since he's been gone, since he's been gone I'm out of my head can't take it.

Tributes are still pouring in for one of the greatest frontmen to be in Black Sabbath. The other one tragically died 2 days ago after a battle with stomach cancer. Former lead singer of dad rock legends Rainbow, black sabbath, and his own band Dio, named after himself, there is little doubt that he rocked arse. More importantly than any of his musical achievements (playing infront of 105000 people, taking his music around the world with 3 hugely selling successful bands, influencing a new generation of bands who would eventually dominate the 80s like slayer, metallica, megadeth et al) He rescued a legendary band which was disintergrating under the strain of Ozzy Osbournes drink & drug problems. Heaven & Hell might not be the equal to volume 4 or sabbath bloody sabbath, but its far better than never say die. Ozzy's last album, which was a heap of shit, not my opinion, actual indesputible scientific fact.



Never say die.



a piece of poo.

Ronnie James Dio, then went on to make what might have been the greatest music video ever, and one which will always be sought on youtube, to save you the bother, below is holy diver, the video inspiration to the game 'world of warcraft.'



When watching the video you can see that he isn't actually human at all but a dwarf, and he was a dwarf with a sword. At a time where metal music was increasingly becoming about the holocaust, it was refreshing that someone in the scene was keeping his tongue firmly in his cheek, although that could have been because of a medical condition too.

His overriding achievement bar nothing, and something which will still be done until the end of the human race, is this.



He introduced the devil sign into the partheon of rock moves...







which filtered through to be used by some of the most brilliant minds of our time.

People who have paid tribute range from Ozzy Osbourne to Lady Gaga (pictured below.)



So there you go really. Rainbow, devil hands, Sabbath heaven & Hell era, canonisation by jack Black and a lot of love from the metal fraternaty... was he as good as Ozzy at his peak? no.

However, do I wish that Ozzy died 2 days ago thus putting himself out of the misery of being a human parody, a joke gone too far, a casualty of an overbearing wife, ugly children, reality TV for the MTV2 generation instead of Dio(, who was alright as far as I'm concerned)? Fuck yeah.



One day we will all sit by the side of the throne of the master

Ronnie James Dio. 1942-2010.