Having been a key part of MANOWAR‘s early sound, playing guitar on six albums including the acclaimed “Battle Hymns,” “Into Glory Ride,” and “Hail To England,” Ross “The Boss” Friedman has once again voiced his objections to the band re-recording their classic albums. In a recent Hear 2 Zen podcast interview, he argued that the original versions “should not be messed with.” Ross left the band after the release of 1988’s Kings Of Metal.
Regarding his opinion on the new MANOWAR LP versions, he stated (as transcribed by Blabbermouth): “What do I think of it? I think it’s horrible. I honestly do. I think it’s totally unnecessary and a waste of time, and I don’t know why. I don’t know why they would do that. I’ve gotta be honest with you. I don’t know why.
“I could see re-recording those records with maybe the same personnel, the same people. But not with a different group and a different guitar player. I just think it sounds horrible. It just sounds horrible.”
When asked if he’d ever considered re-recording a classic MANOWAR album with ROSS THE BOSS band, Ross replied: “Me doing it with my band? No. Never. It’s a waste time. Those records are those records. Those records should not be messed with. And they have been. And that’s what’s really… It’s heartbreaking.”
During an interview with Sofa King Cool back in 2022, Ross spoke about the 40th anniversary of Battle Hymns (1982) album. At the time, he said: “It is obviously an iconic record that has pretty much started power metal. We pretty much put power metal on the map with that record. ‘Cause there really wasn’t power metal before that. I mean, [Ronnie James] Dio did some things amazingly, and Ritchie Blackmore‘s RAINBOW, of course, but I think Battle Hymns was the first real, true power metal record. That was my baby.”
When asked if there are any plans to reissue Battle Hymns for its 40th anniversary, Ross responded: “That record has been reissued so many times. I was asked to leave MANOWAR in 1988, right after the release of Kings Of Metal. And [Joey] has repackaged everything up so many times… He re-recorded Battle Hymns; he re-recorded Kings Of Metal. Both suck. ‘Cause you can’t re-record a record; you can’t redo it.
“It’s like TWISTED SISTER redoing ‘Stay Hungry’; you just can’t do it. Especially, he did it without me. I mean, I could see if he had the original lineup playing Battle Hymns and the original lineup playing Kings Of Metal, with just [drummer] Donnie [Hamzik] instead of Scott [Columbus]; Scott‘s not with us no more. But without me? And you tune down those songs. They were written in standard pitch. And then MANOWAR‘s tuning ’em down for [singer] Eric [Adams]. Those songs lose all their energy. No. Nah nah nah nah nah nah. You’ve gotta leave genius alone, leave greatness alone. They’re untouchable.”
Pressed about the chances of him reuniting with MANOWAR for a tour celebrating the 40th anniversary of Battle Hymns, Ross said: “You wouldn’t say that I don’t have a good relationship with my old partner, but it’s just not there. I’m not saying things can’t magically patch up. But [Joey] doesn’t want any part of me telling him what he should be doing. And it’s okay. I’m happy with my band, I’m happy with DEATH DEALER, I’m happy with THE DICTATORS. Hopefully I’m gonna be very, very busy. I don’t have to be in a band with a tyrant.”
Source: metaladdicts.com
