Tim "Ripper" Owens

Throughout heavy metal's history, there have been few times where a fan was lucky enough to land a spot with their favorite band due to a vacancy, such as <a href="spotify:artist:6t6MHPPM4aABhwSLfvn35z">Jason Newsted</a> joining <a href="spotify:artist:2ye2Wgw4gimLv2eAKyk1NB">Metallica</a>, and Tim "Ripper" Owens signing on with <a href="spotify:artist:2tRsMl4eGxwoNabM08Dm4I">Judas Priest</a>. Hailing from Akron, OH, Owens grew up a major metal fan -- fronting a <a href="spotify:artist:2tRsMl4eGxwoNabM08Dm4I">Judas Priest</a> cover band (called British Steel) and getting his nickname, Ripper, from the title of his favorite <a href="spotify:artist:2tRsMl4eGxwoNabM08Dm4I">Priest</a> song. Owens also fronted other local groups as well (including Brainicide, U.S. Metal, <a href="spotify:artist:0SKvAaW4iOdniddhGqeYrO">Winters Bane</a>, and Seattle), as he developed a multi-octave vocal range, just like his hero, <a href="spotify:artist:7CTjkl9M3enzBBfm1u10Sy">Rob Halford</a>. It was during this time that Owens and <a href="spotify:artist:0SKvAaW4iOdniddhGqeYrO">Winters Bane</a> guitarist Lou St. Paul penned a concept album together, Heart of a Killer, which told the story of a murderer who gets a heart transplant from the same judge who sentenced him to the death penalty. Recorded in Germany over a period of only two weeks, the album was originally issued on a small independent record label in Germany as well.

One night, Owens and British Steel were playing at a small club in Erie, PA, when the girlfriend of <a href="spotify:artist:2tRsMl4eGxwoNabM08Dm4I">Priest</a> drummer Scott Travis happened to catch the performance. She was so impressed with Owens that she videotaped the show and forwarded it to Travis and his fellow <a href="spotify:artist:2tRsMl4eGxwoNabM08Dm4I">Priest</a> bandmates, who had been on hiatus for several years by this point (after longtime frontman <a href="spotify:artist:7CTjkl9M3enzBBfm1u10Sy">Halford</a> left the group in 1992). <a href="spotify:artist:2tRsMl4eGxwoNabM08Dm4I">Priest</a> was so impressed with Owens' vocal skills that an audition was set up in England just a few short days later, and after only singing the first verse of the <a href="spotify:artist:2tRsMl4eGxwoNabM08Dm4I">Priest</a> classic "Victim of Changes," he landed the gig. 1997 saw the release of Jugulator, which doubled as <a href="spotify:artist:2tRsMl4eGxwoNabM08Dm4I">Priest</a>'s long-awaited comeback album (they hadn't issued a new studio release since 1990) and, of course, Owens' debut with the group. The album performed respectfully on the charts, as did its ensuing world tour, which was documented a year later with the release '98 Live Meltdown.

Attempting to cash in on Owens' high-profile gig, the Century Media label reissued the old <a href="spotify:artist:0SKvAaW4iOdniddhGqeYrO">Winters Bane</a> release, Heart of a Killer, complete with extra live and demo bonus tracks in 2000. Also around the same time, a movie was being made based on Owens' rise from obscurity to fronting his favorite band, and although <a href="spotify:artist:2tRsMl4eGxwoNabM08Dm4I">Priest</a> was originally involved in the project, they eventually bowed out. The film, 2001's Rock Star, was made anyway, with actor Mark Wahlberg playing the role of a singer based on Owens. The same year, <a href="spotify:artist:2tRsMl4eGxwoNabM08Dm4I">Judas Priest</a> issued their second studio album with Owens, Demolition. ~ Greg Prato, Rovi