FORMER Judas Priest singer Ripper Owens has told an interviewer “there’s a reason” why Iron Maiden plays to 20,000 people each night and his ex-bandmates play to 5000.
Speaking to Brazilian outlet Whiplash, Owens said Priest’s attitude to his time in the band was symptomatic of a bigger problem for them which was reflected in their popularity in comparison to Maiden.
“You’re talking about Iron Maiden, who has great management,” Owens said. “They do great business moves.
“They go into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. They demand that (former singer) Blaze Bayley goes into Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.
“Judas Priest goes into the Rock And Hall Hall Of Fame and Judas Priest is pretty much, ‘Absolutely not, Ripper’s not going in.’
“So (Maiden) have great management and there’s a reason why they play in front of 20,000 people and the other one plays in front of five.
“That’s the difference. So there’s your answer of why Iron Maiden, which is a little more class act, plays Blaze Bayley’s songs, ’cause they wrote ’em, they did it. Why would they not?”
Owens was critical of the fact that Priest does not perform the songs he did did with the band between 1996 and 2003 and that his albums with them were not available on streaming services.
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