 Five going on. It's like Christmas town in here. It's okay. There's it's in sync with last picture. Yeah, look at that. Look at that I don't want to move my camera. I have a tree right there. If I move it like what and things might just go bad All right on the middle The metal voice today, I'm not gonna say the one and only Alan. I gotta think of something else The voice Our favorite police officer. How's that? That's right. I like that. I like that. Matt Barlow And one of our favorite guests to ever have on the show, Matt, it's always a pleasure to have you on the show with us and Hey, like we were saying earlier, nine years is the first album in time is certainly flown by Absolutely, man. Yeah, it's great, man. I really do appreciate you guys having me on And, you know, being so supportive and, you know, basically let me get on here and and shut my my music It's all good. As we like to say, pimp it out. Right, right. Here it is. Here's the this word all began. And just for so everybody knows out there that Tim Ripper Owens If he if he's watching right now, he's going to drop in. We're hoping he's going to drop in he was dropping in But I kind of cut him off because I was kind of setting up but I hope he gets back on Tim Ripper Owens Have you guys ever done an interview together? No, I don't I don't believe we have I mean there's I mean maybe there's a some slight possibility at a festival or something But I can't recall. I really can't remember. History. We've certainly never, you know, worked together directly. You know, we've worked together indirectly obviously with the glorious burden. My my vocals are still on some tracks for that record and and then some some really awesome and interesting people out there on the web, you know, put together some songs where we're doing duets, which is which is pretty cool too. But you know, we've never had an actual chance to actually do a dueling dueling vocals. So until this album, but we won't talk about that part just yet. We won't talk about the way for Tim hoping he gets back on to talk about that. All right. Emperors and fools will be released January 21 2022. Rock of Ages records. So I guess the first question is rock jewels records rock of angels records. What did I say rock rock of ages you're going death leopard. Oh, It happens. Everybody goes down. Everybody goes death leopard one time or another. So from the last album and I have it right here. Well of souls. So what did you do different? So on. What did you do? You know, I don't really I don't really know. The only thing I can say is I think the the outcome of this record is a little a little thrashier a little bit more of owed to to really I think the stuff that that I started cutting my teeth on in the in the 80s and probably the same with with Freddie. I mean, Freddie's got a huge, you know, he's he's got a diverse, you know, influence as well. And as everybody everybody in metal was influenced at some at some by some degree in some degree by by maiden but you know for me. I mean the Bay Area stuff was huge for me in the 80s. It was just hitting hard man and they were you know, you know Metallica just blew the roof off of it and you know it was just a giant flood you got you know, Death Angel you got forbidden you got just, you know, on and on and on you've got just so many so many great thrashy bands and I know that it was a really big influence on me whenever I was you know doing some doing my my first original band with my brother cauldron you know and cauldron we were very much influenced by that by the thrash aspect of it and with a little bit of pants era, you know, that kind of thing. But then I sort of sort of started getting away from that a little bit. You know with ice earth brought a little bit of my my flavor into ice earth I think. But you know I got a little bit more so this kind of stuff this record to me has a lot more of a feel of that thrashy you know Bay Area sound. I don't know that Freddie would agree with me exactly but I think that I think that it's there and I think that people will definitely hear it. That's what I took away from listening to the album it just seems brutal like it's intense you know the sound is right in your face and it's relentless it's a word I maybe use too often but it certainly applies to this album. Yeah, yeah it's not and it's not you know we weren't we weren't really going for a really polished sound either you know I mean the we were just really trying to make it pretty raw. And obviously you know I'm still doing some layered vocals and things like that and doing you know things that you know are for me you know I'll admit it. You know it's the stuff whenever I'm composing and I'm doing things I'm just going hmm you know it sounded really good right here. Oh yeah right there. So that's that's just me kind of doing my stuff you know I I'm sure that some people are are you know like it some people are okay with it and then some. I get it you know it may not be for everyone but you know at the end of the day. I don't make money doing this for this band so you know I I have to have some some self gratification and self fulfillment a little bit you know. And that's kind of that's kind of where it's at so I do hope that people like it. You know obviously we got we're not reinventing the wheel but I definitely want to try to add something to the sound though we're inspired by that thrashy sound. I feel like I got to put something else on it and put that are you know our ashes varies mark on it so. And here we are. Tim Ripper Owens has joined us he's joined the party. Thank you Tim. Thank you for joining us. What's going on here. I thought this was a cover work event. I didn't realize this was going to be a party. I didn't sign up for this. First of all I want to thank you Tim I know I know look I get it it's not you know your release and you know you played a small part in it. Well big part. I really appreciate you jumping on you know sport and Matt sporting us and much appreciated man thank you. Well dude you wouldn't leave me alone I mean it was every day you're calling me and like I have got to get this guy off my back and what is there another way to do it. Listen I'm here for Matt not you guys. Fair enough. I'm joking. You guys are great man I mean you guys are so so supportive with with everything we always do so it's always awesome to talk to you guys. Thanks thanks Tim. It's always been a pleasure to interview yourself for a ripper. I mean the first time was in Montreal I think it was an apartment and it almost took my head off but it was a good time and we've always enjoyed you being on the show as well. Yeah that was great that time that was a nice little kind of a hotel apartment thing I had going on there. I feel like I have a place to come stay when I come to Montreal now. And Pierre Tara as they say. Have they fixed the roads there yet. No. Okay. It's an ongoing. So this is the first Matt this is the first we have Tim Roper Owens and Matt Barlow tell us his about his contribution to the album to the song Monsters Lament an 11 minute epic track. Yeah yeah and you know it's it's it's funny man because it really it really worked out because we had actually you know bounce the idea of you know Tim working with us on the on the last record and it was actually going to be the So this this song is actually sort of a hold over from the last one but we wanted to we wanted to hold on to it because we wanted to make sure that that we were able to do it and that Tim was able to do it and and so this was you know this is Freddie's creation he composed it he's broke the lyrics for it he basically put stuff where it goes I helped out with the vocal melodies. And then, you know, I gave, you know, my ideas to Tim and then Tim just took it and frickin, you know, rock it out man so I mean he put his, he put his ripper signature on it so it's a beautiful thing man we we allowed, you know, you know, we wanted that to happen we wanted that to be you just very organic for him didn't want to like pressure him to hey here you go you know do it do this this this way. I mean he's he's working, you know, sort of side the lines but but outside the lines because we have we do have the composition of the story but man he just he just killed it man and I think that I think that you know fans are going to really dig it that you know it's, it's me and Tim doing what we do and the highlighting what we, you know, what we highlight in our voices and I think it let itself the song let itself to be a really cool story and you know, pretty dark story. You know the day I think I think folks are going to mean I gotta say I'm playing one of the. If I'm if I'm playing a character this is probably the biggest a whole character of ever I've ever played in a box. Um, you know, it is what it is man you know thanks Freddie thanks for. And Tim what do you think about participating you know and working with Matt you know two guys. What's great. You know we we've talked about it for years you know we've been friends for a long time and. Matter of fact you know he sent me patches and stuff. You know we have a first responder my girlfriend's a paramedic we have a first responder Christmas tree up it's got all patches from all over the world and all this stuff so we got you know we've been friends forever but we've always talked about it you know people asked us. And asked me and asked us and I've always said man I'd love to be great. And when Freddie reached out to me to do it. It was a no brainer you know I didn't have to listen to it I knew it was going to rock. You know the thing about as our as our voices go so good together. They're different yet we we do the same thing but there's they're different so that's what makes it makes it you know really good it was a perfect song so I would love to do more with Matt as well I mean it's so much fun and. Nowadays you get to do that right I mean I can sit here I'm in my studio now it's I call a studio it's as a singer you don't need too much so it's kind of it's kind of nice. My studio is is here's my part my girlfriend's makes candles on the other side so it's kind of like. You know that's the life we have now it's like coffee and candles there's there's what we do but um. You know it's it's great it's such a great song to do so I enjoyed it and you know definitely like I said look forward to to doing some other songs with him you know because it's good it's great. Absolutely absolutely yeah and I was I was telling the guys before you came on you know this we had we had never. This this is the sort of the link between you guys right. Yeah yeah we never like you did and for everybody who doesn't know Matt did the vocals which we don't know where they are today right but there's somewhere I guess. Yeah and then comes in and re does the album or the vocals that is right and me and Alan I tell you this much me and Alan I think this might be. I don't know one of our favorites is that it Alan would I say yeah yeah. I learned I learned more about history doing that records and I didn't school I must say that you know. And I remember going to Gettysburg you know and it was such an amazing experience to sing that to the Gettysburg piece but to go to Gettysburg was my first time and to feel that but I did I told people this all the time I learned more. About history doing that record then and I I myself had the advantage of hearing Matt's vocals so there you go that's that's what I'm saying it probably the reason why this album so strong it's because in a way. It's a collaboration of you both I'm sure you're using his vocals as a guide track right when you're doing it or a scratch track or whatever the case was. That either man Tim Tim did some things that that I didn't even approach doing so. I mean I think that I think that he he killed that record man he I mean he absolutely killed it and I especially am you know honored that he's saying on songs that you know I helped write to so. It was yeah I mean but but some of the stuff is not like I can't. Decoration day I don't think is you just you just took it and sort it man and then I then of course I come in I have to try to. Do what you did and then you know I'm wrecking myself every well unfortunately Matt I have to go live and do that too so. And I think what the hell did I do what did I do why did I do that. What were you thinking. Yeah what was I thinking me it was a lot easier at 28 I bet yeah I bet I bet yeah everything's a lot easier at 28 yeah just walking for me OK. But this is but this is great you know this is yeah getting out of a car you know I go to the gym every single morning but then most of them just I'm like oh I can hardly move you know but. But this is great doing doing this it's great doing this interview it's great yeah when he when when Matt asked me to do it I was like. You know because we stay in contact throughout the years you know I mean the whole time and and you know he'll message me or whatever say something and we'll talk. You know personally or whatever so. Yeah that's why we've always said let's let's you know do you want to do something I was like yeah absolutely. And then. You know Tim's one of the busiest guys you seem to pop up everywhere at all time you know there's not KK's priestess the three tremors. So Matt how'd you get this guy to finally have room in his schedule to do this pencil line. The only thing I can guess is maybe we just hit it just right with you know with COVID you know and he was available and it was it was cool I mean I guess that there's a. You know one good thing that you know came from the horribleness of of COVID it's it's that that he was able to do it I guess I don't know. But it was it was easy though I made room for it anyways I mean I was home but. You know I was busy but you've moved things up the list right I mean you do things and whatever school and I do music for a living that's all I do so. And that that's why I do so much people say why do you do so much I'm like well I mean I could go get a regular job or I could do music for a living so I'll do it. But I moved it right up right when he sent it to me I was like all right I got I'll do it you know that thing goes at the top of the list. That's nice. Would you guys ever consider doing a show together. Yeah I think we're going to do just Matt and myself and we'll get a bongo player and a spoon player and we're going to probably do some kind of. A kumbaya I know listen I think that would be an amazing thing would it be fun you know we're we don't live all that far from each other as well so we could meet each other you know somewhere here and do have a fun night you know it's it's hard to schedule so isn't it I mean Matt schedule everybody schedules hard to do it but I think. I think that would be a blast you know would be great if they were doing a show and I got came up there and sang that song and and be pretty awesome. Yeah. You guys did play on stage together right you guys did play on stage together correct. You've been on stage together in the past each show no never. I don't think you know we were supposed to do a tour one time every you guys are supposed to tour Judas Priest. Yeah. It was it was Ice Earth and Anthrax and us right that was it right. Yep. And then we were actually on our way to the tour you guys were I think left and we're going there right. You guys got stuck in you guys got stuck in Mexico. We're stuck in Mexico. The man that the Glenn and KK and Ian and they got out quicker than I did because they were going back to England and they were able to fly take a flight and fly around you know America and it so they actually got out of Mexico. I was stuck there for about two weeks. But yeah we were supposed to do that tour together and I imagine we were probably on some festivals together at one time and we've had to have been. Yeah we did. Yeah and this that one summer. I think you were you were singing for Invade. Okay. Yeah. Festivals. Yeah. Yeah. And we were yeah we were. Oh yes. Yes. I remember that. Yeah. And then I think you played played my local town back in a day to be with a local Ron's Crossroads or one of those rock venue we had. I remember coming out checking you hanging out that night too. So yeah. Yeah. Tim when you're next earth and you. Oh man I got to do mad Barlow stuff. What was the hardest song to do. There was a bunch of hardwoods but I'll tell you what I love Matt's voice and I'll tell you the voice I love with Matt was his mid range power voice. It was so fricking incredible like I love singing Burning Times was just it was the opener and it was like man it's like it's right something that's but you know you got other other things that that was tough to do. I can't think off the top of my head. Okay Matt. What was and then you come back into ice earth what was the hardest song to sing of rippers. Either I got to say probably either declaration day or 10,000 strong 10,000 strong 10,000 strong stuff for me because it's written without remembering people have to breathe. And it's it's up there the verse is kind of up there in your in your natural range right so you're just sailing along and it's like whoa that's yeah that's a really tough one. Yeah yeah and that's it's a yeah and it's not really I mean I've got a belt I got a belt it out I can't even I can't even cheat it you know I've got to I got to just get my diaphragm like just blasting it out through my voice I can't I can't like bring it down and try to make it you know smaller you know you know like a mic technique man it's just it's really tough like you said just breathing because it's because I was hoping that any day I ducked the show and John would say I think we're going to tune to be and then I've been okay. Hey. Let's do it in corn tuning I'm like okay that's fantastic. Let's see okay. Let's get the flyers out. Have you heard all of the album? Have you heard Matt's new album? I haven't heard it all yet. No I haven't heard it all yet. No I get so bad on listening to things now I got to tell you I go to the gym every day and I put on like the Beatles and I listen to them I don't know what you know that's I'm just I'm in a Beatles kick now but so I'm going to have to that's going to be my workout music tomorrow. Okay. It is too. Was this new album? Two more calories off than the Beatles. Yeah almost so. You know I didn't say I'm doing anything I'm at the gym but I say I work out I just sit there and talk to people. I'm that old person. There's so many candles at the gym. Hey how are you guys doing? Are you interested in the candle? Yeah I have a candle and some coffee for you. Don't worry about the KK's priest record just get the coffee. Right. Matt was this new album a concept album of sorts? No it wasn't. Now it's got it's got some you know again you know thematic stuff running through it. You know it's obviously got some you know just the title track which we didn't actually know it was going to be a title track but it just it just makes sense with kind of the way things are today. That song was actually inspired by a line from the Count of Monte Cristo where Napoleon is the banger one of his subordinates and he's talking about Dante's that we're all you know kings and pawns emperors and fools. And that's I mean you know you can look around and kind of go yeah we're kind of feeling that right now. And so that and you know primes that sort of falls in in kind of the theme as well a little bit of that but there's like I said there's some there's some themes that are in there but not nothing conceptual entirely conceptual now. My understanding is you started writing this album right after the last album. Yeah, pretty much. And like I said like you know monster monsters will meant was you know we were that was in heavy you know worked on you know we just did finalize things on that and we really didn't finalize things really on it. So we knew that you know Tim would be able to sing on it so you know that that's kind of where kind of where that's where that where that's at. And yeah I mean we did we worked on some of it but but we weren't like hot and heavy but we were we were wanting to well we knew with this one. We didn't want there to be that big gaping time in between like that that we had between the first and the second. We wanted to make sure it was like it but then a last covid and then so it sort of make made it happen even even though we didn't want it we had. We pretty much had this in the can mixed and mastered at the beginning of this year, but just because of production and all that other good stuff with vinyl and all that crap. Because vinyl is backed, you know back way up getting that out and they didn't want to they didn't want to put it out without being able to do all the physical copy so, which is smart, I get I get that. So we ended up pushing it back I mean it's almost a year now we've we've been going around jamming to it. But you know, sort of kept a lid on it we really tried to anyway. I would describe go ahead I'm sorry. I was running for four track cassettes are making a comeback to unless if you release the production on that. You know, I guess they could you know, I'm cool with cassettes man works for me. Matt it's it's fast heavy pounding anthems to somber is that it melancholic emotional pieces. That's kind of how they described it and Tim on the song that you're playing on which is monsters lament. How would you describe that song I'm assuming you heard that song. Yeah, I've heard that song. Well, I think I would describe it as a journey is what I would describe it as. All right, you know, it really does it just it's just it takes you in it's like it's like, you know, watching a movie or something except you're listening to it. You know what I mean it's just really got a lot to it and it's it just brings you in, you know, everything about it music everything so it's it's really something great. Yeah, it is. Matt, I guess, what's what's the theme behind monsters lament. I think you kind of like talked about it just before. What's the behind. Well, the theme about it is. I don't want to I don't want to give it away. It's okay. High level high level high level. You actually have two characters. My character being the A-hole of the two characters. So, you know, at the at the end of the day, you know, it's going to going to be it. But but yeah, our entertaining real life is my my wife just said. Anyway, so that's kind of what I don't want to give it away too much. I want there to be a little bit of a reveal. You know, you know how that is, man, when you get a record and you open up the lyrics and you go, you know, and kind of develop yourself. You want to entice people to you want to entice them, right? Yeah, yeah. But yeah, so it's it's but it is it is even though it's it's large in scale. It is more of a personal story to you know, it's a personal story about. Okay, I got it. Yeah, I got it. And I was glad to do it because someone finally took the a whole part away from me. So I got to pass that off to Matt. It was exciting. I'm like, here you go. But you know what, it came right back to me. I'm back at it again. I've never played with ready river. You know, I don't think we I don't think we have. I don't think we have now I mean we again we saw each other out and about and all over the place and I don't think and I don't know I've done so many guest records and all this that yeah I don't but I don't think we ever have. So Tim, are you touring right now. I did I did that little American run and then I went, I came home for Thanksgiving and the day before Thanksgiving the day after Thanksgiving I flew out to Spain to shoot some video with some band I just did a little guest appearance with and then I'm home doing some recording now do a little recording and people if you want people want to if you want to work with a band you know you're free for that right you're you're yeah you know people say why do you do that I'm like well again I'm a musician that's what I do for living you know and it's a different era you could do that now you can. I mean I probably have five songs in line right now to work on it's in its bands from all over the world. Some of them are just amazing pieces I mean it's, you know some of Mark but but it's really fun because vocally they're they're a lot. Different and it kind of keeps my chops up I get to write some of them some most of my dough and I'd rather just come into the room and have my coffee and start singing. But yeah you could just get a hold of me on you know on social media or whatever or Ripper vocals at gmail.com and but you know I when I'm off and I have some time, you know it beats delivering people's food to him with to pay my bills so I guess what I would do that to be honest. I'm not one of those be a cop. Hey Matt you have like any openings. No. Listen I'm not going to be one nowadays but but but he knows how much I support him so that I get that it's really funny that I get stuff from all over the America from from people giving me stuff. You know and because I support him you know so I big big supporter of you know. Tim your coffee to write your your we got to check some coffee out working people get your coffee. Yeah, I think you know you can listen I'm most of those kind of things I do kind of for fun. It's not very lucrative to sell coffee so I only started the candles be a little candle line because my girlfriend starting a candle business and she hand makes them so Mike I'm just going to sell a couple candles for the heck of it. But I you know it's not something that's going to do much but it's fun to do it you could just go to my website stuff like that and see what the hell I got. I'll have anything out there. I mean I'm pretty sure I'll be taking you know photos of what we're doing right here and selling them online pretty soon so. I got an idea man I for one thing I got to compliment you on on the labels of the cans because I love those are they remind me of something I'm not sure quite sure. They're pretty great though but if they are great if you could do like you could do like a leather and stage sweat scent you know that that might be something that people would would like be able to kind of relate to Tim Owens right you know. I think it I think that is it or I could do a European version that smells like you know B.O. Touring candles got done on my leather scented candles. Yeah. Somebody said to me that's man that's not very heavy metal to do candles and I said so I guess you're not going to buy the limited Judas Priest ones and the Saxon ones and the Motorhead ones because they're all out there too. So like well there it goes that. And again we have them we have those candles they're really nice I got to tell you they're nice little. A little Alan do you have yours there the Saxon. Yeah the Evoke makes those ones very nice. Oh they're amazing man they're beautiful. The actual denim. Yeah that's the drummer's wife the drummer's wife. That's right that's a Glocker. Nigel's wife. One smells denim and one smells leather. Yeah. See I can't do that because they already took that. But I just had fun with it one day I told her you should make a leather can for me she put the first prototype I was like holy crap it smells just like leather it was like this is crazy you know. But it's fun the labels are good you know Matt I had a shirt my touring shirt was Rip Rowan's making metal great again I had the same shirt out like that. It's just a great fun to think yeah I have a few people got mad at me for it I'm like dude it's fun have some fun in life stop. You know it's actually not a political candle unless you know I mean. It's definitely I guess you would say the candle is probably more right because it actually likes for a long time. I don't know I seem to dig it. The left. Yeah. Cocktail. Matt have you ever thought of doing a live stream with ashes a very since the touring thing is not really happening and. Well maybe it is over there maybe it's not here I'll tell you in Canada everything shut down still like it's not really. Well it's not completely shut down but. Well it's it's actually kind of funny man because I you know before before all this happened I sort of thought many of you know it'd be kind of cool because like you know Freddie and I. Then we got we got full time careers that really take a lot of our you know a lot of our time and what a great way to be able to put stuff out so that people can see us actually perform live. But because we can't get out everywhere you know we can't tour a lot and that's just you know that's that's just the reality of it you know we're you know we're kind of the opposite of where where Tim is at where Tim you know he's working and like said he's he's doing music for a living and we can't even you know devote you know a certain amount of time because we just got a you know a ton of other stuff going on and you know with our with our careers and our jobs and it's enough to be able to write. And and do all that stuff and so you know we have to split it up a little bit work you know hopefully you know hopefully we can get out and do some some shows. In support of this record. But again with fricking lockdowns and stuff I don't know what's going to happen man it's it's really it's really hard to tell it's it's very very tough and I and I say this. And I've said it in many interviews I you know I my heart goes out to you guys that are doing this for a living because it's it's got to be it's got to be really tough man and you know any way that you can support Tim or anybody else that's that's doing this for a living man do it you know by fricking coffee by candles you know you know help out in any way do you know have them do guest tracks man that's fricking phenomenal. You know all that all that's good man and all that helps so you know allows allows you know guys like like Tim to you know showcase their their their art and their abilities and it makes money doing it same time so. Well Kenny says hi to Ripper and Kenny says hi to Matt. Kenny. Hi Kenny. Kenny New York. Kenny Pierce. Kenny Castle. Kenny Castle. Oh Kenny yes. I didn't see him last time I was in New York he didn't come out. It's tough for him because he lives outside of New York sort of like in the burbs and it's tough to get in the city sometimes so. I think he had something I think he told us he had something going on there. Yeah yeah it's a lot of driving a lot of commuting. Go ahead. I see you man because because I wasn't able to get out the last time you were in our area either and you know just work man that's all I can say we are. It's hard. It's hard man and I get it you know. I get it and I always get mad at fans when they keep telling me to come into town and and then they don't come to show and then when you leave town they go I didn't know you were in town it's like wait a minute. But I never get mad at me because listen I I like to be home when I'm when I'm off the road or I'm done recording in the day I'll record a day I like this to be home. You know I mean I'm that person that just it's like it's pretty hard to get me out that show better be off early. I'm coming to it you know because it's hard everybody's busy I know you're busy and you're and you're probably your schedule and the hours you work I mean it's got to be crazy. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And that's and that's the unfortunate thing you know I have I have maybe maybe every every every other weekend but every other weekend is a it's a three day weekend at work for me you know so it's it's tough and you know. You know my girl for hours gets crazy with her with the paramedic thing and you know she went to New York for two months and begin in covid but she she missed tongue when I first start playing I never play local so I start playing some local shows and I don't know if she came to any of them at first because she was always working and now she she's going to be the paramedic for for NASCAR races such as she's the one who goes out and that's cool. Yes it's pretty great pretty big thing but I'm like now you're never going to come in. It's like you know people got to do it. I said listen I'm a musician so you're going to have to make it a job. Yeah somebody's got to support me. Kenny had pneumonia. Kenny had pneumonia. That's what it was. He just texted. He had pneumonia. That's what it was. So we could forgive him. Yeah. I've heard that excuse before. I have to say though like after all these years you see Matt and you see Tim together it's for fans you know it's a big thing you know I don't think you guys realize you know and to see harmony between you two guys that that's even more important. A lot of new singers and older singers you know there's a lot of you know I don't know what the right word is Alan. Let's call it. Lack of self-esteem. Maybe maybe or whatever whatever issues there were with the body. Well I think for sure I mean I'm I don't know to me I'm way too old to have any kind of animosity to her to anybody. Maybe that word's animosity. Yeah maybe. Yeah I know I've always I mean why would there be anything between us. That was the same thing with Rob and I and that was the same thing even when I left priest or even invite me. I don't have it with anybody and Matt and I were friends beforehand. We had you know matter kind of you know in passing but I you know we became better better friends after I became a singer vicer because you do that there was no and you know what still and I are the same way. We knew each other beforehand and still and I are we talk all the time as well so yeah there's there's never any reason I've always said that and I always I always say this you know there is some musicians or singers or guitar player whatever I don't want that guy going on before me. Maybe they're jealous or maybe they think they're better. If I have another singer I don't care if they blow me away. I mean I'm not there to I'm not there to I'm there to sing as good as I can so with with Matt when I hear him I'm like he's an amazing singer he's awesome you know and we're friends and sorry if it makes people mad especially the press that two guys can still be friends you know. It's great and we're old. We are we weren't as old then but we're old plays a big role. I'm worried more about the lifespan of my my candle. Well you know it's nice to see and look and sometimes I get it sometimes there's I don't know there's contracts or there's animosity for good reason right now maybe there's some really good reasons behind it but it's just good to see that you guys could get along. I thought Matt was here. I thought Matt was here to fire me because I've been fired from all the bands so I just thought shit this is is this some kind of intervention. Todd Latore says hi from Queens right. Oh Todd yeah Todd's fantastic. Todd's best Todd's I'm a little jealous of Todd because he's so good at singing and he's so good at the drums. Yeah come on dude. Is it one enough. Yeah that kind of pisses me off too. And he can play guitar too by the way. Yeah. Yeah well let's just go one at a time here buddy. We don't have to stick it. He's a drill. Stab me with a hot poker now. You're really ruined my night. I'm gonna have trouble sleeping. Yeah he's a fantastic singer. I watch him when I watch him at the show a few years ago I was just like oh to do that again. And I'll tell you something about Todd. Not only is he a great singer but he's really a down to earth good person too. And me and Alan could do a test to that. You know he's not like your typical rock star so. Yeah he's good people. I just want to go back to like earlier we were joking but one of the reasons we started the show I mean when everything gets so downsized to publicize and I thought it's not the matter as well to publicize local concerts. One of the reasons why we started the show so that we know who's in town ahead of time because the budgets are so tight it seems like people come and go and nobody even knows you're in town. Well we need you to do that. And I'll tell you the problem Alan is people they don't want to look and see who's coming to town anymore. They want to be they want to hand deliver to him. Matt and I were first doing our shows or going to concerts. We would open up the local magazine rock magazine and see who was playing all the venues or we would call the venues and see who's playing the venues. Nowadays people want a hand delivered message or a phone call to be they want to be told they don't want to look they don't go to Facebook pages personally they want it. They want to be posted or see it. They don't want to go search you know search it out. I'm telling you that's a big issue because now Facebook doesn't really hit anybody anymore and they don't people don't search for things. My kids there's no way they're looking things up like local stuff. What's going on. They want to they want to open up something or see it. Listen I was doing local shows a few years ago. And I would my people laugh at me because I went to this grocery store. It was my own venue that I had. I was in an acoustic show. I sent my kids who were probably about eight and 10 at the time. One went in one side of the grocery store and one of the other side putting flyers up inside the grocery stores. And I'm I'm still posting stuff at stores and my partner at the restaurant said the local bands don't even do that. They don't even do it. And here's the guy you know people know as a singer going on doing it. I just think it's laziness of people. Not purposely that's just how they do it nowadays and we need things on YouTube and you guys doing things like this. And hopefully people will come come watch come to the stage your show and watch it and see what's going on you know because it's it's tough people don't. If it's not hand delivered or they don't get a phone call they don't see it but they also but they do see when you leave town. You can advertise you can advertise a show for two months and then you say Buffalo thanks a lot that was a fantastic show and it's what says dude I know you were here. I would have came out. Right a book. You know outside looking in because I don't know a lot about the social media stuff my wife. She gets the whole idea of the algorithms and all that but I do think that it seems like that. You know Facebook has and all social media has has really changed up a lot it's like they're really pushing you to boost you know hit that boost button and stuff more like that. And man that's just that's just really rough so you know to go you know start keep shelling out cash and given given cash to Facebook because you're just trying to you know put your put your stuff out there but it seems it seems like there it's a lot harder now to to get out there to the masses with stuff unless people are actually organically sharing it and doing you know doing that kind of thing which you know I just say if you say something bad Matt that would be shared by everybody. Well yeah of course. If you say I mean listen I boosted a show and I had you know 1200 shirtless boys from Taiwan's you know liking it because it's fake accounts and I'm like oh my God what's going on here what I what am I giving away that's got shirtless boys from like a candy or But that's what it was I looked at everybody that liked the stuff that because I paid for it was fake accounts and it was I swear to God I'm not lying it was like boys taking selfies and stuff that weren't real accounts it's really weird you do have to and I don't I'm paying for it but yet your wife would know that how it works saying if you post it once it'll do all right when you post it after that you just see it go I posted stuff about the three term show or something whatever. In the second post you can see that it got no likes for like two days like no one's seen it. It's just over here you know except the shirtless boys they were there they're okay. Yeah YouTube is the same problem like it started off as once you posted a video sort of got a lot of traction. But then they used to send like notifications to everybody and they stopped doing that it's like well what does a subscriber mean if you're not getting a notification. Yeah they say hit subscribe hit subscribe but no one's getting a notification so what's the point of being a subscriber you know it's yeah that's crazy. Yeah it's the same deal. All right some questions for Matt some questions for Ripper. I want ashes of Aries. I hope they would play in Knoxville Tennessee that's Christie. Put on your list there Matt. Yeah I would absolutely love it. Let me just go back here because I haven't been looking at any Damien is one of my favorite songs and that's from Jeff Tate. Not the original Jeff Tate just a Jeff Tate. J E F F Tate. Christie at least we know at least we know what Ripper's next concert shirts going to be you know idol of millions of shirtless teenage boys. No no listen buddy. I'm not selling a concert shirt I'm actually selling the concert shirt that actually isn't a shirt because then all those boys from Taiwan will buy that because there's no shirt. Right it's the new shirt. It's just it's nothing you get air. Ever new clothes. Todd Latoury says to Tim congratulations Tim for the new KK album very much looking forward to the new AOA album AOA ashes of Aries. Keep on keep on hope to cross pass in the near future. Have you guys ever shared the stage together with Todd. Have you ever shared the stage yet. I don't think I have ever shared stage but again we probably played somewhere somewhere. All another yeah but we haven't but well actually we we kind of did because I jumped on stage Queen Drake and Cleveland and did a little back up take over the flame and my throat is fried. I was in the studio all day and he's up there singing like a like an angel and I'm going to go over to the flame. If you're given the opportunity to sing that song on stage with Queen Drake you just do it you know what I mean you don't say no. Well I used to cover it all the time right so it's just like that and Eddie Jackson was all for us as I get up here and but yeah so I guess we did share the stage together there you go. Matt let me ask you this when you did you actually tour with Judas Priest when Tim was in the band. Did you actually play shows or it was just about to happen but you never did. 911 so you know yeah yeah yeah but did you ever see Tim with Judas Priest. Yes yes actually in Indianapolis. John and I went to see them I think at the was at the Mara theater or something in Indianapolis. And what did you think you you know like Tim's in the band now we are initial impressions. Oh frickin amazing man. Yeah yeah yeah yeah I think we're Tim Tim won me over I think it was on the live album. You know when you did the live album that's when I said damn this guy's good and I went out about the 98. It's it's no jugulator came out first right and then there was a live album live meltdown was a live meltdown 98 live yeah 98 live. And then and then the demolition came out and I think that's what sold me when Tim was actually on the live album it just it just blew my mind yeah it was great. Yeah that's an amazing live record man yep. Well thank you man oh man I've well look I gotta I gotta I gotta you know commend you you know you jumped on I nagged you all day and all week and I got you on. I thought you said I was going to be on for like five minutes. Yeah. That's what told me. Yeah. Can you five minutes. It's just a Canadian time tax. Anything else you want to add Matt about the new album. Oh well shooting a shit you know. Oh well congratulations to Todd since he's congratulating on his. He's joined in the suffering on his album. He's got a big he's his his solo record is great and it's it's winning all those awards everywhere. And big awards. Yeah it's really really good and then he's got the big tour coming up right. Are they with priests or they're playing with Judas Priest. Yeah they're opening up for Judas Priest. Look at that. Yeah I'm certain I'd like to see him there they probably won't let me come but I'll go. They reissued jugulator and demolition right. Well it's 500 bucks to get it some kind of box that I mean it's not like it's there it's there finally right. Well I'll send everybody I've burned a few cassettes if they want one I. But that's a great. No I would more still friends. Everybody management and Rob and I and even Richie which you know glad to see Richie's getting. You know better and ready to go out there so but that's great for Todd that's going to be a really fun tour. That would be a really great show to go see. I like how we switched it to Todd. It's all about Todd now. Yeah. The last question for Matt. Todd's playing the word. Coming from Ice Earth you know and with them being on a hiatus. Do you think the ashes of Aries can fill that void for that type of music right now. You know I don't know man I mean you know again you know we're you know. Yeah maybe maybe for the music I don't know but you know as far as certainly as far as the touring I don't know how that's going to how that's going to work. You know at this point again with with with Freddie and I having having careers that are you know fairly taxing on us. But obviously if we were given the opportunity to get out there and do some shows and you know festivals and things like that that would be phenomenal. But yeah I mean we're I keep you know I tell people look man we're not we're not trying to be Ice Earth you know 2.0. It's just not you know it's not what we're trying to do. It's we're we're trying to do our own thing and you know follow our own path. And so you know I'm I'm hopeful I'm hopeful certainly that people that like Ice Earth you know like ashes and so on so forth and maybe maybe you know some people like like ashes. It's just for the first time listening maybe maybe they're not even Ice Earth fans. Maybe they'll start listening to it because they they dig it's a kind of a different vibe. So you know I don't know man you know I'm not we're not trying to walk in the in the in the path of Ice Earth or anything like that. But you know I obviously I've been I've been you know blessed enough to to be a part of Ice Earth for that to open the door for me to be in music. And so that was you know phenomenal. All right, Emperors and Fools will be released January 21st 2022 Rock of Angels not Rock of Rock of Angels records. I won't screw that up Tim Matt. Thank you so much. Thanks for being on great. Have you guys on as always. And I guess they could and they could just pick up the album anywhere. Matt is it's going to be a lot of Amazon and everywhere. I think Amazon they're working on getting the stuff for the for the US because a lot of people were asking about that on social media. It's just it's just trippy right now I think because you know roar is a is a European label. They're out of Greece and getting the stuff available in the US for pre order. People are getting a little bit edgy but as soon as as soon as I hear something from the label they said that they're going to let us know as they know when it's when it's live on Amazon in the US. And that's probably the best way to get it I mean that's you know look look how things are today that's pretty much where it's at. But if there's any other venues any smaller mom and pop shops or anything like that I'll certainly put those out there as well so I want everybody to make money off this if they can. And you know since we Freddie and I don't. And yeah so I'll let I'll let folks know as soon as soon as something's out there. Thanks man. And Tim what's the last what's your last like what's up what's next for you what are you going to be doing next what's the big thing. I'm either probably going to put a bunch of songs out or go to prison one of the rich direction I'm going to because I'll probably I'm going to have to get a rob a bank or something. No I listen first of all I'm going to be pushing when people want to know about the record is record it's coming out it'll be on my social media pages as well because I'll be promoting like crazy but yeah you know what I'm recording here and I'm going to head out to England eventually in the new year and probably hang out with with KK and the guys will probably do some rehearsing and I know he's mentioned we're going to start writing a new record we might try to record it. While we're waiting to go on tour because it's not an easy band to get on the road because it's not like you're playing small venues he's not playing small venues I'm playing big venues so we're going to go out there rehearse and get ready to get it maybe start recording and and then start start tour next year. All right, that's it Alan do you have anything to add? Todd, Todd Latore wishes Matt's son a happy birthday before we go here. That's nice, that's nice. It always goes back to Todd, it always goes back to Todd. I always watch. Todd's what is is he like looking shit up now? He's just trying to do a song it's like hey and Tim nice pants. Things like an angel plays drums plays guitar and a trivia has all these facts stored in his head he's amazing. We should have had Todd here as well that's I think he's trying to hint into it. It's okay Todd Todd'll be on next time. It would be fantastic how about the three singers that the new three tremors that would be amazing. Oh don't tell Sean Peck. If we call it the new three tremors though, is that okay? I think legally you can do that. Mark too. Neo Neo tremors. You know what? We have an east coast and a west coast so we're going to have to transfer to be an orchestra. Tim Rippers. Tim Rippers three tremors. No, my name's not going to take people away from the show. We want to minus the crowd. Matt Barlow's three tremors. But about new shimmer, you know it's a little wreck. Sean Peck will love that. All right. Thanks guys. Thanks.