Ronnie James Dio (Official Tribute Thread)

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Re: Official Ronnie James Dio tribute thread

There are names regardless of what you listen to personally where it's obviously a huge blow to the music world and a loss of someone who was an important element in it's history. I have like one Dio compilation and I definitely wasn't cranking out Dio tunes like the rest of you but his vocal prowess was obviously great and it's too bad another musical talent and icon has had to pass before his time! R.I.P. Ronnie James Dio! :wa
 

Abraxas

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Re: Official Ronnie James Dio tribute thread

I was totally shocked when I found out he died. R.I.P. :(
 

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Re: Official Ronnie James Dio tribute thread

I became of Dio after buying Rainbow's double live record 'Onstage' back in the late 70's. The album cover caught my eye with the huge lighted rainbow over the stage. I looked at the back & seen that Blackmore was in the band & they did one of my favorite Deep Purple songs "Mistreated" on it. I was a fan of Dio after the first listen to the album. Shortly afterwards I was in the record store & I seen an album by Elf which I had to check out because I found the name funny. I looked & seen Dio was the singer so I bought it. I was ecstatic when I found out he joined Sabbath & I loved 'Heaven & Hell'. I seen them & BOC together but Sabbath had an off night(I don't know what happened but they didn't start until 3 hours after BOC finished). I did see them with Dio on the Mob Rules tour & the show was amazing. I seen Dio again in 2003 when he opened for Iron Maiden in Cleveland & he was amazing. I love everything he has put out
 

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ARMORED SAINT Bassist: DIO's Name Shall Be Part Of The Very Definition Of The Term Heavy Metal - May 17, 2010
Bassist Joey Vera (ARMORED SAINT, FATES WARNING, ANTHRAX) has released the following message regarding the passing of legendary heavy metal singer Ronnie James Dio (DIO, HEAVEN & HELL, BLACK SABBATH, RAINBOW):

"Ronnie James Dio.

"His name shall be part of the very definition of the term heavy metal.

"All of us in this community owe a big part to him as he helped shape our entire genre. And he did it with complete originality and sincerity. He is the real deal.

"By now you've read much about him and how every person who'd had the pleasure of meeting the man use the words 'kind,' 'nice,' 'humble' and so on. I can tell you that these descriptions are truly accurate.

"I had the honor of being on tour with Dio on two occasions. Once on his 'Magica' tour in 2001 while I was in ARMORED SAINT and then later in 2004 while I was touring with ANTHRAX. I would watch Ronnie every night side stage and I was continuously blown away by his high level of performance. I must have seen over 40 shows from this vantage point and I never, ever saw or heard a single flaw. You always knew he was a great singer but It was then that I was convinced that he was a gift to us from some other place. Then there's all the times I saw him with SABBATH.

"I can't even go on…

"When you have the privilege of meeting someone like Ronnie — an idol, a legend — you almost expect a person like this to be overly confident, cocky, and they deserve to be, really. But Ronnie was the complete opposite. He really was the most humble, sincere and kind person you'd ever meet. He would always find time to stop in his tracks and say a few words to you. He was so down to earth and generous.

"Through his humility he's taught us all that a man is not measured by the size of his wallet, or trophy collection, but instead by the size of his heart.

"I myself am glad that he chose the profession of singing because even though his body has been taken from us, his voice will stay here for all eternity.

"We're all trying really hard here, but Ronnie, we can't thank you enough."
 

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Re: Official Ronnie James Dio tribute thread

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SOLITUDE AETURNUS Guitarist: DIO Was 'A True Professional And A Model Human Being' - May 17, 2010
Guitarist John Perez of long-running Texas doom metallers SOLITUDE AETURNUS has released the following statement regarding the passing of legendary heavy metal singer Ronnie James Dio (DIO, HEAVEN & HELL, BLACK SABBATH, RAINBOW):

"Like most everyone I know, I am in a great state of sadness.

"Ronnie James Dio was the ultimate heavy metal figure. Why? Because he conducted himself the way every one of us should: treating fans and friends with respect above and beyond the call of the duty (b.t.c.o.d) and giving his best to us at all times. Oh, and let's not forget that he was the BEST! A true professional and a model human being.

"Make no mistake, the prime influence and building block in SOLITUDE AETURNUS was/is and always will be Dio-era BLACK SABBATH.

"Thank you, Ronnie, and family for all that you've given to us. We are grateful and strive to live by your example."
 

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Ex-DIO Keyboardist JOHANSSON: RONNIE's Voice Was Like A Tank; I Never Heard Him Have A Bad Day - May 17, 2010
Swedish keyboardist Jens Johansson (STRATOVARIUS, DIO, YNGWIE J. MALMSTEEN) has released the following message regarding the passing of legendary heavy metal singer Ronnie James Dio (DIO, HEAVEN & HELL, BLACK SABBATH, RAINBOW):

"I hesitated a bit to write something about this. In a way it feels weird to use this sad day to attract attention to myself. Then I realized I also feel a bit strange to not even comment in public.

"I joined DIO-the-band for about a year in the early Nineties, that's how I got to know Ronnie. Him, and let's not forget Wendy [Ronnie's wife/manager], who is still very much alive. They were a team.

"When they took me in to the DIO family, I felt a bit like a cold puppy coming in from the rain. I had previously just left Yngwie's band which was a really fun and creative situation, but it was at the same time also tremendously chaotic and stressful.

"My time in DIO was simply one of the best times in my life.

"Ronnie was one of the best people I ever met, very different from the usual musicians and other suspects in this wretched industry. I think this is something you will hear over and over — you have heard it before he was gone, and you will also keep hearing it after he is gone. Quite simply, because it's the truth. And especially towards fans.

"If you didn't realize it by now, you can ask anyone who met him. Ronnie was the guy signing autographs in the cold rain after the point where any mere mortal would have crawled back into bed. It was insane. His dedication to the fans was not from this world. He is the guy that finally made it dawn on me who it is who actually pays the bills — it is the fans. (Well, at least he tried. If I didn't quite learn, that is my own fault.)

"Well, it could be everyone knows all that already, so what else can I say that you don't already know or could find out from Wikipedia?

"Since I was a Dio fan myself long long before I even met him, I think I have some perspective.

"His voice was like a tank... I never heard him have a bad day. I have honestly never met anyone else like this in my whole life. Even if he stayed up all night drinking and talking, he would still deliver 150% the next day.

"From his performing, you'd think he was 22 years old, his whole life... but if you look at how much he accomplished, you'd think he lived to the age of 120.

"He was very funny. Fond of British humor, like Monty Python.

"My best memories of the time with him are either him laughing at something I or someone else said, or me laughing at something he said, or any of the many running gags that he created.

"His lyric-writing really has depths you don't immediately see when you read them first. Read them again and think.

"He was very intelligent. He was, without a question, NOT some sort of devil worshipper or satanist. He grew up in a small town and was what I would call just a 'very decent person.' He had higher morals than most people I have met, and definitely he had higher morals than I have. He just didn't particularly believe in God of the Christian bible, I think. But he was really spiritual and thought about deep issues, a lot.

"I never saw him do any hard drugs. He was, to me, the embodiment of the
idea: if you want to get anywhere, stay off the hard stuff.

"There was the relentless charity work for 'Children of the Night.' But that you may have heard about already and can read more about on the Internet; just google for the phrase.

"I realize this may sound like I'm trying to paint too soft a picture. I am really racking my brains here and I couldn't think of anything bad to say about him even if I tried. The only thing I can think of is that his character definitely had a surprising bite when something pissed him off; he didn't suffer fools lightly. If you were a fool in his path, and all options of patience, understabding and politeness had been exhausted, then he didn't hold back verbally... beware, fool, you might have two assholes all of a sudden, or your head might be rolling on the floor! I, of course, found this extremely amusing (unless it was me who was the unwitting fool, which I think happened, like, once).

"I don't exaggerate when I say I feel him being gone is a loss for humanity, but I still try to look at the glass as half full. Imagine if he would have died at 27 like so many other geniuses. As a listener I'm thankful for that grace, and as a person I'm thankful I got to know him.

"We will all die at some point; he never beat around the bush when speaking or writing about death.

"Cancer sucks, and I don't know what I think would suck more, him gone today, or him alive for another year but in severe pain. I'm also not sure if Ronnie would have wanted us to be too sad. (Of course, a bit sad! I'm not suggesting we go dancing in the streets with joy screaming 'lolololololololo' like those crazy Palestinians after 9/11 here.)

"He dedicated so much of his own life to bring happiness to other people.

"Let's mourn a genius and a great guy who is lost to us now. But let's mourn in a way that he constantly wrote about, by deciding that we should live each day, including this one, to its fullest, even if it is a sad day.

"You don't know if this day is your last day, and if it is you don't know what will follow.

"The music he made will remain after me, or anyone reading this, will be gone. So unless you did already, put some of it on. If it puts an evil smile on your face, then your day is better. That's all any musician can ask from you."
 

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Ex-THERION Singer MATS LEVÉN: 'Our Hero Is Gone But His Voice And Music Will Live Forever' - May 17, 2010
Swedish vocalist Mats Levén (KRUX, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, THERION, TREAT, ADAGIO, AT VANCE) has released the following statement regarding the passing of legendary heavy metal singer Ronnie James Dio (DIO, HEAVEN & HELL, BLACK SABBATH, RAINBOW):

"The first concert I ever went to was DEEP PURPLE, playing in Gothenburg on the 'Stormbringer' tour (March 21, 1975).

"Ritchie Blackmore had already recorded the first rainbow album and this was his last tour with the Mark 3 lineup of DEEP PURPLE.

"I bought the first RAINBOW album and when I heard Ronnie's voice I soon forgot about DEEP PURPLE.

"The second album, 'Rising', is one of the important albums of my life and the song 'Stargazer' in particular. Already then I felt the power and the passion coming out from his heart and lungs… this was something new and exciting to me.

"Like many others, I was disappointed when Ronnie left RAINBOW, but instead I enjoyed the new material with BLACK SABBATH and I still rate some of that stuff the best metal songs of all time.

"I'd never seen Ronnie live but in 1983 he did his first DIO show in Sweden at Draken in Stockholm and I finally got to see him. I remember there was a fight in the front row and Ronnie stopped the band in the middle of a song and sorted it all out.

"SOUTHPAW supported DIO in Sweden in 1998 and I got to meet him, he was incredibly nice and a true gentleman — I treasure that memory.

"I was sneaking behind the monitor desk at one of his soundchecks and it was cool to hear his incredible voice from the monitors…no, it was like a PA on stage ha ha…it was very, very loud.

"After that I've seen him 3-4 times again with DIO. One memorable show was in Sao Paulo, Brazil in 2004 before 6000 fans; they loved him. Also saw three shows with HEAVEN & HELL. The first one at Sweden Rock in 2007 was without a doubt the best and also one of the few times that I had tears in my eyes at a concert. The impact of 'I' and 'Sign Of The Southern Cross' was incredible.

"When I recorded with Cozy Powell in 1997, he told me some great stories and I was hoping that one day Ronnie, Cozy and Ritchie might reform the classic [RAINBOW] lineup. That day in April 1998 when Cozy died was a sad one and now, those last 24 hours have been heartbreaking.

"Our hero is gone but his voice and music will live forever.

"My sincerest condolences to Ronnie's close ones."
 

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OPETH Frontman On RONNIE JAMES DIO's Passing: 'There Is A Massive Hole In My Heart' - May 17, 2010
Vocalist/guitarist Mikael Åkerfeldt of Swedish progressive metallers OPETH has posted the following message on the band's web site regarding the passing of legendary heavy metal singer Ronnie James Dio (DIO, HEAVEN & HELL, BLACK SABBATH, RAINBOW):

"I saw the news last night and I hated them.

"Ronnie James Dio is gone…. I love him almost like a family member, and I feel empty and lonely knowing he's not around anymore. He sits on my wall as he has since my family moved in here. Can't bring myself to hear him sing right now, even though I think it might be comforting if I did.

"I was fortunate enough to meet him and share a few drinks with him once, and it's a memory I will treasure to the end of my days. He blew my mind, quite honestly.

"Thank you, Ronnie James Dio, for everything!

"Our collective condolences goes out to his families and friends and the musicians that were fortunate enough to work with him.

"I was thinking about this for quite some time, and I think we can say for sure that even if he was taken from us too soon (100 years from now would've been to soon), I'm sure he felt happy with his life and what he had achieved. But it hurts, though, it really ****ing hurts…. I can't stop thinking about it.

"There is a massive hole in my heart.

"Love you, Ronnie. Rest in peace.

"Your fan, Mikael Åkerfeldt"
 

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Re: Official Ronnie James Dio tribute thread

Now playing: Heaven and Hell from album of the same name. :bow:
 

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ARCH ENEMY: 'We Mourn The Loss Of One Of The Most Amazing Talents' In Heavy Metal - May 17, 2010
Swedish/German extreme metallers ARCH ENEMY have released the following statement regarding the passing of legendary heavy metal singer Ronnie James Dio (DIO, HEAVEN & HELL, BLACK SABBATH, RAINBOW):

"Today is an immensely sad day for the heavy metal / hard rock community as we mourn the loss of one of the most amazing talents in the genre. Ever.

"A master of his craft and a true gentleman. Funny, smart and witty. He will be much missed by the ARCH ENEMY camp.

"Dio's voice will echo in eternity!"
 

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