Former JUDAS PRIEST singer Tim “Ripper” Owens has once again slammed the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame after the band’s latest snub.
THE DOOBIE BROTHERS, DEPECHE MODE, NINE INCH NAILS, The Notorious B.I.G., T. REX and Whitney Houston will all join the class of 2020. Along with PRIEST, MOTÖRHEAD, THIN LIZZY, the MC5 and SOUNDGARDEN were also denied entry into the Hall.
While speaking to “The Five Count,”, Owens stated about PRIEST‘s absence from the Rock Hall.
“I don’t care about JUDAS PRIEST being snubbed too much myself; I mean, it’s the whole [rock] genre being snubbed,” he said. “Not even hard rock. I mean, FOREIGNER‘s not even been up to be in there. FOREIGNER should be in before any of the bands that just went in, in my opinion.
“I get in a car and I hear five different songs every day when I’m driving from FOREIGNER. So I’m shocked that it’s called the Rock And Roll Hall… It just shouldn’t be called the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame; it should be called the Music Hall Of Fame, if they’re going to let these people in. I mean, I’m not gonna get in — JUDAS PRIEST was snubbed to be in it, and I guess JUDAS PRIEST has snubbed me. I was in the band about 10 years and I’m not going into it.
Owens continued: “You talk about an influential band. People said they [Rock Hall] like people who influenced people. I’m, like, how could you be any more influential than JUDAS PRIEST? [BLACK] SABBATH and then PRIEST [were the two bands that started] this genre and [got] it going. And even the leather-and-spikes [image], how they started that trend, in my opinion. The dual guitars they really pushed that [to the forefront].
“I’m shocked, but there’s a lot more people than just JUDAS PRIEST [that are not in the Rock Hall], and that’s what’s a shame about it,” he added.
“It’s Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, and Chubby Checker is not in there, and this guy had a song and a dance, ‘The Twist,’ and it’s kind of, like, how in the hell does that even happen? Yet GREEN DAY is in it. Or the big rapper guy that just went in.
“I mean, how does a big rapper go into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame? How does that even happen? He should go in the Music Hall Of Fame. I mean, it’s exciting, though, ’cause there’s a good chance I could go into the Rapper Hall Of Fame, so I guess it’s kind of good. I’m kind of starting a thing for that. I don’t have to make a rap song; I just need to be a musician to go in. And another good chance I have — I’ve always wanted to do this — there’s a good chance I can go into the Baseball Hall Of Fame too.
“Listen, I never play — I played in Little League in high school, so there’s a good chance I still could go in there, because musicians should be allowed to go into the Baseball Hall Of Fame.”
In 2018, IRON MAIDEN frontman Bruce Dickinson was asked by a fan if he thinks the band should be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
He responded: “Absolutely… I actually think the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is an utter and complete load of bollocks, to be honest with you.
“It’s run by a bunch of sanctimonious bloody Americans who wouldn’t know rock and roll if it hit them in the face. They need to stop taking Prozac and start drinking f**king beer.”
