RONNIE JAMES DIO On HEAVEN AND HELL - "We Didn't Hate Each Other That Much Or We Wouldn't Have Been Doing This At All"
March 13, 2007, 17 years ago
Jenny Feniak from Sun Media spoke to vocal legend RONNIE JAMES DIO recently about a number of topics including HEAVEN AND HELL, who are currently touring across Canada. A few excerpts follow:
"We're kind of like locusts,'' says Ronnie James Dio who, in 1979, replaced OZZY OSBOURNE as the front man in BLACK SABBATH."We see each other just about every 12 years. After we broke up the first time, 12 years later we got back together again. And now, this is just about pushing 13 years. But it has this cyclical thing."
Speaking from his home in Los Angeles, Dio's referring to Black Sabbath: The Dio Years.
The album has spawned a reunion of the Dio-led incarnation working under the title of the group's most popular album, Heaven and Hell.
A nine-month tour has been carefully planned, says the singer who's ensured his age is famously unknown, bringing the metal band to Rexall Place (in Edmonton) tonight.
"We wanted to have a little bit of a fresher approach on what was, is and always will be called Black Sabbath. You can disguise it and call us Barney's Beanery if you want to and they'll go, 'Oh Sabbath's in town. Who's Barney's Beanery?' " Dio says, although the Ozzy incarnation is still actively playing as Black Sabbath. "I don't really care what it's called. All I know is it's going to be a great band and a great show, as it always was."Read more here.
Upcoming Heaven And Hell Canadian dates include:
March
13 - Edmonton, AB at Rexall Place14 - Calgary, AB at Saddledome
16 - Regina, SK at Brandt Centre
18 - Winnipeg, MB at MTS Centre
20 - Sault St. Marie, ON at Steelback Centre
22 - Toronto, ON at Air Canada Centre
24 - London, ON at John Labatt Centre
26 - Montreal, PQ at Bell Centre
27 - Quebec City, PQ at Colisee Pepsi Arena
28 - Ottawa, ON at Civic Centre