One more chapter into the controversy Yngwie Malmsteen versus his singers. Here’s the time to Ripper Owens tells Ultimate Guitar about the time he had with him:
“Well, of course he’s gonna say that. It’s just the way he works. But I’ll tell ya, I had a great time.”
“I did that because I wanted to do something different and I wanted to work with a guitar player that changed the face of guitar playing. I mean, Yngwie Malmsteen changed the way people play guitar. And I had a great time.”
“I actually got along with him really well. He treated me great and we had a lot of fun and a lot of laughs. I just had to quit the band. That’s why he probably wasn’t really happy with us either because most of the singers end up quitting instead of being fired.”
“I was just too busy doing my solo stuff and traveling around solo, doing things like that. That was the biggest thing for me.”
“But I don’t have anything negative to say about him. I know he said that about singers. I don’t quite see how he could ever talk about me like that because we had a great relationship so I’m shocked. Like I said, it must be because I quit the band.”
“I got along great with Yngwie and I had a great time. To be honest, if he asked me to do a tour with him again or another record, I would easily do it again. If I had time, I would definitely do it.”
On making a living on playing Metal these days:
“Yeah. It might be hard for a young band that started off, but it’s hard for any band. And it’s always been hard. I mean, I make a better living now than I did when I was in Judas Priest.”
“It’s kind of fortunate, but I also have to stay busy. I’m busier now than I was in Judas Priest. I have three records coming out. They have been recorded over the last couple of years – I have The Three Tremors coming out, Spirits of Fire, and Project Rock.”
“But I tour all the time, I tour solo and I do special shows. I could make a living in one band nowadays. I could if I was young and didn’t have that many bills. But I gotta pay the house payment and child support and different things, so I have to stay nice and busy.”
“But you can make a living. You just can’t be lazy. You can make a living in metal, you just have to be really busy.”
