On Sunday, May 16th, 2010, the world of heavy music lost one of its premier voices, Ronnie James Dio to a battle with stomach cancer. If you like any kind of heavy music, it’s hard to deny the influence of RJD on countless bands throughout a variety of subgenres.
Along with Rob Halford and Ozzy Osbourne, RJD’s voice “is” metal. Throughout the years, the man created classic hit after classic hit with his bands Elf, Rainbow, Black Sabbath, DIO, and Heaven & Hell, his recent reunion with one of Black Sabbath’s classic lineups. Without RJD there would be no devil horned, heavy metal salutes, no operatic Power Metal bands, and certainly there would be far less Dungeon’s & Dragons style imagery. This week I have been listening to DIO’s first album over and over. Holy Diver is a Heavy Metal essential (as are Dream Evil, Lock Up the Wolves, and the often ignored Strange Highways album) and brings back fond memories of being a carefree teenager in a pre-Nirvana world.
Growing up in rural Pennsylvania meant that bands like DIO were an integral part of our teen existence – offering us a rally cry against the world in which we lived and offering us a moment of relief from the unjustness of our world. As a thirty five year old man who has lived a few different places now, I find DIO’s music surprisingly relevant in many ways. I’m rallying against different things these days and I occasionally chuckle at the mythology DIO loved, but the music he made stands the test of time- just listen to “Hungry For Heaven,” “Stand Up and Shout,” or “Jesus, Mary, & the Holy Ghost.” Better yet, listen to the final moments of Holy Diver when RJD delivers a genre defining performance with “Shame on the Night.” The songs make me think of campfires, backwoods parties, and wonderful (if not sometimes illegal) happenings in the Alleghany National Forest.
The world of heavy music has lost one of its original icons and it’s truly a sad time. Unfortunately it also serves as a reminder that the legends of the genre are getting older and there are no new icons to take their place. Here’s hoping for the rise of a new icon but until then Horns up for Ronnie James Dio.
Along with Rob Halford and Ozzy Osbourne, RJD’s voice “is” metal. Throughout the years, the man created classic hit after classic hit with his bands Elf, Rainbow, Black Sabbath, DIO, and Heaven & Hell, his recent reunion with one of Black Sabbath’s classic lineups. Without RJD there would be no devil horned, heavy metal salutes, no operatic Power Metal bands, and certainly there would be far less Dungeon’s & Dragons style imagery. This week I have been listening to DIO’s first album over and over. Holy Diver is a Heavy Metal essential (as are Dream Evil, Lock Up the Wolves, and the often ignored Strange Highways album) and brings back fond memories of being a carefree teenager in a pre-Nirvana world.
Growing up in rural Pennsylvania meant that bands like DIO were an integral part of our teen existence – offering us a rally cry against the world in which we lived and offering us a moment of relief from the unjustness of our world. As a thirty five year old man who has lived a few different places now, I find DIO’s music surprisingly relevant in many ways. I’m rallying against different things these days and I occasionally chuckle at the mythology DIO loved, but the music he made stands the test of time- just listen to “Hungry For Heaven,” “Stand Up and Shout,” or “Jesus, Mary, & the Holy Ghost.” Better yet, listen to the final moments of Holy Diver when RJD delivers a genre defining performance with “Shame on the Night.” The songs make me think of campfires, backwoods parties, and wonderful (if not sometimes illegal) happenings in the Alleghany National Forest.
The world of heavy music has lost one of its original icons and it’s truly a sad time. Unfortunately it also serves as a reminder that the legends of the genre are getting older and there are no new icons to take their place. Here’s hoping for the rise of a new icon but until then Horns up for Ronnie James Dio.
1 comment:
Mark I feel the same way i saw an interview and he was so well spoken and very aware of what was going on he spoke on Metal as a family and it is that he was such a great voice to a couple generations. I saw that a group was protesting his funeral I really wonder what the agenda is of a group that will protest a funeral. On a bright note I am glad the Low Country boil was good keep in touch send me your # via facebook
Post a Comment