Former DIO members Scott Warren (keyboards) and Jimmy Bain (bass; also ex-RAINBOW) make guest appearances on “Imagine Me Alive”, the debut album from SLEDGE LEATHER, the new band featuring former CHASTAIN singer Leather Leone. The CD is available by sending $10 via PayPal to tempadime@yahoo.com. “Imagine Me Alive” recording lineup:
A five-minute preview of the forthcoming concert DVD from SLEDGE LEATHER , can be seen below. The footage was filmed at last year’s edition of the Keep It True XIV festival, which was held April 29-30, 2011 at Tauberfrankenhalle in Lauda-Königshofen, Germany. Performing alongside Leather at the show were MALIBU BARBI drummer Sandy Sledge, bassist Betsey Stephens and guitarist Brett Baugh (who has since left the group). The setlist contained a lot of CHASTAIN classics, songs from Leather‘s solo album and brand new songs.
A review of the forthcoming DVD can be found on the RockOverAmerica.com web site. Source: Blabbermouth.net
Fan-filmed video footage of Ryan Adams — the multiple-Grammy-nominated folk singer and songwriter from Jacksonville, North Carolina — performing a acoustic cover version of the DIO classic “Holy Diver” on February 17 at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, California can be seen below. Source: Blabbermouth.net
According to the unofficial BLACK SABBATH web site Black-Sabbath.com, Universal Music has set a March 19 European release date for the “deluxe-edition” reissues of the first three DIO albums: “Holy Diver”, “The Last In Line” and “Sacred Heart”. These reissues are being made available worldwide, except in North America, where Warner Bros. owns the rights to the material.
In May 2010, the world of hard rock and heavy metal had lost one of its most gifted and fervent ambassadors, with the passing of Ronnie James Dio. In his position as lead vocalist for rock giants such as RAINBOW and BLACK SABBATH, as well as fronting his own eponymous band for nearly three decades, Dio created some of the genres most defining and respected works. Albums such as “Holy Diver”, “Sacred Heart” and “The Last In Line” all stand as towering monuments of sheer class and brilliance in the rock pantheon. Dio was also to pave the way in regards to performing live, as few equaled him. With his incredible vocal range, Dio was to preside over countless memorable rock shows, enthralling his millions of fans worldwide.
As well as the original CD being remastered, these reissues each feature a bonus CD containing an expanded booklet with notes from Malcolm Dome and has been endorsed by Ronnie‘s widow Wendy Dio.
“Holy Diver” was the debut album from DIO, released May 25, 1983. It was hailed by critics as some of his best work and in January 1986 it was awarded silver certification in the U.K. The upbeat sounding “Rainbow In The Dark” was to catch MTV‘s attention, with the title track also standing out.
“The Last In Line” was the second DIO studio album. It was released on July 13, 1984 and was the first album from DIO to reach platinum status as well as No. 4 in the U.K. chart. This new album showcased the anthemic tracks “We Rock” and “I Speed at Night” as well as the seven-minute epic “Egypt ( The Chains Are On)”.
Issued in October 1985, “Sacred Heart” was the third studio album from DIO. The album reached No. 4 in the U.K. chart and was to go on to be certified gold. This was to become a much-loved DIO album, and contained the tracks “Rock N’ Roll Children” and “Hungry For Heaven”. The stage show that was to accompany this album was hailed as a spectacle, involving a mechanized dragon as well as lasers. Ronnie and his band were to refer to the dragon as Denzil. This was the last studio album to be released by DIO that included guitarist Vivian Campbell.
The first disc in each reissue consists of the original album, remastered by Andy Pearce. The following are details for the bonus disc included with each reissue.
“Holy Diver” – Disc Two (one studio track, along with live recordings)
01. Evil Eyes
02. Stand Up And Shout
03. Straight Through The Heart
04. Stand Up And Shout
05. Shame On The Night
06. Children Of The Sea
07. Holy Diver
08. Rainbow In The Dark
09. Man On The Silver Mountain
“Last In Line” – Disc Two
01. Stand Up And Shout (live) (B-side of “Last In Line” single)
02. Straight Through The Heart (live) (B-side of “Last In Line” single)
03. Eat Your Heart Out (live) (from “Mystery” single)
04. Don’t Talk To Strangers (live) (from “Mystery” single)
05. Holy Diver (live) (B-side of “We Rock” single)
06. Rainbow In The Dark (live) (B-side of “We Rock” single)
07. One Night In The City (live) (recorded Pinkpop festival)
08. We Rock (live) (recorded Pinkpop festival)
09. Holy Diver (live) (recorded Pinkpop festival)
10. Stargazer (live) (recorded Pinkpop festival)
11. Heaven And Hell (live) (recorded at Pinkpop festival)
12. Rainbow In The Dark (live) (recorded at Pinkpop festival)
13. Man On The Silver Mountain (live) (recorded at Pinkpop festival)
14. Don’t Talk To Strangers (live) (recorded at Pinkpop festival)
“Sacred Heart” – Disc Two
01. Hide in the Rainbow (studio track, originally on the soundtrack to the movie “Iron Eagle”)
02. We Rock (live) (B-side of “Rock N Roll Children” single)
03. The Last in Line (live) (B-side of “Rock N Roll Children” single)
04. Like the Beat Of A Heart (live) (B-side of “Rock N Roll Children” single)
05. King of Rock & Roll (live) (taken from “Intermission” EP)
06. Rainbow In The Dark (live) (taken from “Intermission” EP)
07. Sacred Heart (live) (taken from “Intermission” EP)
08. Time To Burn (studio) (taken from “Intermission” EP)
09. Rock ‘N’ Roll Children (live) (taken from “Intermission” EP)
10. Long Live Rock ‘N’ Roll (live) (taken from “Intermission” EP)
11. Man On The Silver Mountain (live) (taken from “Intermission” EP)
12. We Rock (live) (taken from “Intermission” EP)
Former DIO guitarist Tracy “G” Grijalva is working on a book that will chronicle his time in DIO (from 1993 through 1999). In the book, titled “Tracy G: The Dio Years And Beyond The Skull”, Tracy talks about everything — from how he got the gig and how he eventually left the band and what he has been up to since.
A promotional clip for the book can be seen below.
Tracy speaks very fondly of Ronnie James Dio, as noted in the following passage from the book.
“Behind the scenes and away from the reporters, cameras and industry people, Ronnie was very relaxed and calm,” Tracy says. “[It was] very comfortable to be around him and he was very much a regular guy at those times.”
Ronnie was always doing “cool” things like letting TracywatchDio‘s video library of film from the RAINBOW and BLACK SABBATH days, as well as inviting G‘s parents to the singer’s house for a tour. Ronnie took the Grijalvas through the entire spotless house, which he kept cleaned all on his own. He told Tracy‘s parents that he once had a housekeeper but had to let her go because he kept the house cleaner than she did. Then they hit the room that Tracy was occupying and he told him that he was not in any way responsible for that room as it was Tracy‘s mess.
Tracy left DIO in 1999 after he claimed he was “asked to play in a dual-guitar situation” in Ronnie‘s band. According to a posting on Tracy‘s web site, DIO was “looking for more of a Ritchie Blackmore style . . . and wanted [Tracy] to step back and just play rhythm guitar. That’s when [Tracy] knew it was time to leave, freeing him to more diligently pursue his home studio projects.”
“Tracy G: The Dio Years And Beyond The Skull” is being co-written by HYDROGYN guitarist Jeff Westlake — described by Tracy as “a big DIO fan” — and will be available for shipping in late March from www.tracyg.com.
As previously reported, Grijalva has joined forces with current HYDROGYN vocalist Julie Westlake to record a collection of songsTracy had written with Ronnie James Dio for the DIO releases “Strange Highways” and “Angry Machines” along with some of the guitarist’s post-DIO material. The recordings are taking place at Tracy‘s G Factory studios and will include musicians that played on Grijalva‘s 2011 album, “Controlled Chaos” — Johnny B on drums and vocals and Eddie Frisco on bass. There is also talk of live shows taking place in the Los Angeles area this spring or summer.
The reunited original lineup of the legendary heavy metal band BLACK SABBATH will headline a number of Europe’s premier festivals in 2012. Kicking off on Friday May 18 in Moscow at Olimpski, the tour will bring BLACK SABBATH to the masses at: Download (U.K.), Azkena Rock (Spain), Hellfest (France), Graspop Metal Meeting (Belgium) and Gods Of Metal (Italy). However, that’s only the beginning of the group’s global tour which will take the band around the world, including countries the band has never played before and others they have not visited in more than three decades.
The four original members of BLACK SABBATH — Ozzy Osbourne (vocals), Tony Iommi (guitar), Geezer Butler (bass) and Bill Ward (drums) — are recording their first studio album in 33 years with legendary producer Rick Rubin (seven-time Grammy winner, two of those as “Producer Of The Year”) for release worldwide on Vertigo, and Vertigo/Universal Republic in the U.S. in the fall 2012.
When asked by Artisan News for his opinion on the reunion of SABBATH‘s original lineup, legendary bassist/vocalist Glenn Hughes — who fronted SABBATH on 1986’s “Seventh Star” LP — said (see video below), “I think it’s wonderful that Ozzy now is sober and willing to bring it all together. And I think that just shows the kind of man that he has now become. And he has always been a lovely, good friend to me. But it just shows how far they have come as brothers to come together at this time. I think it’s perfect timing.”
The Ronnie James Dio lineup of BLACK SABBATH reunited under the moniker HEAVEN & HELL in 2006 but split four years later, after Dio passed away.
Regarding what Ronnie‘s reaction would have been to SABBATH‘s original lineup reunion had he still been alive, his wife/manager Wendy Dio told Artisan News (see video below), “I think Ronnie would have given it his blessing. It’s the right thing to do. They were the innovators of rock and roll and they need to finish as… They’re legends — complete legends. I think it will be fantastic and I think Ronnie would have totally given his blessing.”
According to U.K.’s The People, BLACK SABBATH‘s planned world tour and festival appearances are expected to earn the musicians in excess of £100 million (around $159 million), meaning each member of the band could take home up to £25 million (approximately $40 million).
The band did attempt to record a new disc in 1998, but abandoned the attempt and released only two songs as part of a concert album called “Reunion”.
Following a reunion tour in 1998, SABBATH reunited sporadically in 1999, 2002, 2004 and 2005 for live dates. The foursome last appeared together at their induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2006.
At their long-overdue induction, Tony Iommi and Ozzy Osbourne spoke about the respect that SABBATH had earned over the years. “For a while, nobody would take us seriously,” Iommi said. “But as we went on, the more we carried on, the more we proved, the more we stayed there, you know? And I think we got the respect from that.” Ozzy added, “I never thought anybody liked us, and people on the Ozzfest would come to me and go, ‘You were really one of our inspirations.’ And I didn’t really, I didn’t believe it, you know?”
Simon Wright, former drummer of AC/DC, DIO, RHINO BUCKET and UFO, took part in a four-date mini-tour of Italy in late December with the AC/DC tribute band RIFF RAFF.
Video footage of Wright‘s December 29, 2011 performance with RIFF RAFF at Black Horse in Cermenate, Italy can be seen below.
When asked by BlastzoneOnline.tk in an August 2011 interview why he left AC/DC, Wright said, “Well, I had been in the band for about eight years and I began to get complacent about things. Don’t get me wrong — they are an incredible band, as we know, but I needed to expand on my drumming more. Branch out a bit. I think they noticed this in me — I guess it happens — so it was time to move on. I will never have enough thanks for the amazing journey they took me on. They are great people and a killer band.” Source: Blabbermouth.net
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