Former Dio guitarist Craig Goldy and Scottish pirate metallers Alestorm guest on Talking Metal episode 770.

First up, Craig Goldy talks about numerous things including the new album by his band Dream Child called Until Death Do We Meet Again, Rudy Sarzo, Simon Wright, Diego Valdez, Ronnie James Dio, Dream Evil, Andrew Freeman, Vivian Campbell, the band Last In Line, the new Dio Disciples music he is working on with Jeff Pilson, and much more.  

Then we hear from Alestorm. This interview starts 48 minutes into the podcast and  was recorded at Heavy Montreal. It’s a fun listen. It starts off with band members Christopher Bowes andPeter Alcorn, keyboardist Elliot Vernon joins the discussion around the halfway point. Topics included festivals, old metal fans, Judas Priest, Gloryhammer, Dream Theater, Metallica, Swashbuckle, ducks, their setlist, albums vs. singles, Magnus from Witchcraft and much more.  

Goldy was recently featured in a career-spanning interview with Jeb Wright at Classic Rock Revisited. The pair discuss Ronnie James Dio, Craig's new album, The Hologram Tour, a new project, Craig's Abusive upbringing and more. An excerpt is available below.

Jeb: I absolutely love the album Magica. Tell me about the creative atmosphere during Magica?  This may be one of Ronnie’s proudest moments.

Craig: "Magica indeed was a highlight for both Ronnie, myself and the band Dio. Ronnie had always wanted to do a concept album…clear back to right after the Dream Evil album! So, when I got the call to rejoin Dio it came shortly after another vision I had of me being back in the band. That too was very special.

I had just finished an album where each song was connected to each other like the Pink Floyd album Dark Side of the Moon. The album began with sound effects and then each song faded out and into what I called 'sound effect scenarios' that then faded into the next song. Meanwhile, Ronnie was already working on the first couple of songs for Magica and had been writing the story that went along with what was to be a trilogy.

Since Ronnie and I had remained friends ever since 1983, we were able to just pick up where we left off as a team. But this time, I had learned so much leading up to that point. Ronnie actually missed working with me. He and I had the very same work ethic and were also quite willing to use unorthodox methods to get the sounds that we wanted, regardless if it was 'the right way' to do things by the book. We often challenged each other not even knowing it really, ‘cause the final outcome was the boss this time and not just one person.

He was such a hard worker. He could play guitar, keyboards, and bass, program the drum machine and run the recording software on the computer by this time. I was much quicker than he was at programing the drum machine and running the computer, so I told him 'Why don’t you let me do all the grunt work. That way you can use that amazing mind of yours to its fullest extent by not being lumbered with drum machines and computers. You be more of the executive producer so while we work, your mind has a chance to flow unencumbered. When you hear something that might otherwise have gone unnoticed while you were busy programming the drum machine and running the computer you can stop me right as the inspiration hits you.' He said 'Ok Goldy, let’s give that a try.' And it worked out quite nicely.

He and I did all of the keyboards for that album. We did the “sound effect scenarios”, the aliens and the music beneath the story. It was quite an undertaking to have this album all run together like the Dark Side of the Moon.....but we did it!

Ronnie was very proud of this album and I don’t blame him. I saw how he labored on his lyrics and the story. Lyrically and songwritingly speaking…since the law was “melody first and lyrics second” this makes it very difficult to create lyrics that will pierce your soul like his did."

Go to this location for the complete interview.