TIM ‘RIPPER’ Owens Says Performing With DIO Hologram Is Hard For His Voice

Tim Ripper Owens

In an interview with KCAL 96.7 Rocks, former JUDAS PRIEST and ICED EARTH singer Tim “Ripper” Owens talked about participating in the ongoing Ronnie James Dio hologram tour.

Since the singer only performs several songs with the band during the set, he was asked on what he does when he’s not performing onstage, to which he responded: “Well, luckily for me, I sang with Yngwie for a while, so I’m used to not being on stage for a part of the show.

“It is kind of difficult, it’s hard on your voice when you do a tour like this because your voice gets hot and cold.

“But it’s funny you say that – I joke around with the crew on the side, I might have some water… if I’m feeling alright, I might have a beer. It [the show] moves pretty fast, it opens with a hologram, then I came out, then Oni [Logan] comes out, and then the hologram.

“Then I come back out, and then Oni and I sing something together, so this one’s more enjoyable because I get to hear Ronnie singing songs with the band, so it’s more enjoyable to stand on the side of the stage and listen to it.”

When ask what’s his favorite Dio song to perform live, he replied:

“You know, I love singing ‘Don’t Talk to Strangers’ because I haven’t sung it in a long time. Oni starts off with this little part, then I come in and sing the rest of the song.

“I really love singing all of them, I actually love opening with the show, when I come out, opening with ‘Mob Rules,’ I love singing that. One of my favorites – I’m not singing it on this tour – is ‘Heaven and Hell.’ I actually love singing ‘Heaven and Hell,’ you know, ups and downs, so much feel.

“Luckily, Ronnie‘s taken care of ‘Rainbow in the Dark,’ that’s a tough one, Ronnie‘s a tough singer to sing. We have a new one, I love singing ‘Invisible,’ we’re doing ‘Invisible’ now.”