Metal Shock Finland (World Assault )

Metal Shock Finland has recently conducted a short interview with Swedish metaller Niklas Stålvind (WOLF) and asked his opinion and thoughts about legendary singer Ronnie James Dio and if he has any particular memories of him. His answer can be read below:

“I remember Bang Your Head festival in Germany 2007. Wolf played there and Heaven And Hell was headlining. Perfect hot summer day with lots of sunshine and beer. For some reason the rain was pouring down, even on stage, only when Wolf played, then the sun shone again. Very funny actually! While we were having lots of German beer, Tony Iommy walked by us and I remember thinking ”there goes that dude that invented Heavy Metal while I sit here and drink beer. Cool!”. In short: That day was perfect. But that night was magic.

When Heaven And Hell played it was just pure magic. I remember it so well. And I’m not just saying that to pay tribute to Dio. It really was a magic gig. It blew everything away. It was almost the same feeling I had when I saw my first Iron Maiden show when I was thirteen years old. Nothing can ever top that (remember, I was thirteen and it was my first show), but this came pretty close! And one man really stood out. One voice really stood out. It sounded so good! I have never heard a voice sounding so good live before in my entire life. I remember we looked at each other and just pointed at him with eyes wide open (like thirteen year olds on our first concert). And his stage presence. His showmanship. So perfect, so professional and so honest. Straight from the heart. And straight to the heart. Ronnie James Dio’s voice was just flawless the entire show.

The next day we travelled back to Sweden and we were still blown away by the Heaven And Hell show. In the car we played the two Black Sabbath studio albums with Dio on vocals. Even the records didn’t come close to the sound of last night’s amazing vocals. I don’t know any other metal singer that can pull that off.
Respect! Thank you, Ronnie. R.I.P.”

As previously posted, Metal Shock Finland has received  more messages from some Metal musicians about the legendary singer Ronnie James Dio and his brilliant career which can be read below:

Stefan Schwarzmann (ACCEPT): “Once I met Ronnie James Dio back in 2005,when we play some festivals with “Accept”(back than with Udo)on his birthday on the top terrace of our hotel where all the bands were booked until our stay in Athens/Greece.
All I could say is that he was a wonderful,nice person…a real gentleman so to say,with no airs and graces!!
His death is a really really big loss and Holy Diver,in my opinion,is one of the best records ever on this planet!!
I raise my glass for Ronnie,rest in peace you big voice of Rock!!!“

Tracy G (DIO):  “IT WAS AN HONOR TO WORK WITH ONE OF THE GREATEST SINGERS IN METAL AND HARD ROCK MUSIC FROM 93 TO 99…..RONNIE WAS A GREAT GUY AND HAD THE BEST TONE TO HES VOICE…..NEVER TAKING LESSONS AND NEVER HAD TO WARM UP..HE WOULD TELL ME ..WHY WARM UP.ITS JUST WASTED OF TIME..HE WOULD SAVE ALL HES VOCALS FOR THE STAGE………A TRUE NATURAL SINGER….HES WAS ONE OF THE BEST FOR SURE..LONG LIVE RONNIE JAMES DIO“

Graham Oliver (OLIVER/DOWSON SAXON, EX- SAXON): “I first saw Ronnie in 1976 with RAINBOW and it was a great show and jumping forwards to SAXON,s first tour of the USA in September 1980 we played some show on the HEAVEN AND HELL tour where we met Ronnie and our paths crossed a few times.
When ODS were promoting Angel Airs ITS ALIVE CD we were on the same show as RONNIE in ITALY and chatted a lot about all things music ect and to our delight Ronnie asked for ODS to be the guest band on the UK leg of KILLING THE DRAGON tour ,it started in LONDON and finished in PORTSMOUTH all the shows were great and sellouts and on the last show after our set i was asked to join the band on stage for RAINBOW IN THE DARK how great was that Steve Dawson videoed it thank goodness and introduced me as a legend. And coming from one of my legends that was the best ,he was always so nice with friends and fans after the shows and was one of the greatest rock singers of all time.“

Jon Schaffer (ICED EARTH): “Ronnie and I were good friends and I miss him very much. We did have plans to work together. We were on tour with Heaven And Hell in the UK back in 2007, and even before that we talked about doing a project together. But it was difficult to get our schedules lined up. When we were on that tour we got more serious about it, and unfortunately it wasn’t very long after that we found out Ronnie had cancer and obviously that changed everything.

I loved Ronnie as a human being, certainly as a heavy metal legend, but to me he was much more than that, because he was such a genuine person.

It didn’t matter who he was talking to, he always listened to them and looked them in the eye. He was a very genuine special guy and this world is going to miss Ronnie Dio.“

Arjen Anthony Lucassen (Ayreon) : “Ronnie was and will always be my favorite power singer of all time. Not only did he have a fabulous technique, but most of all I love the sound of his voice. He could sing raw and powerful, but also clean and gentle. And his deep and slow vibrato was the best ever. Never did I hear him sing out of tune. I even love his crooning pre-Elf stuff. I had the pleasure to meet him once, must have been quite a sight…the giant talking to the little guy Sadly I never had the pleasure of actually working with him, now that would have been a dream come true… Damn..I’m gonna listen to Stargazer again…horns up!“

Glenn Five-Gyorffy (EX-ANVIL):  “Ronnie was as genuine as they come. When he was meeting someone, whether it was a fellow musician or fan, he was genuinely meeting you. Not just going through the motions. The first time I met Ronnie I got to spend about 15 minutes with him over breakfast after a very early hotel check-in in Italy after a long night of travel from Canada. It was such a thrill for me to sit and chat with one of my first heroes of music as Rainbow was one of my first fave bands. About 12 hours later- at the festival that we were there to play-I was passing by Ronnie and I said hello to him. He looked at me and said ‘Hey Glenn, how has your day been?’. I thought it was amazing that a guy like Ronnie James Dio-who probably spent his day doing lots of press and meeting all sorts of people in his daily routine-remembered my name. The last time I got the chance to see Ronnie I remember a very happy man enjoying his life and running around with Phil Campbell from Motorhead having a blast like a couple of kids. A great way to remember a legend…with a smile on his face…having fun.“

Bob Katsionis (FIREWIND): “Ronnie James Dio never did anything to drag people’s attention.
He only did it by singing the word “ROCK” in a way noone else could do it.
Thats why in my eyes he was the ultimate Rock singer!“

Tony Speakman (HELL): “What can anybody say about a legend,, Ronnie James Dio” WAS” A TRUE LEGEND,, the work , the music this man brought to the Rock and Roll table was immense copied by many but never equalled. I remember hearing the Rainbow Rising album for the first time,,, it Totally blew me away,, think I played it non stop for about three or four hours!! had never heard anything like it, and it still remains one of my fav albums to this day..
To hear this album,, and see the band live,, then, was a true experience,, his voice both on record and live was awesome, like nobody before him.
His later work with Black Sabbath and of course his solo material was equally as special to me, he was a life long inspiration,,, how can anybody who achieved so much in one lifetime not be ??
I could go on all night about Ronnie`s music but I think it say`s more for itself than I can ever say, he would be one serious contender to top the Rock “Hall Of Fame” Lists,, there can`t be many rock fans or musicians out there who haven`t got a place in their hearts for him,, the day this man left us was one of the greatest losses in music I am very grateful I was around in this era….. he certainly touched my life….
R I P RONNIE JAMES DIO……….“

Marco Wriedt (AXXIS): “I first got in Touch with the magic of Ronnie James Dio when I was around 14/15 years old. I heard “man on a silver mountain” for the first time and after that I tried to get everything DIO related. I’ve always loved the Rainbow and Black Sabbath era with DIO. “The Mob Rules” is still one of my favourite albums.I saw DIO live several times. Mostly on his Holy Diver Tour in 2005 where he played all the classics and the whole Holy Diver Album. Even had the Chance to talk with him a Little bit. What a moment I will never forget. he was so polite and cool and smart. something Special surrounded him. I could feel that! The Last time I saw him live was in Wacken 2009 with Heaven&Hell. Awesome Show of course. Like everyone in the Rock/Metal scene, I couldn’t believe the News when he passed away. It was tough. Shortly After that I was asked to join the “Ronnie James Dio Tribute concert” in Bochum/Germany. That was such an honor to share the Stage with many artists that all shared the same feelings for Ronnie! I will never forget this night. We miss you Ronnie. There will never be Another DIO. Thanx for everything!“

Richard Holmgren (WOLF):  “Growing up I listened to Ronnie alot and Im a huge Black Sabbath fan as well as DIO and Heaven and hell, but I have to say hes greatest work is with Rainbow.
In my years of singin and writing lyrics Ronnies been a great influence to my own work and hes way of using hes voice to get the message told in the songs.
My favorite since they were released and still are Rainbow rising,Mob rules and Holydiver, that might be the best cover art for an album ever.
I think when Ronnie past away a bit of music history and future realy died with him. He was a perfectionist and artist and made no compromise, thats why you can hear is honesty in the songs.
I think most people was well met by him and he listened to people that came close to him. He had a burning passion for hes work and it will live on and on and on as Ronnie would say.
He will always be missed and when he died he took a bit of the heavy music history with him.
I dont think there will be anybody filling hes shoes in a 1000 years.
R.I.P Ronnie, You were the greatest, Long live Rockn Roll.“

ALEX LANDENBURG (Rhapsody, Angel’s Cry, Mekong Delta, 21Octayne, Symfonia, Stratovarius, Annihilator…):  “I haven’t been fortunate enough to meet Ronnie James Dio in person but like anyone who is into our kind of music I’ve been a fan ever since I heard his voice for the first time. There will always be other great singers but there won’t be another Dio again, simple as that!“

Andrea Ferro (LACUNA COIL):  “I just met Ronnie once in our hometown in Italy (Milan), I had the opportunity to be there since the soundcheck and then I’ve been introduced to him. He was a very humble and cool guy, his voice was really powerful and louder then anything else, I will always remember him as the positive force of heavy metal!“

Niclas Engelin (Engel, In Flames):  “How can I describe my admiration for Ronnie`s work in just a few lines?? To me, Ronnie is still alive through all the godless music he contributed with in all constalations he was involved in. Rainbow, Black Sabbath, Dio, Elf & Heaven & Hell just pure magic!! Listen to the song The Sign Of The Southern Cross from the Mob Rules/Black Sabbath album and you just fall in love.”

Superstar Joey Severance (TORNADO): “while i didnt know Ronnie James Dio personally his music is a HUGE inspiration in my life. he is my second favorite singer of all time (after john fogerty) and for sure the best metal singer we’ve ever had in our genre……for our second demo,Tornado did a cover of “the king of rock n roll” which might show up somewhere but in the meantime i do have a great dio story…….i was tour managing nuclear assault some years ago at graspop and while i was walking back to the office to get paid i was reading one of the guys passports and not paying attention to where i was walking…..anyway, i bumped into someone and when i looked up (because everyone is taller than me) there was no one there so i look down a bit and scream out “oh shit, its dio!!” he kinda smiled……i was so excited that i almost shit myself so instead i said “oh man dio, i would love an autograph but i have nothing to write with” he said to me “no worries, have some of this” and proceeded to hand me the icky of the sticky……needless to say, that is a memory i will never forget. ronnie james dio forever!! \m/”

Ilker Ersin (POWERWORLD): “Ronnie James Dio was one of the greatest voices we ever had. He was a source for inspiration for many singers and musicians.
I know him as gentleman and nice person. His voice will live forever on the recordings he did.“