CHICKENFOOT Bassist Michael Anthony - RONNIE JAMES DIO Was "Definitely A Driving Force In Hard Rock Music"
May 19, 2010, 14 years ago
CHICKENFOOT bassist Michael Anthony (ex-VAN HALEN) has offered the following thoughts on the passing of legendary singer RONNIE JAMES DIO (DIO, BLACK SABBATH, HEAVEN & HELL, RAINBOW, ELF) who lost his battle with stomach cancer on Sunday, May 16th at 7:45 AM PST at the age of 67:
"I was saddened to hear about the passing of one of rock’s most powerful vocalists, Ronnie James Dio. He was an influence to me, growing up playing music. I remember in Van Halen we used to do 'Man On The Silver Mountain' in the club days, and during one of our early tours we played a festival in Europe with his band. My condolences go out to his family, he will be missed.”
“He was a great guy,” Anthony told Billboard.com . “I remember when we opened for them, all of us were back at the hotel having some drinks; it was his birthday, and I remember us all just hanging out, and he was just a great guy, definitely a driving force in hard rock music.”Check out the newly surfaced sound-board recording of Van Halen covering 'Man On The Silver Mountain' from 1976 below:
