Dio | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Dio in 2005 | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Cortland, New York, U.S. |
| Genres | Heavy metal |
| Works | Discography |
| Years active | 1982–2010 |
| Labels | |
| Spinoffs |
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| Spinoff of | |
| Past members | See below |
| Website | www.ronniejamesdio.com |
Dio was an Americanheavy metal band formed in 1982 and led by vocalistRonnie James Dio. Dio leftBlack Sabbath with intentions to form a new band with fellow former Black Sabbath member, drummerVinny Appice.[1] The band released ten studio albums and had numerous lineup changes over the years, with Dio himself being the only constant member. Guitarists includedVivian Campbell,Craig Goldy,Doug Aldrich,Warren DeMartini,[2]Tracy G,Jake E. Lee andRowan Robertson.
The band dissolved in 2010 when Ronnie James Dio died of stomach cancer at the age of 67. Ronnie James Dio has sold over 50 million records worldwide.[3]
In 1982, disagreements originating over the mixing ofBlack Sabbath'sLive Evil album resulted in the departures ofRonnie James Dio andVinny Appice from the band.[4] Wanting to continue together as a band, the two formed Dio in October 1982 in Los Angeles with bassist, and Dio's former bandmate inRainbow,Jimmy Bain and guitaristJake E. Lee (formerly of then-up-and-upcoming bandsRatt andRough Cutt).[5] Not long after the band's formation, Dio parted ways with Lee (who would later joinOzzy Osbourne's solo band) due to musical differences, and he was replaced byVivian Campbell.[6] The following May, the band released their debut album,Holy Diver, which featured two hit singles – "Rainbow in the Dark" and "Holy Diver" – that gained popularity, in part fromMTV. Dio and Bain playedkeyboards in the studio, but keyboardistClaude Schnell was recruited for live shows in 1983 prior to theHoly Diver tour. Schnell played to the side of the stage on the first two tours before coming out front in 1985.[7] Dio had this to say of the band's origins:
It was a good time to be in that band. It was perfect for us. Everything just fell into place. The ethic in rehearsal was amazing. The effort in the recording was just as good. Everybody wanted it to be great. We really believed in what we were doing and couldn't wait to get that product out and have people hear it.[8]
Now a quintet with Schnell on keyboards, the band released their second studio album,The Last in Line, on July 2, 1984. It was followed by their third album,Sacred Heart, which was released on August 13, 1985.
In 1985, Dio, Campbell and Bain also wrote the song "Stars" for theHear 'n Aid project, with many other heavy metal luminaries of the time contributing. Campbell became unhappy working with Dio,[9] and the rift between them culminated in Campbell being fired from Dio's band.[10] Campbell was subsequently invited to joinWhitesnake in 1987.[11] Several songs were recorded live during theSacred Heart tour for the 1986IntermissionEP with Campbell still on guitar, however the EP also contained the studio track "Time To Burn",[12] which served to introduce fans toCraig Goldy as the new guitarist.
On July 21, 1987, their fourth albumDream Evil was released. AfterDream Evil, Goldy, wanting to pursue solo projects, left the band.[13] In June 1989, 18-year-oldRowan Robertson was announced as Goldy's successor but further changes were to follow, with Schnell, Bain and Appice leaving the band.
Schnell, Bain, and Appice were replaced, respectively, withJens Johansson, Teddy Cook, and formerAC/DC drummerSimon Wright. The new band released the albumLock Up the Wolves in the spring of 1990. During the tour, Dio had a chance meeting with formerBlack Sabbath bandmateGeezer Butler which led to that band's short-lived reunion, producing one album,Dehumanizer. After this, Dio reassembled Dio once again, bringing back Appice on the drums, but discarding everyone else. By early 1993, guitaristTracy G, keyboardistScott Warren of Warrant and bassistJeff Pilson of Dokken had all joined. During this era, the band abandoned fantasy themed songs and focused on modern issues.[14] As a result, some fans regard the albums made during this period—1993'sStrange Highways, 1996'sAngry Machines and the live albumInferno: Last in Live—as the worst in Dio's catalogue, while others view them positively as a step away from the outdated sound of the 1980s. With disappointing record sales forAngry Machines, management wanted the band to go back to their earlier style prompting the departure of Tracy G[15] to be replaced by the returning Craig Goldy. In addition, Appice left Dio once again.
Craig Goldy's return facilitated the release of Dio's eighth studio album in 2000,Magica, which was regarded by many as the band's "comeback album" and reached No. 13 on theBillboard independent charts. It featured not only the return of Goldy but also of Simon Wright and Jimmy Bain, although on the European leg of the tourChuck Garric played bass. Scott Warren remained in the band and performed live, although Dio and Bain handled all of the keyboard and synth onMagica. A concept album,Magica featured a return to the band's older, more successful sound, while increased use of keyboards gave it a more modern feel.[16] During the following tour, however, tensions rose between Goldy on the one hand and Bain and Dio on the other, as Goldy was dealing with family obligations. Goldy left the band in January 2002 and was replaced withDoug Aldrich, who Bain had met while recording a tribute album forMetallica. Because of his late arrival, Aldrich did not contribute much to Dio's ninth work,Killing the Dragon, which was written primarily by Dio and Bain.Killing The Dragon was released in 2002 throughSpitfire Records and was well received in the metal community, making theBillboard top 200. Aldrich would stay in the band until April of the following year, when he, like Campbell before him, joinedWhitesnake, prompting Goldy's return. Soon afterward, Bain left the band.[17]
Dio released their tenth studio album,Master of the Moon on August 30, 2004, in Europe throughSPV Records and on September 7, 2004, in the United States throughSanctuary Records. The album features multi-instrumentalistJeff Pilson (formerly ofDokken) on bass duties; however, because of prior obligations withForeigner, he was only available for the recording sessions, and so was replaced byRudy Sarzo (formerly ofOzzy Osbourne,Quiet Riot,Whitesnake,Blue Öyster Cult among others) on the tour.
2005 saw the release of the Dio live albumEvil or Divine – Live in New York City, which featured the same show that was released on DVD in 2003. Dio touredSouth America,Japan,Europe, andRussia in 2005. Their autumn tour was titled "An Evening With Dio" and featured a regular set, and then a second set of the band playingHoly Diver in its entirety. A DVD of the tour was filmed in London. The audio of this performance, a double CD namedHoly Diver – Live was released in April 2006.
In 2007, it was announced thatBlack Sabbath would reunite with Dio and go under the nameHeaven & Hell. The band releasedThe Devil You Know in 2009.
Dio's involvement with Heaven & Hell delayed the recording of what was to be the follow-up toMaster of the Moon,Magica II.[18] The three-year hiatus was briefly interrupted for a 10 concert European mini-tour in May/June 2008, and was scheduled to be interrupted again in November/December 2009 with 22 concerts starting in the UK and ending in Germany.[19]Doug Aldrich was to have filled in for Craig Goldy on guitar on these dates, who had other obligations. Dio intended to release a new single, entitled "Electra", to coincide with the tour. This would have been their first studio material in 5 years. The band also intended to record an album or two in 2010.[20]
On November 18, 2009, the European tour was cancelled due to Dio's hospitalization. He had been diagnosed with stomach cancer, and was undergoing treatment. His manager and wife Wendy Dio thanked well-wishers and said "After he kills this dragon, Ronnie will be back on stage, where he belongs, doing what he loves best, performing for his fans."[21]
On February 19, 2010, it was announced on Dio's official website that he would release a box set, entitled theTournado Box Set, for limited purchase. The set includes theKilling the Dragon CD,Evil or Divine DVD (PAL format only), DVD bonus material, interviews, photo gallery, never-before-seen behind the scenes footage, promo video for theKilling the Dragon track "Push", exclusive Dio cards, and the bonus CD single "Electra" (which is the last song the band recorded), from the unfinished albumsMagica II & Magica III.[22]
Dio died on May 16, 2010, of stomach cancer at theTexas Medical Center inHouston, Texas, at the age of 67.
On November 9, 2010, a posthumous live album was released. TitledDio at Donington UK: Live 1983 & 1987, it features Dio's 1983 and 1987 appearances at theMonsters of Rock festival and showcases several songs from the Dio era of bothRainbow andBlack Sabbath, in addition to songs from Dio's own catalogue.[23]
When being interviewed by Classic Rock Magazine from the UK, Dio guitarist Craig Goldy stated "We were working on tracks for a new Dio album just before Ronnie died in May. And we did almost finish one song. Wendy [Dio, Ronnie's widow/manager] has been talking about reissuing [DIO's] 'Magica' album (originally released in 2000) with bonus tracks, including this one." Goldy goes on to say of the lyrics, that they were written by Dio when he was fighting cancer, and are "very emotional" and "hard to listen to without a lump at the back of your throat".[24]
On March 18, it was announced that the surviving members of the final line-up of Dio would embark on a project with formerJudas Priest front manTim "Ripper" Owens under the moniker Dio Disciples. The project has been touring extensively since 2011.
In May 2012, former Dio guitaristVivian Campbell, despite his long established feud with Dio, announced his intent to reunite the original Dio band for a potential series of shows. This would include himself, drummer Vinny Appice, bassist Jimmy Bain, and keyboardist Claude Schnell. This announced line-up would feature formerLynch Mob vocalist andThe Offspring touring memberAndrew Freeman stepping in for Dio,[25][26] and would perform under the nameLast in Line.[27]
Murray is thedemonic-lookingmascot of Dio who appears on several of Dio'salbum covers, includingHoly Diver,The Last in Line andDream Evil, as well as on some of theirsingles andcompilation albums. He was also featured in the sets for live shows.
Dio's firststudio album,Holy Diver, from 1983, was the first to feature Murray on its cover. Murray appears to be a demon torturing acleric, butRonnie James Dio said that it is not necessarily clear which one is the monster and which one is the priest.[28]
Murray is also featured on Dio's second studio album,The Last in Line. On this cover, resurrected souls emerge from their graves on Judgment Day to find a gigantic Murray staring at them from the far horizon.
Murray is not featured on Dio's third studio album,Sacred Heart, but is, for the last time in his original form, featured on the cover ofDream Evil. He is shown in the window of a bedroom with a child sleeping in a bed, while being haunted by several different spooky creatures. Murray's story is printed in theDream Evil Tour book. The cover art ofDream Evil is a reference to one of the tracks on the album, "Faces in the Window" (the entire album's concept is fears andsuperstitions about thenight anddarkness).
Comedy rock duoTenacious D released a song on theirfirst album entitled "Dio", written as a tribute to Dio, which mocked him somewhat for being too old and stated that Tenacious D were going to take over his position as masters of heavy metal.[29] Before playing the song live,Jack Black would typically speak about how Dio's tenure inBlack Sabbath served as his inspiration to get into heavy metal. The duo appeared in the music video for Dio's song "Push", and he in turn appeared and sang in Tenacious D's comedy movieThe Pick of Destiny.[30]
The Dio patch on the denim jacket worn by Eddie Munson (played by Joe Quinn) in a season of the Netflix showStranger Things is made using a t-shirt from Ronnie James Dio's personal estate. The show's costume designer, Amy Parris, in a Q&A posted on the Netflix website said, "He's (Munson) a fan of wizard metal, he's a fan of Dio. He's a fan of Metallica. Actually, Dio was a popular band in the '80s, and we reached out to the estate. His wife is in charge of his estate and offered to send us vintage T-shirts, which was such a dream."[31]
The 1989Nintendo Entertainment System video gameHoly Diver was named after the band's song of the same title and incorporates the members of the band as its protagonists, despite not being licensed from the band.
The characterDio Brando, the main antagonist of the manga seriesJoJo's Bizarre Adventure is named after the band. This has two meanings, as both a reference to the band and to the Italian for "God", referencing the character's high self-esteem.[32]
Final lineup
Two groups of former members of Dio, DIO Disciples and Last in Line, have reunited independently to perform Dio songs.
Current members
| Former members
| Touring members
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Current members
| Former members
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| International | |
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| National | |
| Artists | |
| Other | |
