I hear that song, I get a knot in my throat. SHIT!!!!

I've seen IE with Barlow and Ripper. Zod said it best - "Ripper's only fault is he's not Barlow!!". If Barlow had to leave, Ripper's as good a choice as I can think of.

THAT BEING SAID, THIS LOOKS LIKE A GREAT CHALLENGE FOR GLENN - IE AT PP RIPPER AND BARLOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh well - I can dream!! But he managed to get a chunk of Savatage together AND the Kahn/Kamelot reunion!!

Peace,
Chris

 

[Iced Ray]

I loved Barlow like most IE fans but I think Ripper is an excellent replacement and one of the best metal vocalists around today. So no big drop off for me as is usually the case when a band changes singers.

 

[Palabra de Dios]

I could rehash what's already been said on this thread so far, but I won't...except to say that I believe Barlow to be the voice of Iced Earth and that he is missed. I respect his new path and realize that a reunion of sorts with Iced Earth is a pipe dream.

However, given Tim's history as a replacement vocalist, wouldn't you feel really bad if somehow Matt were convinced to rejoin Iced Earth? It would be the ultimate insulting deja vu for the guy. Tim's a great vocalist, and he fits in Iced Earth well. That being said, I miss Matt, but I do not call for a reunion. However, I'd love to see the Owens' fronted IE at an upcoming ProgPower. I'm sure Jon would be into it, seeing as he's attended the fest himself and he knows how good the sound is, how great the crowd is, etc. etc.

 

[dcowboys311]

The only album that I own is Burnt Offerings, but seeing this thread made me get Alive in Athens. It's incredible. Thank you all so much.

 

[Magius]

I could rehash what's already been said on this thread so far, but I won't...except to say that I believe Barlow to be the voice of Iced Earth and that he is missed. I respect his new path and realize that a reunion of sorts with Iced Earth is a pipe dream.

However, given Tim's history as a replacement vocalist, wouldn't you feel really bad if somehow Matt were convinced to rejoin Iced Earth? It would be the ultimate insulting deja vu for the guy. Tim's a great vocalist, and he fits in Iced Earth well. That being said, I miss Matt, but I do not call for a reunion. However, I'd love to see the Owens' fronted IE at an upcoming ProgPower. I'm sure Jon would be into it, seeing as he's attended the fest himself and he knows how good the sound is, how great the crowd is, etc. etc.

I agree. It's one thing to call for a reunion of a band that's broken up. It's a different thing altogether to push an existing member aside for another former member. The same is true for in the Helloween/Kiske situation, which so many call for.
Barlow wasn't fired. He walked away from Iced Earth. The band moved on. Fans need to move on too.

 

[SavaNanny]

Barlow is the voice of IE and will always be to me. Dark Saga is a masterpiece and Alive in Athens is as well.

That being said, I have seen IE with both Ripper and Barlow. All I have to say is Iced Earth with Ripper is better than no Iced Earth. The performance was stellar, and I am glad they did not just go the way of some bands that lose their vocalist. They hired a pro, and for that I am grateful but I will always secretly hope for a change of heart from Barlow. What a performer




Ma

 

[VenomGA]

Ripper is an excellent singer. The last Iced Earth record though was not written for him and I think it suffered because of that. I do think the next one (or 2 in this case) will prove that Ripper fits in with IE nicely.

 

[General Zod]

Ripper is an excellent singer. The last Iced Earth record though was not written for him and I think it suffered because of that. I do think the next one (or 2 in this case) will prove that Ripper fits in with IE nicely.

I've often read that "Glorious" was written for Matt, and we can expect a more natural fit between Tim and Iced Earth on the next disc. However, I have to wonder how true this is. First off, I think Tim sounds great on "Glorious". There's no way I would be able to tell that it wasn't originally written for him (had I not been aware of the sequence of events surrounding the recording of this disc). But more importantly, Jon's been writing songs forever. He has a style that's his own. I don't suspect that this style can be altered in any conscious way, simply because someone new is singing. I'm guessing Jon simply comes up with melodies and decides whether they're good or bad, not whether they fit a certain singer. I would have to guess, if Tim didn't naturally fit what Jon has always done, he wouldn't be in the band.

Might Tim sound better on the new disc? Certainly. He'll be there throughout the entire recording process and might even be involved with the writing. During the recording of the other instruments, Tim will have more time to play with his vocals lines. He's been in Iced Earth for a few years and probably has a better understanding of what Jon wants (than when walked in cold and layed down the vocal lines for "Glorious". However, do I think Jon will write differently because Tim is in the band? No.

Zod

EDIT: Because of Fiddler's post, I went back to an interview I did with Jon. Here's a bit of that conversation:

Zod: Do you plan on approaching the way you write any differently, or the way you design vocal melodies any differently, with Tim as opposed to Matt?

Jon: No.

Zod: No?

Jon: Nope. I’m looking forward to seeing what kind of stuff Tim writes. He doesn’t have a history as a songwriter. He’s never really been given that opportunity and I’m giving him an opportunity. And it will be interesting to see what he comes up with. He knows I’m not going to use it if it doesn’t work, just to be nice to him. But I won’t approach anything as far as melodies (differently), because I’m a songwriter. The songs are what they are. I don’t write for a singer, I write for me, I write for the song. The guys that are performing… the reason they’re performing is because I hired them, because I have faith that they can do it. It’s all got to be honest and from the heart. If you try to do something that’s not genuine, the people are going to pick up on it right away. Whether they even realize why they don’t like it or not, it doesn’t really matter. But I know why they wouldn’t. If it’s from the heart, everyone is going to get it.

 

[The Fiddler]

Barlow wasn't fired. He walked away from Iced Earth. The band moved on. Fans need to move on too.

Exactly! Matt told Jon that he wanted to quit the band just two weeks out from going down to Morrisound to start recording vocals for "The Glorious Burden". Jon, needless to say, was stunned and floored that Matt dropped the bomb at the eleventh hour without any warning. Matt had told Jon that he hadn't sung or practiced at all after the Horror Show tour ended. That's over two years of not singing a note.


But Jon convince Matt so stay on and try to make it work, and Matt agreed. However, as the recording progressed in Florida, it was obviously clear to Jon and Jim Morris that Matt wasn't up to the task and wasn't prepared. He was that burned out. Matt was paid for his services, even though those recordings were never used and will never see the light of day.

Everyone involved has since moved on and is doing well. A reunion will never happen with the way Matt left Jon hanging out to dry with the Glorioius Burden fiasco. Start getting used to that fact. :Smug:

 

[General Zod]

A reunion will never happen with the way Matt left Jon hanging out to dry with the Glorioius Burden fiasco. Start getting used to that fact.

A reunion will most likely never happen, on that we agree. However, I don't believe it has anything to do with Matt "hanging Jon out to dry". Matt is Jon's brother-in-law and they still have a good relationship.

Zod

 

[Magius]

I've often read that "Glorious" was written for Matt, and we can expect a more natural fit between Tim and Iced Earth on the next disc. However, I have to wonder how true this is.[/I]

I don't think it's true at all. That whole theory implies that TGB was somehow flawed or inferior. I reject that implication.

I contend that Schaffer writes Iced Earth songs, not Barlow songs, Ripper songs, or any singer specific songs. That interview only confirms it in my mind. Further, if the first two Iced Earth albums were written for Adam and Greely, then what was the point of Days Of Purgatory?

 

[General Zod]

I don't think it's true at all.

We're in agreement.

Zod

 

[am_ash2]

Iced Earth rules!

 

[actordude]

While I love TGB and Ripper's performance on it......nothing and nobody can touch Barlow......