Genre: Heavy Metal
Year: 1984
Country: USA
Note: For me, Manilla Road is the most underrated Heavy Metal band of the 1980's. They should have been up there on the big stages with Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Ozzy etc. More or less all their releases during this period was nothing short of FANTASTIC.
METAL ARCHIVIST & OLD SCHOOL METAL HEAD … OBSESSED WITH HEAVY * THRASH * DEATH * BLACK * DOOM * HARD ROCK *
Sunday, May 17, 2026
LITA FORD (OKEJ MAGAZINE #10, 1983) < TRANSLATED
English translation from the Swedish Pop Magazine OKEJ. OKEJ was more or less the only music magazine in Sweden during the 1980’s and almost 90% of Swedish youth read it and then talked about in school.
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LITA FORD
MAKES A CONVINCING COMEBACK
She graduated from Runaways and since then she has developed musically, gained self-confidence and ideas and is now debuting with the album "Out For Blood" and her new group, The Lita Ford Band.
Lita Ford's album is now in the record stores and in the charts and it's actually a very pleasant return - "Out For Blood" is a visually convincing comeback!
"We're not at all what Runaways fans expect," says Lita. "Neil and Dusty are so insanely talented sometimes I can't believe this is my band!"
INVALUABLE ASSET
And certainly musically this band is significantly better than the Runaways ever were, even though the focus and spirit are the same. It's about hard and tough rock'n'roll from the first track to the last, the bass is heavy and pumping, the guitars scream and whine and Dusty Watson's thunderous drums create a compact and impenetrable wall of sound.
The songs on the LP are written by Lita and bassist Neil Merryweather, with two exceptions: "Rock'n'Roll Made Me What I Am Today" is written by Pete Heimlich and the fine "Any Way That You Want Me" is written by Chip Taylor.
Neil is a very experienced and talented rocker and he has been an invaluable asset to The Lita Ford Band since the beginning. He writes songs, is a fast and creative bass player, produces and was even the group's manager until very recently. That role has now been taken over by Allen Kovac.
GOOD GUITAR PLAYING
The album "Out For Blood" doesn't really offer any direct surprises, but it doesn't matter much, this is well-played and brutal hard rock, exactly the way the audience wants it. It rocks best in the title track, "Ready, Willing And Able" and in the closing "I Can't Stand It", and Lita's guitar playing is consistently very good. She was praised for that already in The Runaways and she has always had the ambition to develop and mature as a musician.
- With Runaways, I always knew I could be much better, she says.
I wanted to try new things and develop myself.
Since the group's split in 1979, Lita has disciplined herself and practiced hard every day, which has also paid off on the new LP - she is cheeky and cheeky enough to occasionally play the part of several of her male colleagues!
ABSOLUTELY OUTSTANDING
As far as the singing is concerned, there are a few shortcomings here and there. Lita is far from a great singer and her voice often sounds too thin and uncertain amidst the noisy, high-pressure music. Neil, however, disagrees with this:
- Lita is absolutely outstanding, he thinks instead. A few years ago she didn't care one bit about her voice, now she's become a fantastic rock vocalist. I think she's even surprised herself!
She is the absolute toughest girl in the hard rock scene and the title of the album suits her perfectly - as does the photo job. Lita is dressed in mesh and leather with hundreds of studs, her hair is blond and bushy, she is heavily made up and she seems to have her sights set on one thing only - to be the best and toughest!
So listen to Lita Ford - the girl who plays bleeding hard rock!
Photo: Polygram, SPS
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SWEDISH THIN LIZZY FAN CLUB SHOP (1981) < TRANSLATED
Courtesy of Jörgen Holmstedt, who run the Swedish Thin Lizzy fan club. Here are two pages from their shop, translated to English. The original ones in Swedish you can find down below. And for those who are curious, the prices stated in Kr (Swedish Kronor) is today about $1 = 10 kr. So a T-shirt was about $4 in 1981.
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SWEDISH ORIGINAL
GONE ... NEVER FORGOTTEN: ALGY WARD OF TANK (UK) (JULY 11, 1959 – MAY 17, 2023)
During his career with the Damned, and influenced and inspired by Lemmy Kilmister and his band Motörhead, Ward began to express interest in the burgeoning new wave of British heavy metal movement, which was kicked off by bands like Witchfynde and Saxon. Ward planned to create a new band, which he called Tank inspired and influenced by Motörhead. He hired Peter and Mark Brabbs to play with him, and in 1980 Tank was officially formed.
In 1982, they released their debut album Filth Hounds of Hades recorded and produced by Motörhead Guitarist Fast Eddie Clarke, considered by some to be a landmark album in the NWOBHM movement. Fast Eddie Clarke produced the Tank album before going on to produce Motorhead's Iron Fist (album). Initial copies of the album came with a free 7", featuring The Snake, a cover of a song originally written by Larry Wallis and Mick Farren's proto-punk psychedelic band, The Pink Fairies. Tank were asked by Motörhead to join them as support band on the Iron Fist tour in 1982.
Shortly before Tank's third record This Means War was released, Mick Tucker became the second guitarist, and shortly after the release, the Brabbs brothers left. They were replaced by Cliff Evans on guitar, Graeme Crallan on drums, and later Michael Bettel on drums. After their fifth album (which was self-titled) was released in 1987, growing disputes over musical direction and lack of commercial success grew more frequent, which led the band to split in 1989.
Ward died on 17 May 2023, at the age of 63 at a hospital in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, apparently after suffering from serious health issues for some time. The news was confirmed by Tank guitarist Mick Tucker on his Facebook page.
KISS EGYPTIAN MASCOT 'LEON THE SPHINX' (1989)
Leon, the stage main character and the nickname given to the sphinx found on the band's 1989 "Hot in the Shade" album cover. A giant version of Leon dominated the tour's new stage design, taking the spot traditionally occupied by a lighted version of the band's logo. The Leon stage didn't arrive in Europe until 1992. Allegedly Leon is now spending his days in a L.A warehouse.
Considering the fact that the "Hot In The Shade" tour was an enormous success, it's really odd, that so few good pictures from the tour exists!! In fact KISS almost did not go on tour with Hot in the shade. The album was not doing that well at the beginning when it came out in September 1989, but when "Forever" became a TOP 10 hit in early 1990, the interest was there and they went on tour in May 1990 with 2 opening acts (Slaughter (US) and Faster Pussycat.
The new stage set were the most amazing thing KISS had used since the '70's. The stage was dominated by a large Sphinx that was nicknamed Leon The Sphinx.
As the houselights dimmed, the humming sound would be heard from the speakers, while Leon opened his mouth, and let hundreds of thin laser beams out. The laser curtain had already been developed for the Dynasty show, but it had not worked properly, and was discarded after the first show. On this tour it worked perfectly. As Leon's mouth opened fully, KISS would be revealed standing in silhouette, in the mist of laser beams!
There was no "You wanted the best, you got the best" introduction on this tour; KISS would just walk down on the stage and open the show with "I Stole Your Love" and an amazing firework display.
KISS sounded better than they had for years on this tour. It helped a great deal that there were no solo's this time around... well, not at first that was. Eric was so unhappy about this decision, that he eventually got permission to do a solo. And he didn't disappoint this time. The solo has to be heard, but I'll do my best to describe it: The solo came in the middle of "God of Thunder", just like in the good old days, and started with Eric playing along to some Egyptian themed choir (played via the electronic drum pads). It sounded awesome. This was followed by his usual drum/electronic tune drum part, and then ended with Eric playing some disco styled stuff, which actually sounded good, too! But as I said, it has to be heard!
Just before the solo, Leon's eyes had lit up, and searched the crowd, and just as KISS kicked into the song again after the solo, he would shoot rockets from his eyes, just like Ace and Gene had done on previous tours. And then came the biggest surprise: Leon sang the verse that came after! The effect was done, by having the laser cannon displaying the vocals as an oscilloscope readout on a small screen inside Leon's mouth. It might sound silly, but it really looked like Leon was singing!
At the end of the last song, Detroit Rock City, Leon would collapse, amidst a giant fireworks display. The first encore would be I Want You, which started with Paul and Bruce playing the intro while a big mirror ball was hanging over the stage bathing the entire arena in thin purple light beams. As the heavy part of the song started, a big, metallic KISS logo would come up. The logo looked a lot like the one used from 1976 to 1984, but it was not the same. Look carefully at the K, and you will see it had a wrong shape. This version of the logo was last seen in the concert segment of the "Detroit Rock City" movie!
Aside from this most of the signature things were missing from the show... Gene didn't breathe fire, there was no confetti in Rock And Roll All Nite, and Paul didn't break his guitar. The latter was probably because Paul for the most part of the tour played a Gibson Les Paul model, which are rather expensive... certainly too expensive to break. Instead Paul misjudged a jump one night and ran into a metal barrier, and broke a couple of ribs.
Above text is mainly from KissFanShop, with additional information by me and some parts removed.
PATREON MEMBERS
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Saturday, May 16, 2026
OSSUARY (URY) (INFECTED VOICE FANZINE #3)
Infected Voice was a fanzine from Peru written in Spanish, but here's an interview translated to English for you.
OSSUARY
Formed in 1992 by Sebastian and Marcelo, two months later they recorded the demo CEMETERY, the first death metal recording from outside Montevideo.
In 1993, after several shows with Corpses, Auschwitz, Morbid Blood, Orion, Crematorium, and Sacred (Argentina) in Montevideo and Maldonado, a new member joined: Francisco (vocals), completing the lineup with Nestor (bass), Marcelo (drums), and Sebastian (guitar). Months later, Gino replaced Nestor. The band continued writing until February 1994 when they recorded the demo preview, "Inquisition Dreams," at Maxi Music Studios, produced by Ossuary and Claustr of Mayhem (Argentina).
Months later, Francisco left the band, and Daniel joined on guitar and vocals. During that time, they played several shows in Montevideo with: Eclampsy, Abside, Inner Sanctum, and Satanica (Argentina).
1995 began with concerts in Maldonado, and in May, they recorded the EP "The Black Wind Whisper from the Coast" at Maxi Music.
Ossuary presents a style oriented towards Dark Death Metal, with melody, speed, and violence, seeking an original sound. Currently, American Line of Mexico has professionally released the EP for Central America, and it is distributed in: Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Canada, Greece, Panama, Ecuador, Bolivia, Argentina, and several other countries.
In 1996, Ossuary played numerous shows throughout Uruguay and four times in Argentina, twice with the legendary SARCOFAGO, in their farewell performance, and once with the Paraguayan band SABAOTH
The concerts continue, and in August the South American TOUR begins, covering Argentina, Bolivia, and Uruguay. Lasting six weeks, they play with countless bands for a total of 13 dates, touring Northern Argentina, Bolivia (Sucre, Santa Cruz, Potosí, La Paz), and Uruguay (Maldonado, Montevideo, and Canelones), even playing twice in each city.
By early '97, the Bolivian label Catapult Records released the band's new material, which included the tracks from the EP, a new song, and two covers of bands that have influenced their formation. Manta Negra Records will also reissue the legendary '92 demo "Cemetery" with the promo track "Inquisition Dreams" as a bonus.
Now, let's move on to the interview answered by Sebastián:
1- Of all your work, which is your favorite?
I think this one, "Show No Thirsty," since it combines both demos onto a single cassette. Of course, I'm very fond of the debut demo, "Cemetery."
2- How did the idea of forming OSSUARY come about?
The main idea was to bring extreme metal to the interior of the country. I think this goal has been achieved.
3- What do you think of Catapult Rec's work? How did you make contact?
Very good. It all started when we played in Bolivia (La Paz).
4- Do you know anything about the Peruvian scene?
Yes, quite a bit. I really like Mortem, "Vomit of the Earth," the album too, but not as much. Hadez, Kranium, Necropsya (the best), Fosa Común, Sarcoma, Disinter, etc. I also know many zines, although some from your country have ripped me off. They should die.
5- Do you have a tour planned, and if the opportunity arises, would you play in Peru?
The tour is still in negotiations, but when it happens, we will definitely play in Peru and in several cities, since we have to cross over to Ecuador and then Colombia
6- How did you get into the underground scene? Any particular band(s) that impressed you from the start?
I think it was a natural thing. We started corresponding, and that's how more flyers arrived, and that's how we got into the underground scene. There were many bands, Rotting Christ (with whom we still correspond), Merciless (R.I.P.), especially those that included their addresses in their releases.
7- Your opinion on: Black, Death, Noise, and Heavy Metal.
Black Metal: It's super trendy. I like the '80s stuff (Assassin, Celtic Frost, Venom, Destruction, Sodom), although this one is also becoming fashionable.
Death Metal: My passion and the most brutal music on the planet.
Noise: I honestly don't understand it.
Heavy Metal: My life, my way of being, my spirit, one of the reasons I'm still alive
8- What is your greatest desire and what do you hate most in this world?
Our greatest desire is to keep playing everywhere and not let so much disappointment break us, so we can keep going with all of this. What we hate most in this world are fake people and enemies (of which there are many!!).
9- Before listening to Metal, what music did you listen to, and what attracted you to Metal?
Some post-dictatorship Rock, The Police, The Doors, Steppenwolf, The Cure, many things I don't remember. I've been listening to Metal for over 10 years now, and it's become a part of my life. I was attracted to Metal by the power of the music and the whole image surrounding Iron Maiden, Dio, W.A.S.P., etc.
10- The South American scene. What do you think of it, its bands, fanzines, bangers, etc.?
The South American scene is very good, but also quite new, which means that in 5 years we'll be able to talk about the people who are still standing firm and those who fell in this great metal battle. Surely those who never listened to Manowar and King Diamond and started with Pantera will fall. As for bands, there are many good bands and zines too; the problem is that there are many teenagers putting out flyers to get free material and then never putting out the zine again. The same people who make zines should expose these little shits. Anyway, we must keep going, even though many people surround you and supposedly are into the same thing as you, reeking of falsehood.
11- Any words to the metal readers of Infected Voice?
Don't take everything I said too seriously, or I'll look like a Reverend son of a bitch (ha, ha!!), just take care and do your own thing, always being honest. We'll be playing in Peru for all of you soon. If you want to get our merchandise in Peru, we have the tape available for only $6 (shipping included). Zines, send a number as proof of existence and you'll receive the tape + promo stuff. Bangers, write for an immediate response, include one dollar.
12- Anything you'd like to add? Goodbye.
Thanks Guido for the interview, good luck with the zine, we hope to stay in touch. DEATH TO FALSE METAL!!!
Thank you very much, Sebastian. I hope that when you start your tour you'll come to these lands. Those interested in contacting this brutal Uruguayan band should write to
OSSUARY
p.o. Box 52278
Maldonado (20000)
URUGUAY
p.o. Box 52278
Maldonado (20000)
URUGUAY
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AGGRESSA (AUS)
Speed/Heavy/Thrash Metal band from Mt Druitt/Woy Woy, New South Wales, Australia. You can listen to their 1988 EP down below.
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ATTILA WITH MAYHEM IN BERGEN, NORWAY
An iconic moment in Black Metal history: Attila Csihar, Snorre Ruch, Hellhammer and Euronymous in the heart of Bergen, Norway. This was during the recording sessions for the legendary album 'De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas'
Courtesy of Helvetes-Basement
HELLHOUND (US/CA) ... EARLY DISCOGRAPHY
Hellhound were one of the early speed metal/thrash bands to come out of California USA, forming in 1981. The band originally called themselves Black Death, changing their name to Hellhound after a song by the same name was penned by bassist Rich Pelletier. Much like another young California band called Metallica, Hellhound were heavily inspired by the NWOBHM scene and incorporated much of that sound into their sound. They had a cult following in Europe just from their demo recordings. Unfortunately the band split-up before being offered the opportunity to record for a proper label. Several members from Hellhound went on to form Rapid Fire.
The music is early California thrash metal, combining a heavy NWOBHM influence and some classic 70's heavy metal influences. Thrash metal today is defined by more manic sounds like Kreator, Sodom and Slayer. Hellhound's sound is more melodic and would probably be more accurately labeled speed metal. There are some similarities to other thrash pioneers such as Metallica and Exodus, but Hellhound's sound is a bit more melodic than either band's early demos. Comparisons to Attacker, Death Angel and early Deliverance wouldn't be too far off. For the most parts the songs are fast to mid-paced, and contain all the usual thrash ingredients; chugging guitar riffs, fast guitar solos, and a tight rhythm section. Vocalist Mike Walish has an interesting voice which ranges from high pitched shrieks to more mid-rage, clean singing. At times his high shrieks reminds me of Tim Baker of Cirith Ungol fame and Flemming Ronsdorf of Artillery. Considering that all the material contained was recorded in the 80's and was demo recordings, the sound quality is quite good.
It's a shame that Hellhound didn't get beyond recording demos. These demos showed a lot of promise. Who knows what would could have happened from here.
/ Introduction written by 'No Life 'Til Leather'.
The music is early California thrash metal, combining a heavy NWOBHM influence and some classic 70's heavy metal influences. Thrash metal today is defined by more manic sounds like Kreator, Sodom and Slayer. Hellhound's sound is more melodic and would probably be more accurately labeled speed metal. There are some similarities to other thrash pioneers such as Metallica and Exodus, but Hellhound's sound is a bit more melodic than either band's early demos. Comparisons to Attacker, Death Angel and early Deliverance wouldn't be too far off. For the most parts the songs are fast to mid-paced, and contain all the usual thrash ingredients; chugging guitar riffs, fast guitar solos, and a tight rhythm section. Vocalist Mike Walish has an interesting voice which ranges from high pitched shrieks to more mid-rage, clean singing. At times his high shrieks reminds me of Tim Baker of Cirith Ungol fame and Flemming Ronsdorf of Artillery. Considering that all the material contained was recorded in the 80's and was demo recordings, the sound quality is quite good.
It's a shame that Hellhound didn't get beyond recording demos. These demos showed a lot of promise. Who knows what would could have happened from here.
/ Introduction written by 'No Life 'Til Leather'.
1980/90's DISCOGRAPHY
(1984) REHEARSAL DEMO [DEMO TAPE]
This is the bands first demo tape or it's actually a rehearsal tape.
Recorded on November 22nd 1984.
Recorded on November 22nd 1984.
1. Flee the Bomb
2. Ice Age
3. Beyond Time and Space
4. Suffer the Innocent
5. Killing Spree
6. Usurper (instrumental)
7. Hellhound
(1985) SUBMIT OR DIE [DEMO TAPE]
This is the Recorded on 16 tracks at Astral Sounds
Recording, San Jose, CA in August 1985.
Recording, San Jose, CA in August 1985.
Side A
1. Ice Age
2. Flee the Bomb
3. Killing Spree
Side B
4. Suffer the Innocent
5. The Usurper
6. Repression of Life
(1987) FROM THE RUINS OF YESTERDAY [DEMO TAPE]
Recorded and digitally mastered in December 1986 at
Astral Sounds Recording in San Jose, California.
Astral Sounds Recording in San Jose, California.
1. From Ruins of Yesterday
2. Hammerslag
3. The Asylum
4. Hellhound
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SUPPORT OUR WORK
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Logo, Lyric or Band member T-Shirts, you're sure helping us a lot.
Click here on the T-Shirt to check out what we have.
Logo, Lyric or Band member T-Shirts, you're sure helping us a lot.
Click here on the T-Shirt to check out what we have.
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RONNIE JAMES DIO (JULY 10, 1942 – MAY 16, 2010)
Ronald James Padavona (July 10, 1942 – May 16, 2010), or more famously known as Ronnie James Dio, fronted numerous bands throughout his career, including Elf, Rainbow, Black Sabbath, Dio and Heaven & Hell.
Dio's musical career began in 1957, when he and several Cortland, New York, musicians formed the band The Vegas Kings. The group's lineup consisted of Dio on bass guitar, Billy DeWolfe on lead vocals, Nick Pantas on guitar, Tom Rogers on drums and Jack Musci on saxophone. The band changed its name to Ronnie and the Rumblers. In 1958, the band again changed its name to Ronnie and the Redcaps. Musci left the band in 1960 and a new guitarist, Dick Botoff, joined the lineup. The band released two singles: The first single was "Conquest"/"Lover" with the A-side being an instrumental track reminiscent of the Ventures and the B-side featuring DeWolfe on lead vocals. The second was "An Angel Is Missing"/"What'd I Say" featuring Dio on lead vocals for both tracks.
Explanations vary for how Padavona adopted the stage name "Dio". One is that Padavona's grandmother said he had a gift from God and should be called "Dio" ("God" in Italian), although this was disputed by Padavona's widow, Wendy, in a February 2017 interview. Another is that Dio was a reference to mafia member Johnny Dio; this explanation was confirmed in his autobiography. Padavona first used the name on a recording in 1960, when he added it to the band's second release on Seneca. Soon after that, the band modified its name to Ronnie Dio and the Prophets. The Prophets lineup lasted for several years, touring throughout New York and playing college fraternity parties. They produced one single for Atlantic Records and one album. Some of the singles (such as "Mr. Misery," released on Swan) were labeled as being by Ronnie Dio as a solo artist, even if the rest of the Prophets contributed to the recording. The group released several singles during the following years until early 1967. Dio continued to use his birth name on any songwriting credits on those releases.
In the mid-1970s, Dio's vocals caught the ear of Deep Purple guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, who was planning on leaving Deep Purple due to creative differences over the band's new direction. Blackmore invited Dio, along with Gary Driscoll, to record two songs in Tampa, Florida, on December 12, 1974. Blackmore stated in 1983, "I left Deep Purple because I'd met up with Ronnie Dio, and he was so easy to work with. He was originally just going to do one track of a solo LP, but we ended up doing the whole LP in three weeks, which I was very excited about." Being satisfied with the results, Blackmore decided to recruit more of Elf's musicians and form his own band, initially known as Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow. They released the self-titled debut album Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow in early 1975. After that, Dio recorded two more studio albums Rising (1976) and Long Live Rock 'n' Roll (1978), the live album On Stage and two archival live albums – (Live in Munich 1977 and Live in Germany 1976) – with Blackmore. During his tenure with Rainbow, Dio and Blackmore were the only constant members. Dio is credited on those albums for all lyrical authorship as well as collaboration with Blackmore on musical arrangement. Dio and Blackmore split, with Blackmore taking the band in a more commercial direction, with Graham Bonnet on vocals and the album Down to Earth.
Following his departure from Rainbow in 1979, Dio joined Black Sabbath, replacing Ozzy Osbourne. Dio met Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi by chance at the Rainbow on Sunset Strip in Los Angeles in 1979. The two musicians were in similar situations, as Dio was seeking a new project and Iommi needed a vocalist. Dio said of the encounter, "It must have been fate, because we connected so instantly." The pair kept in touch until Dio arrived at Iommi's Los Angeles house for a relaxed, getting-to-know-you jam session. On that first day, the duo wrote the song "Children of the Sea," which appeared on the Heaven and Hell album, the first the band recorded with Dio as its vocalist, being released in 1980.
The follow-up album, Mob Rules (1981), featured new drummer Vinny Appice. Personality conflicts began emerging within the band. "Ronnie came into the band and he was doing whatever we told him, basically because he wanted the gig. The next album was a little different," Iommi recalled. In 1982, conflict arose over the mixing of the Live Evil album. Iommi asserted that the album's engineer began complaining to him that he would work all day long on a mix, only to have Dio return to the studio at night to "do his own mix" in which his vocals were more prominent. This was denied by Dio. The conflict led to Dio and Appice ultimately quitting the band later that year.
In 1991, Dio returned to Black Sabbath to record the Dehumanizer album. The album was a minor hit, reaching the Top 40 in the United Kingdom and No. 44 on the US Billboard 200. The single "Time Machine" was featured in the movie Wayne's World, the tenth highest-grossing film of 1992. Close to the end of 1992, Dio and Appice again left the band, citing an inability to work with Iommi and Butler.
He restarted his band as Dio, and except for a few breaks, the band was constantly touring or recording. They released a total of 10 albums, with Master of the Moon being the last one, recorded in 2004.
In October 2006, Dio joined Black Sabbath members Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and former Black Sabbath drummer Vinny Appice to tour under the moniker Heaven & Hell, the title of the first Dio-era Black Sabbath album. They chose the name Heaven & Hell as Iommi and Butler were still in Black Sabbath with Osbourne and felt it was best to use a different moniker for the Dio version of the band. Original Black Sabbath drummer Bill Ward was to be involved in this project, but later withdrew.
In 2007, the band recorded three new songs under the Black Sabbath name for the compilation album Black Sabbath: The Dio Years.
In 2008, the band completed a 98-date world tour. The band released one album under the Heaven & Hell name, The Devil You Know, to critical and commercial acclaim. They also had planned to release a follow-up in 2010.
Ronnie James "Dio" Padavona was born in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, to Italian-American parents Patrick and Anna from Cortland, New York. His family moved to Portsmouth from Cortland as part of his father's service in the U.S. Army during World War II, and they resided there for only a short time before returning to Cortland. Padavona listened to a great deal of opera while growing up and was influenced vocally by American tenor Mario Lanza. His first formal musical training began at age 5, learning to play the trumpet. It was during high school that Padavona formed his first rock 'n' roll group, The Vegas Kings, which would later be named Ronnie and the Rumblers and then Ronnie and the Red Caps. Though Padavona began his rock 'n' roll career on trumpet, he added singing to his skill set and also assumed bass guitar duties for the groups. Besides music Padavona also enjoyed romantic fantasy literature, specifically the works of Sir Walter Scott and the Arthurian legend. He also enjoyed science fiction and sports.
Padavona graduated from Cortland High School in 1960. He was allegedly offered a scholarship to the prestigious Juilliard School of Music but did not take up the offer due to his interest in rock music. He instead attended the State University of New York (SUNY) at Buffalo to major in pharmacology. There, he played trumpet in the university's concert band; however, he only attended the university from 1960 to 1961 and did not graduate. Then he enrolled at Cortland State College but dropped out as well. In a 2000 interview, he stated that he majored in history and minored in English.
Despite being known for his powerful singing voice, Padavona claimed to have never received any vocal training. He instead attributed his singing ability to the use of breathing techniques he learned while playing trumpet.
Padavona graduated from Cortland High School in 1960. He was allegedly offered a scholarship to the prestigious Juilliard School of Music but did not take up the offer due to his interest in rock music. He instead attended the State University of New York (SUNY) at Buffalo to major in pharmacology. There, he played trumpet in the university's concert band; however, he only attended the university from 1960 to 1961 and did not graduate. Then he enrolled at Cortland State College but dropped out as well. In a 2000 interview, he stated that he majored in history and minored in English.
Despite being known for his powerful singing voice, Padavona claimed to have never received any vocal training. He instead attributed his singing ability to the use of breathing techniques he learned while playing trumpet.
 |
| Ronnie in The Red Caps |
Dio's musical career began in 1957, when he and several Cortland, New York, musicians formed the band The Vegas Kings. The group's lineup consisted of Dio on bass guitar, Billy DeWolfe on lead vocals, Nick Pantas on guitar, Tom Rogers on drums and Jack Musci on saxophone. The band changed its name to Ronnie and the Rumblers. In 1958, the band again changed its name to Ronnie and the Redcaps. Musci left the band in 1960 and a new guitarist, Dick Botoff, joined the lineup. The band released two singles: The first single was "Conquest"/"Lover" with the A-side being an instrumental track reminiscent of the Ventures and the B-side featuring DeWolfe on lead vocals. The second was "An Angel Is Missing"/"What'd I Say" featuring Dio on lead vocals for both tracks.
Explanations vary for how Padavona adopted the stage name "Dio". One is that Padavona's grandmother said he had a gift from God and should be called "Dio" ("God" in Italian), although this was disputed by Padavona's widow, Wendy, in a February 2017 interview. Another is that Dio was a reference to mafia member Johnny Dio; this explanation was confirmed in his autobiography. Padavona first used the name on a recording in 1960, when he added it to the band's second release on Seneca. Soon after that, the band modified its name to Ronnie Dio and the Prophets. The Prophets lineup lasted for several years, touring throughout New York and playing college fraternity parties. They produced one single for Atlantic Records and one album. Some of the singles (such as "Mr. Misery," released on Swan) were labeled as being by Ronnie Dio as a solo artist, even if the rest of the Prophets contributed to the recording. The group released several singles during the following years until early 1967. Dio continued to use his birth name on any songwriting credits on those releases.
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| Here with the Electric Elves |
In late 1967, Ronnie Dio and the Prophets transformed into a new band called the Electric Elves and added a keyboard player. In February 1968, the band was involved in a fatal car accident that killed guitarist Nick Pantas and briefly put Dio and the other band members in hospital. Following the accident, the group shortened its name to the Elves and used that name until mid-1972, when it released its first proper album under the name Elf. Over the next few years, the group went on to become a regular opening act for Deep Purple. Elf recorded three albums until the members' involvement in recording the first Rainbow album in early 1975, resulting in Elf disbanding.
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| Dio when he was in Elf |
In the mid-1970s, Dio's vocals caught the ear of Deep Purple guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, who was planning on leaving Deep Purple due to creative differences over the band's new direction. Blackmore invited Dio, along with Gary Driscoll, to record two songs in Tampa, Florida, on December 12, 1974. Blackmore stated in 1983, "I left Deep Purple because I'd met up with Ronnie Dio, and he was so easy to work with. He was originally just going to do one track of a solo LP, but we ended up doing the whole LP in three weeks, which I was very excited about." Being satisfied with the results, Blackmore decided to recruit more of Elf's musicians and form his own band, initially known as Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow. They released the self-titled debut album Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow in early 1975. After that, Dio recorded two more studio albums Rising (1976) and Long Live Rock 'n' Roll (1978), the live album On Stage and two archival live albums – (Live in Munich 1977 and Live in Germany 1976) – with Blackmore. During his tenure with Rainbow, Dio and Blackmore were the only constant members. Dio is credited on those albums for all lyrical authorship as well as collaboration with Blackmore on musical arrangement. Dio and Blackmore split, with Blackmore taking the band in a more commercial direction, with Graham Bonnet on vocals and the album Down to Earth.
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| Ronnie recruited to Rainbow by Ritchie Blackmore |
Following his departure from Rainbow in 1979, Dio joined Black Sabbath, replacing Ozzy Osbourne. Dio met Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi by chance at the Rainbow on Sunset Strip in Los Angeles in 1979. The two musicians were in similar situations, as Dio was seeking a new project and Iommi needed a vocalist. Dio said of the encounter, "It must have been fate, because we connected so instantly." The pair kept in touch until Dio arrived at Iommi's Los Angeles house for a relaxed, getting-to-know-you jam session. On that first day, the duo wrote the song "Children of the Sea," which appeared on the Heaven and Hell album, the first the band recorded with Dio as its vocalist, being released in 1980.
The follow-up album, Mob Rules (1981), featured new drummer Vinny Appice. Personality conflicts began emerging within the band. "Ronnie came into the band and he was doing whatever we told him, basically because he wanted the gig. The next album was a little different," Iommi recalled. In 1982, conflict arose over the mixing of the Live Evil album. Iommi asserted that the album's engineer began complaining to him that he would work all day long on a mix, only to have Dio return to the studio at night to "do his own mix" in which his vocals were more prominent. This was denied by Dio. The conflict led to Dio and Appice ultimately quitting the band later that year.
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| The first round in Black Sabbath 1979-1982 |
Wanting to continue together as a band, Dio and Appice formed the eponymous heavy metal band Dio in 1982. Vivian Campbell played guitar and Jimmy Bain played bass, the latter of whom Dio had known since his time with Rainbow. Their 1983 debut album, Holy Diver, included the hit singles "Rainbow in the Dark" and "Holy Diver", which have remained the band's signature songs.
The band added keyboardist Claude Schnell and recorded two more full-length studio albums with this lineup, The Last in Line (1984) and Sacred Heart (1985). A 1984 live recording, A Special from the Spectrum, was filmed during the band's second world tour and released in VHS format only. The band changed members over the years, eventually leaving Dio as the only original member in 1990.
The band added keyboardist Claude Schnell and recorded two more full-length studio albums with this lineup, The Last in Line (1984) and Sacred Heart (1985). A 1984 live recording, A Special from the Spectrum, was filmed during the band's second world tour and released in VHS format only. The band changed members over the years, eventually leaving Dio as the only original member in 1990.
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| Dio with his own band in 1984 |
In 1991, Dio returned to Black Sabbath to record the Dehumanizer album. The album was a minor hit, reaching the Top 40 in the United Kingdom and No. 44 on the US Billboard 200. The single "Time Machine" was featured in the movie Wayne's World, the tenth highest-grossing film of 1992. Close to the end of 1992, Dio and Appice again left the band, citing an inability to work with Iommi and Butler.
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| Dio in Black Sabbath for a second time in 1991. |
He restarted his band as Dio, and except for a few breaks, the band was constantly touring or recording. They released a total of 10 albums, with Master of the Moon being the last one, recorded in 2004.
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| Restarting his own band, that was active until his death. |
In October 2006, Dio joined Black Sabbath members Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and former Black Sabbath drummer Vinny Appice to tour under the moniker Heaven & Hell, the title of the first Dio-era Black Sabbath album. They chose the name Heaven & Hell as Iommi and Butler were still in Black Sabbath with Osbourne and felt it was best to use a different moniker for the Dio version of the band. Original Black Sabbath drummer Bill Ward was to be involved in this project, but later withdrew.
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| Back in Black Sabbath for a third time, now with a forced band name change to Heaven & Hell. |
In 2007, the band recorded three new songs under the Black Sabbath name for the compilation album Black Sabbath: The Dio Years.
In 2008, the band completed a 98-date world tour. The band released one album under the Heaven & Hell name, The Devil You Know, to critical and commercial acclaim. They also had planned to release a follow-up in 2010.
On November 25, 2009, Dio announced that he was diagnosed with stomach cancer and underwent treatment at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas.
On May 4, 2010, Heaven & Hell announced they were canceling all summer dates as a result of Dio's health condition. His last live performance was with Heaven & Hell on August 29, 2009, in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Dio died of the illness on May 16, 2010.
Two weeks after his death, a public memorial service was held at The Hall of Liberty, Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles. The hall was filled to capacity, with many more fans sitting outside the hall watching the memorial on multiple giant screens on both the east and south sides of the hall. Friends, family, and former and current bandmates of Dio, including Rudy Sarzo, Geoff Tate, John Payne, Glenn Hughes, Joey Belladonna and Heaven & Hell keyboard player, Scott Warren, gave speeches and performed. On the screen was an accompanying documentary covering Dio's career from his early days with Elf to his final project with Heaven & Hell.
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| The legends final resting place. |
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