Tim “Ripper” Owens Says Former Iced Earth Bandmate Jon Schaffer “Made a Mistake” That He’ll “Regret for the Rest of His Life”
Given his status as a Trump supporter prone to jingoistic and racist declarations, one might assume that Rob Halford impersonator Tim “Ripper” Owens was in full support of his former Iced Earth employer, Jon Schaffer, participating in the seditious January 6 riot at the Capitol… even if his departure from Iced Earth in 2007 was less-than-amicable.
But life is full of surprises, and apparently, Owens has more good sense regarding trying to overthrow the government than he does regarding the use of a Ronnie James Dio hologram for live shows.
Speaking about the incident with Tulsa Music Stream, Mr. Ripper said:
“People keep saying what do I say, what am I thinking… Well, I haven’t reached out to him in fifteen years. And he fired me [from Iced Earth] a week before Christmas. I’m not saying I hate the guy or anything like that. But it wasn’t a good circumstance. So it’s not like we had a relationship and I even really know him. He definitely wasn’t the same person that I even knew then. I mean, his political stance and beliefs were different than it was when I was around him. Not that it wasn’t kooky back then. But he was different.
“Listen, he made a mistake. He’s gonna regret it for the rest of his life. And I have my own life. I haven’t dealt with him for fifteen years, I don’t really have to now.”
Ripper isn’t wrong, but it’s weird for him to call Schaffer’s politics “kooky” when his own beliefs are just just as gross. But yeah. At least he didn’t bring bear spray in a government building. Good for him.
You can listen to the entire conversation below.
Schaffer has reportedly cut a plea deal with prosecutors, which will see him roll over on some of his fellow rioters in exchange for a less-severe prison sentence. Although the guitarist is currently free following 89 straight days in jail, he will need to return to court for sentencing at a later date and his movements will be restricted and monitored in the meantime.
Catch up on everything we know about Schaffer and is involvement with the riot here.
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