Matt Barlow rejoins Iced Earth

poor bastard. way to get cunted.

Yep. This is part of it, quoted verbatim as I'm not wading through it all again. Remember, this was recorded on December 9:

Interviewers: So what's it like working with Schaffer [something else about him being a perfectionist, blah blah blah]

Ripper: (enthusiastically) Great! We get along, work really well together

It goes on for a while. I was getting so angry listening to it, it made me feel like screaming "Tim, dude! He's about to fuck you in the ass!" like I was watching a movie or something.
 
I have never been hugely into Iced Earth. I have a few albums which I really enjoy. I was quite disappointed to see Matt leave, which wasn't helped by not being at all inspired by what I did hear of TGB. I am definitely sentimentally attached to Matt's sound in IE and the best thing about this news is the chance of seeing them live with Barlow.
 
More words:

"It will be sometime before I'm going to be doing press due to the holidays and the fact that I'm still deep in the final writing process of ['Something Wicked' album] Part 2. I'm aware that the news of Matt coming back into to the band has taken many people by surprise so I'll try to explain the situation a little better.

"I do love Tim's voice and it is the kind of voice I hear when I write, and he's a really cool person. And I do not want an unnecessary war of words started because certain journalists like to create controversy to sell their magazines. I love Tim as a person, a friend and a musician, and I do not have negative feelings towards him at all. We would all appreciate it if the trash pedlars would respect the situation and keep their venomous speculations to themselves. An unlikely request I'm sure, but it would be nice. On the other side, Matt and I are brothers and there was a very deep and spiritual connection that came through in the music that we created and performed together over the years.

"ICED EARTH has always been about passion and honesty in the music — I'm talking about real, raw emotion. That's what has always made the relationship between the band and the fans a very special thing and it is the thing that made the chemistry that Matt and I had together so special.

"When we split before, our relationship had suffered from various things, but mostly it came down to not communicating like we should have, which led to things being blown out of proportion. All of that is behind us and we have grown and matured and will have an even more fulfilling relationship because of what we've experienced and learned from the past.

"ICED EARTH activities will be more limited now because Matt will still be carrying on his career as a law enforcement officer. I would rather we do it this way and have the shows that happen be very special events than to carry on and feel like what's happening isn't genuine. This is NOT a cut on Tim. It's just that ICED EARTH really began to blossom after Matt joined the band and for years we worked our asses off together, on stage and off. Those years of work and commitment defined what ICED EARTH truly is, and frankly I would rather end it than to carry on without Matt involved. All of this has been coming to a head for a while, and the talks with the fans in Europe helped cement what I already knew needed to happen.

"I wish only the best for Tim, this is not a standard bullshit statement, it's the truth. A guy with so much talent and personality only deserves the best in life and that's what I wish for him completely."


It does suck for ripper, just like being booted out of any relationship without expecting it.

Southy, you should be able to find the original something wicked trilogy on Youtube..... SOmeone's bound to have posted it.
 
I'm just as appalled as Goreripper about the way Schaffer has handled this, and you'll get no argument from me that Owens has a mean set of lungs on him, but Barlow's James-Hetfield-meets-Paul-Stanley vocal style always seemed like a better fit for Iced Earth.

Having said that, stabbing Ripper in the back and then trying to cover it up with some bullshit public relations statement is despicable, but no more than I've come to expect from someone with Jon's control freak tendencies :rolleyes:.

W
 
If the band even lasts five years. With Jon saying they'll basically scale back so Matt can still be a cop. Sounds like a bit of a cop OUT to me. A band with what seems like a pretty revolving door type set up...then taking time off and slowing down their roll...I can't see it lasting that much longer.
 
I've only heard snippets of Ripper's IE stuff, but I feel bad for him. Is there a bigger prick in the business than JS?
 
From Ripper

"I was told 30 seconds before the news hit (online)," says Owens. "I don't think it was handled right. It's a shame it ended like that. With JUDAS PRIEST, at least the way it was handled, I'm still good friends with the band. The good thing is, I don't have to discuss Iced Earth anymore. I can move on. I wish them luck. We're ready to go to the future."

and then an hour later..

First off I would like to wish Jon Schaffer and the guys in ICED EARTH
"Yes, this [Owens' dismissal from ICED EARTH] all was just horrible timing, and I don't think it was handled in the best way, coming two weeks before Christmas! But it is the best for me and ICED EARTH. I really need to move on and do other things. I really want to get BEYOND FEAR out there and I'm working on some other projects as well. Things happen for a reason, and yes, the winds of change are upon us and that is what I needed!
"The one thing I ask is to just leave it all alone.

"I would like from this moment on to leave ICED EARTH in the past and move forward, so I will no longer discuss IE!

"Like I said, I wish Jon and his family and the guys in IE the best of luck and a merry Christmas... Now let's move on and talk about the future!

"Thank you and keep it heavy."