Ronnie James Dio
Photo: Sanctuary Records

For much of the past decade, Black Sabbath have been performing with their original singer, Ozzy Osbourne. And while they haven't yet released any new material, their seemingly perennial appearances at Ozzfest make it seem as if Osbourne is the group's only real singer.

That's not exactly the case. The band had several different singers after Ozzy left in 1979, and fans almost universally agree that Ronnie James Dio — unquestionably one of the most legendary throats in metal history — is by far the best Sabbath vocalist not named Osbourne.

During Dio's tenure (1979-1982 and 1992-1993), Black Sabbath recorded their best material since 1975's Sabotage, but while both 1980's Heaven and Hell and 1981's The Mob Rules were haunting, heavy and arguably more musically mature than much of the band's earlier work, their significance in the Sabbath catalog has been diminished by the many hit-and-miss Sabbath records that followed Dio's departure, and more significantly by the group's reunion with Ozzy. And sadly, the group's third studio effort with Dio, the punishing 1992 album Dehumanizer, hit at a time when metal was shunned and faded with barely a blip (the underrated 1982 concert album Live Evil also featured Dio).

But now Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi and bassist Geezer Butler are taking strides to resurrect the Dio era by recording three new songs with him for an upcoming best-of album, Black Sabbath: The Dio Years, and scheduling a world tour under the band name Heaven and Hell.

This doesn't mean the end of the Ozzy-fronted Sabbath, nor does it spell curtains for Dio's long-running titular band. It's even unclear whether Heaven and Hell will record a studio album, but for most of 2007 the band will, barring some unforeseen circumstance, spread its taloned wings and take to the skies.

"It's going to be a lot of fun to get back in front of fans and perform these songs again," Dio said. "I think this is something a lot of people have been waiting a long time for."

According to Dio, the Heaven and Hell tour will kick off in Vancouver, British Columbia, on March 3 and play at least seven shows across Canada, ending in Toronto. Then the band will likely play South America, Japan, Korea, Australia and Europe before returning to North America for a U.S. tour in August or September.

Though Dio is thrilled to be able to revisit his past with Sabbath, he hasn't lain awake at night longing for a reunion. And while Iommi and Butler have wondered over the years what it would be like to play again with Dio, it was Warner Music subsidiary Rhino Records that first brought up the idea by making plans to release The Dio Years. The label contacted Iommi's manager and said it would like to include some previously unreleased songs. Since there was nothing worthwhile in the vault that hadn't been used, Iommi contacted Dio and suggested they consider getting together to write some new material.

"About four months ago, I went over to England to Tony's house, where he has a studio," Dio said. "We started to work together, and it was really so enjoyable. After long spaces of time not working with people, you forget how good they are or how much you liked being around them."

The band isn't yet ready to announce the titles of the three new songs, but that doesn't mean Dio isn't eager to talk about them. One, he says, will be slow and doomy, the second will be midtempo and the third will be a scorcher.

"They're the perfect blend, [given] the limitations of only doing three tracks," he said. "I feel like we covered all the bases, and it's all guitar, bass, drums and voice. There are no keyboards, and it sounds excellent. And the lyrics are pretty weird. Whenever I get back with Sabbath, I seem to have this leash taken off me and I can write as weird as I want to."

The three tracks were recorded during three sessions, each of which lasted an average of 10 days. Black Sabbath's original drummer, Bill Ward, was not involved with the recordings and will not tour with the band. Instead, Heaven and Hell recruited Vinnie Appice, who joined Black Sabbath after Ward left in 1980 and played on The Mob Rules and Live Evil before teaming with Dio to form the latter's titular band (he played on five Dio records in the '80s and early '90s).

"It was wonderful to work with Vinnie again," Dio said. "Even though I hadn't seen him in many years, we got along as if we'd never been apart because we know each other so well from all those years of being together."

Shortly after Heaven and Hell announced their plans, the Osbourne camp issued a lukewarm statement. "Tony Iommi and Ronnie Dio are working on a project together which has nothing to do with Black Sabbath," it read. "There is only one Black Sabbath. Ozzy, Tony, Geezer and Bill will be touring late next year along with a new Black Sabbath album. However, Ozzy wishes Tony and Ronnie much success in their project together."

After being nominated several times, Sabbath were finally inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame last year (see "Black Sabbath Finally Make Rock Hall Of Fame — Whether Ozzy Likes It Or Not").

For more on Black Sabbath, check out the feature "The Greatest Heavy Metal Bands of All Time."

• The Great Metal Debate

• Black Sabbath
• Dio

Singer Erykah Badu has joined the cast of "House of D," the first feature film written and directed by actor David Duchovny ("X-Files"). The movie is about a man coming to terms with his friendships, past and present. Previously, Badu appeared in "The Cider House Rules." ...

Two weeks after L.A. County sheriff's detectives determined that the death of B-movie actress Lana Clarkson was indeed a murder, the prime suspect in the shooting, legendary record producer Phil Spector, had his $1 million bail extended until November 3. The L.A. district attorney’s office is still deciding whether there is enough evidence to charge Spector with the murder, which occurred in February. ... Metal legend Ronnie James Dio recently had his thumb severed in a bizarre gardening accident at his home. The quick-thinking, temporarily nine-fingered singer scooped up the digit and rushed off to a hospital, where doctors were able to reattach it. He's expected to fully recover. ...

Sheryl Crow, Mya and Blondie's Debbie Harry and Chris Stein will perform at the second annual Vanity Fair "In Concert" on Monday at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York. Actress Chloë Sevigny will host the event, the proceeds from which will to go to the Step Up Women’s Network, a nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening community resources for women and girls. ... Kiss fire breather Gene Simmons has contributed his voice to an upcoming episode of "King of the Hill," which will be called "Reborn to be Wild," according to Chart Attack. The show, which will also feature Sum 41 as a group of Christian punks, will air November 9. ...

Ex-Skid Row crooner Sebastian Bach has signed on to play a recurring role on "Gilmore Girls." Bach will play a character named Gil, and in a post on his Web site, he describes his part as “kind of like the Fonz [from “Happy Days”]." The first episode to feature Bach was recently shot in Hollywood, and features guest star Sally Struthers. Bach is currently rehearsing for a U.S. tour with his new band, Bach Tight 5. ... Alicia Keys hosted a talent showcase for her manager Jeff Robinson's MBK Entertainment at Birdland in New York on Tuesday night. Newcomer singers under Robinson's wing including Shawn Kane, Focus, Star 69, Jessica Wilson and Lola performed. ...

The John Lennon DVD "Lennon Legend" will come out November 18. Assembled by his widow, Yoko Ono, the package includes 20 tracks, 15 new videos, new animations of Lennon’s drawings and a rare photo gallery. ... Screamo outfit A Static Lullaby have replaced drummer Brett Dinovo with his drum tech Ben Newsham. The band recently signed with Columbia Records, which will re-release their album …And Don’t Forget to Breathe in January. The disc will include bonus tracks recorded with producer Steve Evetts (Sepultura, Glassjaw). A Static Lullaby will begin a tour October 8 in Orangevale, California. Dates run through November 21. ...

9.30.2003

He'll teach you how to stunt, all right. 50 Cent has just finalized a deal to purchase Mike Tyson's former plush Connecticut mansion for just over $4 million. ...

Teaneck, New Jersey, police are urging Lil' Kim to contact them. They have issued a warrant for her arrest after finding she missed several court appearances for 1996 charges of marijuana possession. ... Fashion photographer Guy Bourdin's son filed a lawsuit on Friday against Madonna, saying that his late father's images were ripped off in her "Hollywood" video. Samuel Bourdin claims he holds the rights to his father's images, and accuses the pop star of copyright infringement for her imitation of poses in at least 11 of the photographer's works. A comparison of the video with his photos can be seen at guybourdin.org. Bourdin, best known for his photos in French Vogue, died in 1991; his son is seeking unspecified damages. ...

A Miami judge ruled Monday that Trick Daddy will be allowed to perform Wednesday in Tallahassee, Florida, despite being under house arrest for recent alleged drug possession, assault and weapons charges. The rapper, who will be arraigned on October 15, will wear an electronic tracking bracelet as he performs. ... Just as final arguments were getting under way on Tuesday in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, C-Murder's murder trial abruptly stopped when an appeals court ruled that prosecutors could tell jurors that a charge of manslaughter was also available. The defense had rested on Monday after presenting nine witnesses who said that the rapper, whose real name is Corey Miller, had nothing to do with the beating or shooting, contradicting two prosecution witnesses who said they saw Miller attack 16-year-old Steve Thomas and saw and heard the shooting, though they did not see the weapon itself. The defense witnesses, however, contradicted each other, each saying that Miller was in a different part of the bar when the fight started. If convicted of second-degree murder, Miller (the younger brother of Master P) would get a life sentence. Manslaughter, however, carries up to 40 years in prison. ...

Justin Timberlake will host "Saturday Night Live" and be the musical guest on October 11, a week before Britney Spears will perform and Halle Berry will host. The 29th season of the show begins Saturday with Jack Black hosting and John Mayer performing. ... The Roots have begun open jam sessions in Philadelphia for their next album, tentatively titled The Tipping Point. Jill Scott and Living Colour's Vernon Reid have stopped by so far. ...

The members of the Movielife have decided to call it quits. The band posted a message on its Web site Monday explaining it's been an incredible ride, but the group won't be continuing on. No particular reason for the breakup was cited. ... On October 13, Eve 6 will release "At Least We're Dreaming" as the second single from It's All in Your Head. The Los Angeles trio are also slated to reunite with friends and former tourmates Good Charlotte on the second leg of the latter's arena tour, which kicks off October 30 in Atlanta and wraps up November 28 in Long Beach, California. ...

Dido played in-store performances Monday in both London and New York to promote the release of her new album, Life for Rent. Both sets were acoustic and included her breakthrough hit, "Thank You." ... Mathew Knowles, father and manager of Destiny's Child singer Beyoncé Knowles, is selling his Music World Entertainment label to the Sanctuary Group, a London label and management company whose roster includes Kiss and the Who, for $10 million. Mathew will still run the label. ...

The lineup of the 2004 Big Day Out festival, making stops throughout Australia and New Zealand from January 16 to February 1, now includes the Strokes, Black Eyed Peas, the Flaming Lips, A Perfect Circle and the Basement Jaxx. Previously, Metallica had been the only announced act. ... Canadian singer Sarah McLachlan is back with her first studio album in six years. Afterglow, due November 4, is McLachlan's seventh album overall. A video for first single "Fallen" was shot in her hometown of Vancouver. ... Scott Weiland has formed his own record company. Called Softdrive Records, the company's debut release, Tell Them Hi by the Campfire Girls, is due October 14 and will be distributed by Interscope Records. ...

• Erykah Badu
• Phil Spector
• Mya
• Alicia Keys
• Dio

Iron Maiden's Bruce Dickinson performs at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday
Photo: MTV News

NEW YORK — Before Iron Maiden played the only new song of their 90-minute set on Wednesday night (July 30) at Madison Square Garden, frontman Bruce Dickinson offered a little sociology lesson.

Dickinson spoke of how 10 years of vapid trends and media manipulation have resulted in legions of manufactured, uninspiring hard rock bands with two good songs per album and careers that last no longer than two records. Then Maiden blasted into "Wildest Dreams" — a galloping track from their upcoming disc, Dance of Death — and it was as if the past decade never happened.

"Out on my way, out on the road again," wailed Dickinson before guitarists Dave Murray, Adrian Smith and Janick Gers traded deft, galvanic solos while bassist Steve Harris and drummer Nicko McBrain kept the rhythms pounding.

Sadly, time only really stands still in intensely boring classroom lectures — or, as Groucho Marx once said, "Time wounds all heels." The members of Iron Maiden are in their mid-to-late 40s now. Their faces are lined with wrinkles, their hair is growing grayer by the day, they all have families and they're not as freewheeling or impulsive as they once were. But they still have the energy, enthusiasm, agility and musical chops to win over an arena crowd.

One of the keys to Maiden's longevity is devotion. Through thick and thin, the band has never strayed from its epic metal course, and its fans have rewarded it with undying loyalty. That's why Maiden are still able to sell out Madison Square Garden and other large venues without the aid of radio or video exposure.

Fans at the Garden had plenty to be excited about. Iron Maiden were loud, dramatic, and looked so metal. Dickinson ran a marathon from side to side and across a platform at the back of the stage, vaulted monitors like an Olympic long jumper, threw his fists in the air as if slaying giant dragonflies and waved a giant Union Jack flag. Yet he never got too winded to sing with accuracy, passion and authority.

While the frontman led the crusade, the band's guitarists put on kinetic displays of six-string precision, and each sported trademark moves that helped establish their identity. When he wasn't navigating the stage, Smith stood stoic, knees bent, legs wide apart, and threw his head back when he ripped through speedy, melodic leads. Murray was less mobile, often looking down at his guitar as he played, though he frequently arched his back at the string-bending apex of his screaming solos. Gers, with his flowing blond hair, was the band's most acrobatic and hyperactive axeman. As he played he jogged in place, whipped his instrument in circles around his body, windmilled, hoisted his guitar against his outer thigh and kicked his monitor with his heel.

Such gestures would seem absurd from Nickelback, but Maiden fans expect nothing less than overblown showmanship. They screamed with joy when a giant metal robot version of the band's mascot, Eddie, ascended during the set closer, "Iron Maiden." As the creature's head opened on a hinge, a car-sized brain descended from the rafters and landed in the gleaming skull, causing the torso to wiggle and the metal jaws to make chewing motions.

	"Iron Maiden Drummer Arrested After Allegedly Driving Into Lot Attendant". Related Artists Iron Maiden Motörhead Dio ]]> http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1475142/20030731/iron_maiden.jhtml News Article http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1475142/20030731/iron_maiden.jhtml 31 Jul 2003 03:51:00 EDT   System Of A Down Photo: Sony Hey everybody, what's up? Iann here, in Cali working on the Metallica "mtvICON" show; should be a good time. I'm hoping everybody is getting stoked for the return of "Headbangers Ball" next week. I'm looking for it to become a new home for videos in the true underground metal scene. I saw Hate Eternal and High on Fire videos the other day, so it looks like people are listening. Not much else going on, really. I heard the new Type O Negative record; it's really cool, heavier than the last record, and definitely a crowd pleaser. I also heard that Daron from System of a Down got his own label, which is cool. Expect some really interesting stuff to come out of that. Try and check the New England Metal and Hardcore Festival if you can get out there or you live in that area. It's coming up on May 16 and 17, and I haven't seen one lame band listed, which is so rare at shows these days. Well, dig on Metal File this week and I'll catch you guys next time around: On the back of successful jaunts supporting AFI, the Used and Glassjaw, Seattle noisecore merchants the Blood Brothers are set to begin a headlining tour of their own in support of their critically acclaimed Ross Robinson-produced (Slipknot, Amen) Burn Piano Island, Burn. The 17-date trek kicks off May 1 week in Minneapolis. ... Ramones drummer Marky Ramone, Misfits bassist Jerry Only and Black Flag guitarist Dez Cadema will perform a set of Ramones songs on May 16 at New York's Webster Hall in celebration of the late Joey Ramone's birthday. Ramone died of lymphatic cancer on April 15, 2001. Rocket From the Crypt will open the show. All proceeds will be donated to the Lymphoma Foundation. ... Cold's Los Angeles fans who pre-order their new album, Year of the Spider, at any Lincs record store May 3 at 10 a.m. will receive a ticket to the band's May 14 record release party at the Roxy in Hollywood. The band's current "Stupid Girl" was co-written with Weezer frontman Rivers Cuomo. ... The lineup for this year's Hellfest in Syracuse, New York, is set to include In Flames, Dillinger Escape Plan, Biohazard, Chimaira, Soilwork, A Static Lullaby, Bleeding Through, Eighteen Visions, From Autumn to Ashes, Kittie, Lamb of God, the Hope Conspiracy, Norma Jean, Himsa and a performance by the reformed Walls of Jericho, among several other international hardcore acts. The annual event, the 2000 version of which was documented on VHS/ DVD by Trustkill Records, will take place Fourth of July weekend. ... Speaking of Walls of Jericho, the female-fronted Michigan Metalcore act appear to be fully back in action. The group had disbanded in 2001, two years after dropping its full-length debut, The Bound Feed the Gagged. ... Danzig is releasing his first video in 10 years with the DVD Archive de la Morte. It'll be out May 6. … Clutch are releasing a live CD called Live at the Googleplex on Megaforce Records June 17. … Superjoint Ritual, the band featuring Phil Anselmo of Pantera, have shortened the name of their record from Striking Fear Into the Enemy: A Lesson in American Hatred to just A Lesson in American Hatred. The record hits stores July 1. ... Zyklon — the band that features Samoth and Trym formerly of Emperor — have released the track listing for their sophomore album, Aeon, due in September. ... Aggressive metal band Haste have just completed recording their third album, The Mercury Lift, which comes out July 1. The band will join This Day Forward, Bear vs. Shark and Anatomy of a Ghost on the Radio Takeover tour, which starts May 30 and runs through June 15. ... Eighties crossover metalcore band D.R.I., currently celebrating their 20th anniversary, have just re-released 1985's Dealing With It with12 bonus tracks. The band is on tour through May 20 in Baltimore. ... Scott "Wino" Weinrich, the former frontman of seminal bands St. Vitus, the Obsessed and Spirit Caravan, has formed a new group, the Hidden Hand. The band's debut full-length, Divine Propaganda, will come out in July. ... Angry Amputees will release their debut album, Slutbomb, on July 22. The disc was produced in Seattle by Jack Endino, who helmed Nirvana's first album, Bleach. Tour dates are forthcoming. ... Bay Area thrash band Death Angel have reunited and are recording an album due by early next year. ... Rob Zombie is in the studio, but he's not making music. He's producing the debut comedy album by Chris Hardwick, the Los Angeles comic who starred in Zombie's film "House of 1000 Corpses." The tentative title for the project is Blood Pudding. ... Dio guitarist Doug Aldrich has taken a leave of absence to tour with the recently reformed Whitesnake. Ratt's Warren DeMartini has been recruited as Dio's new touring guitarist and will join the band on its North American tour with Iron Maiden and Motörhead, which launches July 25 in Holmdel, New Jersey. Scheduled dates run through August 30 in Marysville, California. ... Aggro-metal band Skinlab will release a B-sides album titled The Nerve Damage Sessions in late summer. The disc will include alternate versions of studio tracks, live songs recorded on the Revolting Room tour and a couple of new songs. ... Murderdolls, which features Slipknot guitarist Joey Jordison and Static-X guitarist Tripp Eisen, have recorded a cover of Billy Idol's "White Wedding" for an upcoming U.K. single, which will also include the songs "I Love to Say F---" and "I Take Drugs." ... Medieval '80s metal band Omen have reformed and completed a new album. Eternal Black Dawn will come out this fall. The band's lineup is: guitarist Kenny Powell, singer Kevin Goocher, drummer Rick Murray and bassist Andy Haas. ... The Black Dahlia Murder are busy lining up a tour with the Red Chord and plan to hit the road in late June. The Black Dahlia Murder recently signed with Metal Blade, which plans to release the band's new album, Unhallowed, on June 17. ... Bay Area, California, hardcore band Time in Malta, who grew from a trio to a quartet following the release of last year's A Second Engine, have posted three new demo tracks on their Web site. ... Washington, D.C.'s Darkest Hour have recorded a new album titled Hidden Hands of a Sadist Nation, due May 20. The record was produced by the legendary Fredrik Nordström (In Flames, Cradle of Filth) at his Gothenburg, Sweden, studio and features guests Tomas Lindberg (At the Gates), Peter Wichers (Soilwork), Anders Björler (the Haunted) and Marcus Sunesson (the Crown). ... Theatre of Tragedy's lives have recently been filled with joy. Frontwoman Liv Kristine Espenaes got engaged to Atrocity singer Alexander Krull, and they'll get married on July 3. Meanwhile, guitarist Frank Claussen married his girlfriend, Tone, in Reykjavik, Iceland, on April 14, and guitarist Vegard K. Thorsen married his girlfriend, Anna, on February 21. In between nuptial celebrations, the band will work on its new record, due early next year. ... — compiled by Iann Robinson, Ryan J. Downey, Jon Wiederhorn and Robert Mancini Related Artists System of a Down The Blood Brothers Dillinger Escape Plan Death Angel Dio ]]> http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1471664/20030501/system_of_a_down.jhtml News Article http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1471664/20030501/system_of_a_down.jhtml 1 May 2003 08:09:00 EDT Slayer's Dave Lombardo Photo: Def American Hey everybody, how the hell are you!!! Iann Robinson here, with the second week of the "Metal File." So far your response has been really great, so I thank you. There's a lot going on out there right now and probably the biggest is the Alabama Thunder Pussy bomb that they've parted ways with frontman Johnny Throckmorton. There are no details yet on why, but we will keep you posted. I guess the biggest news for me this week is that Slayer is back in the studio with the only drummer they should ever have — Dave Lombardo — to record a new record. That's gonna be the best thing ever. I'm also stoked about the Emissions From the Monolith V that's in Cleveland. A lot of amazing bands will be down there for three days of kung-fu action rocking. If you're looking for some new music in your life, check out Converge's Unloved and Weeded Out, featuring old and unreleased tracks. If you're looking for brutality in its best form, then check out Agoraphobic Nosebleed's new one, Altered States of America, or the Godflesh re-release of Messiah, their nearly impossible-to-find LP originally released in 1994. Take the power of the original and add some serious soundscape and electronic stuff on some remixes and you have a must-own record. So check out the news below, true believers (in metal), and I'll see you guys next week. Remember, if Evanescence is metal for you, this stuff might be way too extreme! Slayer are expected to ship the live DVD "War at the Warfield" to retailers in June. The band will hit the studio with drummer Dave Lombardo in the near future to begin work on the first studio album with its original lineup since 1990's Seasons in the Abyss. ... Meanwhile, Lombardo has finished recording the drum tracks for two Fantômas records. ... Dio return on June 17, with a live DVD titled "Dio's Evil or Divine." ... Former Black Flag frontman/solo artist/spoken word performer/actor Henry Rollins has signed on as the voice of Mace Griffin in the upcoming Vivendi Universal video game "Mace Griffin: Bounty Hunter." ... Hate Eternal will return to the road this spring following their recent van accident. The band kicks off a headlining tour on May 14 in Passaic, New Jersey. ... Swedish metal titans the Haunted are joining forces with Shai Hulud and Skinless for a spring tour. The trek kicks off on May 11 in Detroit, and currently has dates lined up through early June. ... Voivod have invited school children from around the San Francisco area to join them for a rehearsal on Friday. The event is an extension of the nonprofit Little Kids Rock program, which provides free music classes to elementary school students in California, New York, New Jersey and Tennessee. ... Your mother will be thrilled: Ultra violent death metallers Cannibal Corpse are expected to begin recording a new album in September. ... Six Feet Under, featuring former Cannibal Corpse vocalist Chris Barnes, are expected to start work on a new album soon as well. ... Testament, Immortal, Primal Fear, Carnal Forge, Pain Museum and Amon Amarth will launch the 2003 Metal Gods Tour on April 25 at the House of Blues in Chicago. Carnal Forge will release The More You Suffer on April 22. ... Alabama Thunder Pussy, Throttlerod, Mastodon, Bongzilla, Dixie Witch and Acid King are among the close to 40 bands lined up for the three-day Emissions From the Monolith V. The event is set for Cleveland, Ohio's Nyabinghi club on May 23, 24 and 25. ... Type O Negative are wrapping up their new album, Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows ... just kidding, it's called Life Is Killing Me, and it's expected to hit stores on June 17. ... English band Charger will unleash their latest, Confessions of a Man Mad Enough to Live With Beasts, on May 20. The album was produced by Billy Anderson (Neurosis, Sleep and Eyehategod). ... Orange County, California, straight-edge band Throwdown are currently working on Haymaker, their first album to feature former vocalist Keith Barney and former guitarist Dave Peters in their newly switched roles, as guitarist and vocalist, respectively. The band will embark upon a European tour supporting Hatebreed later this year. ... On a related note, Barney's other band, Eighteen Visions, recently shot a video for the song "You Broke Like Glass," taken from their latest album, Vanity. ... Tomahawk drummer John Stanier — who has also worked in one capacity or another with Helmet, Primer 55 and Pitchshifter — has put together another project under the name of Battles. ... —Compiled by Iann Robinson, Ryan Downey, Jon Wiederhorn and Robert Mancini Related Artists Slayer Dio Cannibal Corpse Henry Rollins The Haunted (80's) ]]> http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1471185/20030410/slayer.jhtml News Article http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1471185/20030410/slayer.jhtml 10 Apr 2003 06:08:00 EDT Gene Simmons Photo: Crown Publishing On May 28, look for the long-threatened publication Gene Simmons' Tongue to be sitting on magazine shelves next to your favorite music rags. Earlier this year, the Kiss bassist said the mag will feature a letter column called "Tongue Lashings," the overseas section "Foreign Tongue," the food guide "Forked Tongue" and the gossip section "Tongue in Cheek." ... Bob Dylan will star as an imprisoned blues musician whose manager helps him make a jailbreak to perform one last show in the upcoming movie "Masked and Anonymous." Dylan's first major acting role in 15 years will be directed by "Seinfeld" producer/director Larry Charles. ... Ex-Metallica bassist Jason Newsted and former Black Crowes guitarist Audley Freed will augment Gov't Mule's lineup for five dates, beginning April 17 in New York City and ending April 21 in Madison, Wisconsin. The trek, launching April 11 in Atlanta, supports The Deep End Volume 1, Gov't Mule's latest album and first since the August 2000 death of bassist Allen Woody that features guest bassists Flea, Bootsy Collins, Mike Watt and John Entwistle, among others. ... Deep Purple, the Scorpions and Ronnie James Dio will play 38 U.S. dates, beginning May 1 in San Diego and ending August 4 in Los Angeles. Deep Purple are touring with new keyboardist Don Airey, who replaced founding member Jon Lord last month. ... The thinking girl's girl group, Sleater-Kinney, are in the studio working on the follow-up album to 2000's All Hands on the Bad One. The still-untitled album is slated for an August release. ... 04.03.02 It was a dual celebration for Ashanti Tuesday night in New York — she ushered in the release of her self-titled debut and toasted her sister's 13th birthday. Among those popping bottles and shaking it up on the dancefloor at the Embassy were Ja Rule, Queen Pen, DJ Envy and Murder Inc. CEO Irv Gotti (click for photo of the event.) Pink, Papa Roach, Kid Rock, Train, Shakira, Nas and X-ecutioners are among the artists paying respect to Aerosmith on the second installment of mtvICON, scheduled for broadcast April 17. In addition to testimonials from last year's ICON, Janet Jackson, Fred Durst, Method Man, Sum41, Ja Rule and Nelly will stage a video recreation of the Aerosmith's classic collaboration with Run-DMC, "Walk This Way." ... Fabolous plans to hit the studio within a month's time to begin work on his new LP, tentatively titled Street Dreams, and he said that August is the earliest the album could conceivably drop. In the meantime, the Brooklynite is contemplating shooting a third video from Ghetto Fabolous, "Trade It All," with Jagged Edge. ... Tommy Lee went all out for his video for "Hold Me Down," the first single off his solo album, Never a Dull Moment, due May 21. The clip, directed by Dean Karr (3 Doors Down, Dave Matthews Band), features Lee frolicking among members of Cirque Du Soleil. ... Marilyn Manson will display some of his paintings at an art exhibition at the Tamara Bane Gallery in Los Angeles in August, the rocker said on his official Web site, where some of his work is available to view. Manson also said that he will play a character named "Christina" in a movie called "Party Monster," which is set in the late '80s and based on a true story about a party organizer who announces on television that he killed his drug dealer and roommate. ... Ten Years and Running, a greatest-hits album from MxPx, will be released on May 21, a month before the band heads out on the Warped Tour. The collection includes two new tracks and new version of their classic "Punk Rawk Show." ... Roberta Flack will join India.Arie in a performance of "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" during a concert special for the Oxygen network called "India.Arie Up Close and Personal," scheduled to tape Thursday at the New York City nightclub Exit. The show will air May 3. ...Stevie Wonder will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award and Garth Brooks will receive the Hitmaker Award at the Songwriters Hall of Fame Awards dinner June 13 in New York City. Previously announced inductees this year include Michael Jackson, Sting and recent Oscar winner Randy Newman. Related Artists Kiss Papa Roach Ashanti Dio Nelly ]]> http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1453267/20020404/kiss.jhtml News Article http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1453267/20020404/kiss.jhtml 4 Apr 2002 05:38:00 EST Chris Jericho What do Iron Maiden, Judas Priest and Ozzy Osbourne have in common? They've all stolen heavily from a little-known metal outfit called Fozzy, at least according to Fozzy frontman Moongoose McQueen. "Iron Maiden, Scorpions, Judas Priest, Dio, Twisted Sister, Ozzy, Krokus, Accept… the list goes on," McQueen said, rattling off those who have dipped heavily into Fozzy's pool for inspiration. "Basically, every band that had any influence in the '80s, and even the early '90s, they basically ripped off their stuff from Fozzy." Bold words, and McQueen intends to back them up this week when his band's self-titled U.S. debut hits stores. McQueen's claims, however, are up for debate, as is just about everything else about Fozzy. McQueen's version of Fozzy's long, strange trip to U.S. record stores includes a 20-year layover in Japan. As McQueen tells it, the young headbangers inked a rather unfortunate record deal with a Japanese label, forcing the band to spend "20 years in purgatory." In that time, McQueen claims that numerous metal acts marched through Japan while touring and marched out with would-be Fozzy hits such as ""Eat the Rich," "Live Wire" and "Stay Hungry," and rode them to stardom. "The U.S. metal fans are going to get a taste of the true geniuses of heavy rock, the guys who started it all. The light show, the pyro, the look, the sound, the leather, the studs, the females in bondage… that's all our stuff, all our ideas," McQueen said. Of course, there's another version of the Fozzy story -- one that contends McQueen is actually WWF superstar Chris Jericho, and the band is rounded out by members of Stuck Mojo (see "WWF's Jericho Leads Fozzy To Label Deal"). "I don't even want to glorify him or gratify him by giving him publicity," McQueen said of the Jericho rumors. "'Fan' is short for 'fanatic,' and that word sums up Chris Jericho. This guy has been following us for years. He wrestled in Japan, and he discovered us in the early '90s. He followed us on our tours, and at first he was kind of cool, but now it's getting to the point of being embarrassing for him and embarrassing for us." McQueen has yet to confront Jericho about what the singer calls "this 'Fatal Attraction' kind of thing," and he probably won't be hunting Jericho down when Fozzy plays MTV's "WWF Heat" on Sunday, October 29. "If he keeps it up, I will put a restraining order on him," McQueen said. "I don't want him around. He creeps me out, to be honest with you." However, Moongoose and the rest of Fozzy are less likely to keep their distance from the artists they feel have liberated their intellectual property. "Believe me, there will be some confrontations coming up in the next few months," McQueen promised. "There's going to be some very embarrassed rock and roll stars. Now that they know that we're back in the country, they're scared. They know they've been caught with their hand in the cookie jar. They're like a kid who comes down on Christmas morning and unwraps his presents before his parents get up. They're very, very scared." While McQueen is optimistic that Fozzy's return to the States will find the band gaining the audience it has been cheated out of for decades, the singer also hopes that life in the U.S. will bring some additional perks. "People talk about sex, drugs, and rock and roll. Now that I'm back in the States, I can't wait to have sex and take drugs," Moongoose said. "I never had enough money to take drugs before. I'm a huge rock star who's never had any drugs, and that's not right. That's unfair." Filmmakers have also documented Fozzy's return to the U.S., and McQueen is optimistic that the resultant "textbook on the band" will touch a chord within viewers. "They'll have a chance to see behind the iron curtain, so to speak, and get a sense of the band and our personalities," McQueen said. "[They will] basically get a sense of what has happened to us in the last 20 years and feel sorry for us and feel sympathy for us and therefore buy more Fozzy product. That is basically the message that's in there. People will feel sorry for us, and it's going to translate into more money for us." Related Artists Black Sabbath Dio Iron Maiden Ozzy Osbourne ]]> http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1425968/20001024/black_sabbath.jhtml News Article http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1425968/20001024/black_sabbath.jhtml 24 Oct 2000 07:55:00 EDT Dio's "Feed My Head" It's been four years since metal mainstay Ronnie James Dio delivered a studio album to stores, and some would argue that they've been waiting even longer than that for a "real Dio album." "The last studio album we did was very confusing, especially to a lot of Dio fans," the singer explained to MTV News. "It was a little bit more of an attempt to be modern, to go a little bit farther to the left, and I think that didn't sit too well with the fans that we have. They kept saying to me, 'When are we going to get another album, I mean a real Dio album?'" [RealAudio] Well fair metalheads, wait no longer. Dio's eponymous outfit delivered "Magica," its ninth studio effort, to stores last week, marking its first release of any kind since the 1998 live album "Inferno: Last in Live." The diminutive rock icon will pump the new album with a U.S. tour that kicks off this weekend on the west cost and runs through late April. Having eschewed the experimentation he dabbled with on 1996's "Angry Machines," Dio says that his time around, "Magica" blends various elements from his past successes like "The Last In Line," Holy Diver," and his work with Rainbow and Black Sabbath. "Musically, we've given them what they wanted," Dio said. From those potent musical ingredients, Dio crafted a sci-fi/fantasy concept album built on a short story the frontman penned himself, one that he hopes will be the first part of a novelized trilogy ("I have to stop doing this at some point," he says). "This was very easy because the story was already written," Dio noted. "It made the rest of it so easy. Because you just follow the story along and write the songs that way." The story that Dio has wrapped his latest work around involves the planet Magica, two dying suns, an ice age, and aliens among other odd topics. The pacing and subject matter established in the story helped to make the writing of the album "the easiest one I've ever done in my life" Dio said. Bringing that vision to the stage may be more of a challenge though. Balancing a career full of metal anthems and one long cohesive concept album in a way that pleases demanding fans won't be easy, but Dio's working on it. "['Magica'] has to be all one piece, but you can't do just that," Dio acknowledged. "You have to do what got you there, the classic material that we did before." Dio noted that the band's set will begin with 30 minutes of his more well known songs, including nuggets he hasn't performed in 15 years. "We've done Dio's greatest hits for 15 years because it worked, but we realized how many songs we had from those same albums that we never touched upon." After the opening dose of vintage Dio, the band plans to offer up a sizable (albeit abbreviated) version of "Magica" before delivering the band's best known hits. "We have to do 'Holy Diver.' We have to do 'Rainbow in the Dark,'" Dio said. "They'd kill us if we didn't." If that sounds like a plan to you, here's where you can catch Dio in support of "Magica": 3/31 - Yucaipa, CA @ Crossroads Bar & Grill 4/1 - Las Vegas, NV @ House of Blues 4/2 - Viejas, CA @ Dream Catcher Showroom 4/3 - Phoenix, AZ @ Alice Cooperstown 4/4 - Tucson, AZ @ Rialto Theater 4/6 - Albuquerque, NM @ Midnight Rodeo 4/7 - Colorado Springs, CO @ Colorado Music Hall 4/8 - Denver, CO @ Ogden Theater 4/11 - Lubbock, TX @ The Library 4/12 - Amarillo, TX @ Midnight Rodeo 4/14 - Dallas, TX @ Bronco Bowl 4/15 - San Antonio, TX @ Sunken Garden Amph. 4/16 - Corpus Christi, TX @ Buckets Sports Bar 4/18 - Indianapolis, IN @ 8 Seconds Saloon 4/19 - Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave 4/21 - Chicago, IL @ House of Blues 4/22 - Detroit, MI @ Harpo¹s Concert Theater 4/23 - Cleveland, OH @ The Odeon 4/24 - Cincinnati, OH @ Annie's 4/26 - Lancaster, PA @ Chameleon 4/27 - Old Bridge, NJ @ The Birch Hill 4/28 - Frederick, MD @ XHale 4/29 - New York City, NY @ Irving Plaza Related Artists Dio ]]> http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1428103/20000331/dio.jhtml News Article http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1428103/20000331/dio.jhtml 31 Mar 2000 04:00:00 EST W.A.S.P. W.A.S.P. has pulled out of their scheduled road trip with Iron Maiden and Dio citing their need to continue working on their new album. The band was due to start the "Metal Mania" tour June 26 in Chicago, and was booked up until August 2 in New Jersey. W.A.S.P. leader Blackie Lawless said in a statement that the band had not finished the record as early as expected, and that to abandon it and come back to the project later would disturb the creative process. The album is expected out before the year's end at this point, and it would have been delayed until 1999 had they taken the time to tour. Lawless apologized to Steve Harris and the rest of Iron Maiden. A spokesperson told MTV News that both Iron Maiden and Dio would play longer sets to make up for the loss. Also on the bill is Dirty Deeds, the first band signed to Harris' Beast Records. Dio is not on all the dates, however. They drop off the schedule after July 29. Related Artists Dio Iron Maiden W.A.S.P. ]]> http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1428104/19980623/dio.jhtml News Article http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1428104/19980623/dio.jhtml 23 Jun 1998 06:30:00 EDT Eddie Just when you thought it was safe to return to your local amphitheater... Perennial headbangers Iron Maiden, Dio, and WASP have teamed up for a summer tour that kicks off next week and promises to bring old fashioned, high-shrieking heavy metal to the U.S. Iron Maiden, who will be touring behind the recently released "Virtual XI," say that this time out they will be packing a stage show suitable for a tour being dubbed "Metal Mania," and they are promising that this time their longtime mascot Eddie will be along for the ride (for more on the legacy of Eddie, see our Blowhard archive). "We're ready to bring metal back to our North American fans," Maiden bassist and founding member Steve Harris said of the tour in a prepared statement. Harris will be joined by guitarist and Maiden co-founder Dave Murray, drummer Nicko McBrain, guitarist Janick Gers, and frontman Blaze Bayley (who replaced Bruce Dickinson in 1993). "The last time we toured here almost three years ago was the first tour with Blaze and we made a point of playing intimate venues that allowed the fans to get to know Blaze but didn't allow us to bring our full production," Harris said. "This time around we'll be largely in amphitheaters with the full in-your-face metal show that fans have been waiting for. Eddie is back in all his glory." In addition to Maiden, Dio, and WASP, the tour will also feature a turn from Dirty Deeds, the first band signed to Harris' Beast Records. The tour will not feature UFO or Yngwie Malmsteen, as had been indicated as the tour was coming together (see "Iron Maiden, W.A.S.P., Dio, Deep Purple, More For Metal Tours"). Here's where the Metal Mania tour will stop (Dio will drop off the tour after July 19): 6/26 - Chicago, IL @ Aragon Ballroom 6/27 - Columbus, OH @ Brewery District Ballroom 6/28 - Hamilton, ON @ Copps Coliseum 6/30 - Kalamazoo, MI @ Wings Stadium 7/1 - Clarkston, MI @ Pine Knob Music Theatre 7/2 - Cleveland, OH @ Nautica Stage 7/4 - Montreal, QUE @ Stade Du Maurier 7/5 - Quebec City, QUE @ L'Agora 7/7 - New York, NY @ Roseland 7/10 - San Antonio, TX @ Blue Bonnet Palace 7/11 - McAllen, TX @ McAllen Speedway 7/12 - Dallas, TX @ Starplex Amphitheater 7/14 - Phoenix, AZ @ Club Rio 7/15 - Las Vegas, NV @ The Joint 7/16 - Los Angeles, CA @ Universal Amphitheater 7/18 - San Diego, CA @ Open Air Theater/SDSU 7/19 - San Francisco, CA @ Maritime Hall 7/22 - Denver, CO @ Paramount Theater 7/24 - Minneapolis, MN @ TBA 7/25 - Milwaukee, WI @ Riverside Theater 7/26 - Cininnati, OH @ Bogarts 7/28 - Washington, DC @ The Ballroom 7/29 - Baltimore, MD @ Michael's 7/31 - Philadelphia, PA @ Electric Factory 8/1 - Hartford, CT @ Webster Theater 8/2 - Asbury Park, NJ @ Tradewinds Related Artists Dio Iron Maiden W.A.S.P. ]]> http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1428105/19980615/dio.jhtml News Article http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1428105/19980615/dio.jhtml 15 Jun 1998 02:00:00 EDT Dio - Wild One Wild One Artist: Dio Label: Reprise Records Album: Lock up the Wolves ]]> Videos http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?artist=5976&vid=58501 http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?artist=5976&vid=58501 23 Aug 2005 12:00:00 EDT