Heavy metal lost one of its icons Sunday when singer Ronnie James Dio died at 67. He was being treated in a Houston hospital for stomach cancer.
“My heart is broken, Ronnie passed away at 7:45 a.m,” said a statement by his wife, Wendy, posted Sunday on the singer’s Web site and confirmed by publicist Maureen O'Connor.
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One of my fav songs of all time is >Rainbow in the Dark<
:^(
\m/ RIP \m/
First Pete Steele now this. :(
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"He is widely credited with popularizing the “devil horn” hand gesture — index and pinky fingers up, everything else clenched in a fist — as a symbol of metal’s occult-like worship of everything scary and heavy."
-A-holes even screwed that tidbit of info up.....
Rest in Peace Mr. Dio. You made a great impact on my life and for that I will be eternally grateful and respectful of you. Hope you travel the strange highways well, brother.
The first time I heard his voice was back in the late 70's when a good friend let me borrow the Rainbow: On Stage album - been a huge fan since and IMHO his voice epitomizes heavy metal rock 'n' roll!
"He is widely credited with popularizing the “devil horn” hand gesture — index and pinky fingers up, everything else clenched in a fist — as a symbol of metal’s occult-like worship of everything scary and heavy."
-A-holes even screwed that tidbit of info up.....
Rest in Peace Mr. Dio. You made a great impact on my life and for that I will be eternally grateful and respectful of you. Hope you travel the strange highways well, brother.
Meh, people have been getting that wrong for decades. I don't let it bother me anymore. Of course in fairness, there are those ignorant Metalheads who would say much the same thing. :-/
I've always taken it for granted that Dio was immortal and would be around again next year for another show. I was fortunate to see him w/ Heaven & Hell last year from the second row in Cleveland with Coheed & Cambria and Icarus Witch opening up. I've seen him with Sabbath back in '92 and on a number of occasions with his solo act over the years.
I have the Elf albums. The Rainbow albums. The Sabbath albums. The Dio albums. I am a huge fan. His passing away really sucks for me.
The King is Dead! Long Live the King of Rock & Roll!
\m/(-,-)\m/
Oh I see his face
Where is your star
Is it far, Is it far, is it far
When do we leave
I believe, yes, I believe
magic for all. thank you Dio for all you gave!
I also got to see the Heaven and Hell version of Dio a year or so ago. I want to write 3 pages about the man and his music and heart, but I will keep that for myself and maybe blog it someday (when I get a blog). I will miss Peter Steele and Frank Frazetta, but I truly mourn the loss of RJD. The world got a little less magic with his passing.
I shall look to the stars tonight and think of you, sir!
I was never a big fan of Dio, but I know a lot of folks on this board were, so: condolences. How he went before Ozzy, I'll never know.
Zo
RIP and thanks.
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I've always taken it for granted that Dio was immortal and would be around again next year for another show. I was fortunate to see him w/ Heaven & Hell last year from the second row in Cleveland with Coheed & Cambria and Icarus Witch opening up. I've seen him with Sabbath back in '92 and on a number of occasions with his solo act over the years.
You know you're a rock god when Coheed & Cambria are your opening band.
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I read about this when I got home from work yesterday. Ruined my day. I didn't even realize the guy was in his 60's. Hell, I thought he was in his early 50's (shows how screwed my time sense is).
He really is a Metal God, up there with Ozzy and Halford. (Of course, I'd add Dickenson, Hetfield, and Mustaine to that list as well.) I'm going to miss the HELL out of him. Will be listening to Dio all week I think, just like I did with Pantera when Dimebag was killed.
This sucks like a Hoover.
The King is Dead! Long Live the King of Rock & Roll!Who's the new King of Rock and Roll? My money's on Iggy Pop.
I think of Punk when I think of Iggy.
Actually, 'The King Of Rock & Roll' just happens to be a Dio song..
At least he went peacefully...
RIP Dio
Holy Diver is probably my favorite Dio track, the new version by Killswitch Engage was a great cover of the classic tune, with a hilariously over the top video to go with it.
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The King is Dead! Long Live the King of Rock & Roll!Who's the new King of Rock and Roll? My money's on Iggy Pop.I think of Punk when I think of Iggy.
Actually, 'The King Of Rock & Roll' just happens to be a Dio song..
That it does.
I was just going through my mental list of the absolute masters of rock music: Dio, Iggy, Jimmy Page, Neil Peart, Keith Richards, Tony Iommi, etc...
The King is Dead! Long Live the King of Rock & Roll!Who's the new King of Rock and Roll? My money's on Iggy Pop.I think of Punk when I think of Iggy.
Actually, 'The King Of Rock & Roll' just happens to be a Dio song..
That it does.
I was just going through my mental list of the absolute masters of rock music: Dio, Iggy, Jimmy Page, Neil Peart, Keith Richards, Tony Iommi, etc...
As a side note ... Tony Iommi = Black Sabbath. People usually think of Ozzy, but that's the mainstream crowd.
Make sure to add Steve Harris.
Rest in Peace Ronnie.
Yesterday I put a Rainbow CD in my car-system, it had been years. in the morning my cousin called me with the news :-(
i had tickets for Dio in november, than he had to cancle the tour.
Last news was that he was recovering.
A great voice (and for all I know from the distance, a very nice and likeable man) left us
[
As a side note ... Tony Iommi = Black Sabbath. People usually think of Ozzy, but that's the mainstream crowd.Make sure to add Steve Harris.
Very true, Tony IS black Sabbath, but Geezer Butler should not been forgotten, his influence on the Sabbath-Sound is very underestimated
My masters of Rock would be: Townshend, Iommi, Harris, Lemmy, Halford and Young (Neil, not Angus)
I'm going to have create a whole campaign around Dio tracks.
Very true, Tony IS black Sabbath, but Geezer Butler should not been forgotten, his influence on the Sabbath-Sound is very underestimated
My masters of Rock would be: Townshend, Iommi, Harris, Lemmy, Halford and Young (Neil, not Angus)
I love the Geez (I even thoroughly enjoy the first two of his three G//Z/R solo project), but it is Iommi's haunting riffs on the first track of the first album that sold it all -- as well as the only constant throughout their entire history.
I'm going to have create a whole campaign around Dio tracks.
All kidding aside, that's quite possible given the Rainbow/Sabbath/Dio materials. :D
For me, the two essential Dio albums that I can listen through from beginning to end w/o a clunker tune on it would be Heaven & Hell and Holy Diver.
Later on DIO, you will not be forgotten... On of the classiest and most intelligent guys in the metal/hard rock scene... For those that haven't seen it... I highly reccomend Metal: A Headbangers Journey Great DIO interview in there among other things
Small as he was, I remember a fan in the front row grabbing Dio's forearm enthusiastically. Ronnie lifted him into the air like it was nothing.
Love the song links thus far. Here's two more.
and
I met Dio after a concert years ago. Even though it was 2 in the morning he greeted everyone with a friendly smile, signed autographs, and even made small talk. He was a true gentleman and I will miss knowing he is out there doing what he loved best for his fans.
I also feel bad for his wife, Wendy, as well. They were together for decades and losing a spouse has got to be rough.
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Two great concert memories involved Dio...
His Sacred Heart tour at the Columbus Convention Center (I think it was the Ohio Center back then) was really good. He had a dragon on stage that blew smoke as Dio screamed, "Attack!!" and pointed a sword at it. Too cool. "Don't Talk to Strangers" was great during that show too.
He toured with Black Sabbath several years ago and showed up a the Newport. Just a great show at a great venue.
Holy Diver is one of the great metal albums of all time. Timeless...
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I count myself lucky, as I saw Dio live 6 times solo, and once with Sabbath. He was a truly gifted musician. His music gets me so fired to play D&D. Gates of Babyoln simply drips with 1st edition mystery. I can't even describe it. . .
Requiescat in Pace. You truly are the Man on the Silver Mountain now.
I count myself lucky, as I saw Dio live 6 times solo, and once with Sabbath. He was a truly gifted musician. His music gets me so fired to play D&D. Gates of Babyoln simply drips with 1st edition mystery. I can't even describe it. . .
Requiescat in Pace. You truly are the Man on the Silver Mountain now.
Gates of Babylon is indeed an awesome song!
Thirded.Seconded.At least he went peacefully...
RIP Dio
Holy Diver is probably my favorite Dio track, the new version by Killswitch Engage was a great cover of the classic tune, with a hilariously over the top video to go with it.
Fourthed! \m/
Fourthed! \m/Thirded.Seconded.At least he went peacefully...
RIP Dio
Holy Diver is probably my favorite Dio track, the new version by Killswitch Engage was a great cover of the classic tune, with a hilariously over the top video to go with it.
+5
This sucks. I am very fortunate to have seen him in concert three times. I'm going to rock out to Dio tonight.
Hungry for Heaven indeed
As a side note ... Tony Iommi = Black Sabbath. People usually think of Ozzy, but that's the mainstream crowd.
You're not wrong, but Tony Iommi = Black Sabbath in the same way that Ian Fleming = 007. Connery was the best Bond actor, similarly Ozzy was the best Sabbath singer. I can't bear to contemplate Sabbath after Heaven and Hell, just like I can't watch any of the newer 007 "films" without cringing. Lazenby was good for the schadenfreude but after Roger Moore the actors in the franchise just sucked turds. Sabbath in the mid 80s and later makes me want to cry.
Zo
With several of these FB links, I was originally under the impression that you only had a MySpace account. Did you finally convert over? :P
As a side note ... Tony Iommi = Black Sabbath. People usually think of Ozzy, but that's the mainstream crowd.You're not wrong, but Tony Iommi = Black Sabbath in the same way that Ian Fleming = 007. Connery was the best Bond actor, similarly Ozzy was the best Sabbath singer. I can't bear to contemplate Sabbath after Heaven and Hell, just like I can't watch any of the newer 007 "films" without cringing. Lazenby was good for the schadenfreude but after Roger Moore the actors in the franchise just sucked turds. Sabbath in the mid 80s and later makes me want to cry.
Zo
I confess that I do like Born Again (w/ Ian Gillan) as well as Seventh Star (and I'm sure you're aware Tony had teamed up with Glenn Hughes again for two other releases). During the Tony Martin years, Headless Cross was the best of those releases. Incidentally that album is where Martin sounds most like Dio ... perhaps why I like it so much.
I confess that I do like Born Again (w/ Ian Gillan) as well as Seventh Star (and I'm sure you're aware Tony had teamed up with Glenn Hughes again for two other releases). During the Tony Martin years, Headless Cross was the best of those releases. Incidentally that album is where Martin sounds most like Dio ... perhaps why I like it so much.
I'm a fan of Deep Purple, but I like my Sabbath Black. The grittiness and lack of technique make Ozzy's voice the perfect complement to those heavy riffs (for me). I grew up on the Doors, Hendrix, and Janis, so when I switched over to metal in my teenage years I didn't really go for the classical technique of the Dickinsons and Dios. Back then I guess I associated that upper register style of singing with hair metal and glam rock. I've got respect, but it's just not my style.
All that said, watching old videos of Ozzy singing with Sabbath, yelling "COCAINE!" after every line of Snowblind makes me facepalm. Yeah, Oz, we get it...
Zo