Another figure from my childhood has gone, Ronnie James Dio died today.
When I was young I think I felt that my heroes were bulletproof and beyond reproach. As I grew, I lost interest, finding new outlets for my energy and enthusiasm, but in later life I’ve rediscovered a lot of the music (TV and movies too) that I loved and have found my feelings haven’t really changed. The appreciation is on more levels now, I can see it from more angles, from a little more distance. I know it’s not perfect now, but it was perfect for me at one time and that makes it timelessly personal and endlessly joyful.
Here’s to our heroes.
I ain’t really old enough (31) to have really appreciated Ronnie James Dio in the day, but I remember a guy who lived across the road from me who was a bit older, and also into BMX, listening to “Holy Diver” on repeat all the time.
So today, reading your blog, is the first time I’ve heard the name in a long long time, and unfortunately for the worst of reasons.
I’ve got Holy Diver on my iPod :o)
I hope the teenagers of today still have musicians to marvel at that have talent, are successful, but aren’t celebrities.
I’ve always been amused by comments like “They’re rubbish, I’ve never heard of them”. Aye…
I just saw this reported somewhere else and there seems to be some confusion, with stories that the death report is a Wikipedia hoax: http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/292080
I had a massive poster of Ronnie James Dio on my wall as a kid. I think it was free in Kerrang….. I loved his lyrics. No matte what the song you need to mention rainbows…..,.
Aye, it was all rainbows, I think it was constant digs at Richie Blackmore!
“I hope the teenagers of today still have musicians to marvel at that have talent, are successful, but aren’t celebrities.”
– Yep, it makes you wonder if many listen to music outside of the mainstream and heavily pimped stuff that’s all over the radio and TV. I always find it amazing when good indie bands (which Britain has a lot of) like Elbow make it into the charts and people wonder where they came from…
Kinda hard to know where the good music comes from when the horizon of your musical interest ends at number 1 in the UK Top 40 :)
I just realised reading that I have no idea what’s in the charts anymore.
Ah well :o)
Well, when I start mentioning the talented names from the charts, such as Lady Gaga, Alicia Keys and Alexandra Burke you’ll find truth in the old “ignorance is bliss” ideology :)
Oh wait, I know a Lady Gaga one. Hey, I’m I’m in touch with youth culture :o)
LOL… but I bet you’re devoid of the personality disorders… I love this quote from young Miley Ray Cyrus:
“For now I’m still learning who I am. One minute I have black hair, the next it’s red. One day I’m wearing Converse sneakers, and the next I’m in the hippie look. I definitely feel like I know myself more than I ever have, but I don’t feel rushed to figure myself out. I have all the time in the world to do that.”
It’s little wonder chart music is so… :)
I bumped into a goth when I was heading to the shop for lunch the other day, they were in the full rig including back and white face paint. I was really impressed by the effort and attention to detail.
But as I stood there in my Snickers work pants and t-shirt it occured to me that I just don’t have the energy to be young any more, being an auld bloke is so much easier :o)
Yep, goths have a fairly creative sense of style!
Getting older seems to be about simplification… hair gets shorter so that you don’t need to do much with it in the morning, same with the frequency of shaving; but you really know you’re getting a bit older when you go outside your house at night and any kids hanging around start looking like they’ve been up to something they shouldn’t have – in they same way we used to view those pesky grown-ups when we were that age :)
Maybe it’s good to get to stand on the other side of the fence as you get older, you get the whole picture, eventually!
I think he really is dead.
He is.
Not been around for a few weeks as had to send faulty PC bits abroad to get swapped. Just catching up. Another legend gone and easily in the top 5 ever of rock singers. Just got the remastered albums and they still sound fresh now. Neon Knight is one of my all time fav songs, luv it. So which was it Ronnie Heaven or Hell. Going to watch Slayer on sunday gotta keep rockin.
I’ve the remasters on my iPod just now, it’s brilliant stuff. Finally got the 17 minute live version of H&H from the Die Young 12″ single on CD!
Enjoy Slayer, just read an interview with Tom Araya about his spine operation, no more headbanging for hime it looks like.
Slayer were great and the support band the haunted good as well. The bass was a bit woolly though but you could feel it in your gut, proper metal. I thought it would have been a bit louder tbh but the Manchester Academy is quite near to residential areas so that must have some bearing and they finished at 10.15. Health and Safety no doubt, bollox to that. Just got my Dio tribute playing on the ipod as i type this.
Magic!
10.15 is helluva early isn’t it? We get that at the ABC and the Garage here, the bands go on early so they can shove the folk out and let the er, “disco” folk in afterwards.
Just found this while browsing vue cinemas Pete metal concert being shown live from Bulgaria with Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax. The link is up your way don’t know if its near your or not or if their is one closer. Looks superb and i will be viewing it in Blackburn
http://www.myvue.com/cinemas/film_info_detail.asp?SessionID=&cn=1&ci=4&ln=1&fi=10628|6298|0
I saw that today when I was looking at the Rush movie (in Glasgow on Monday). The “Big Four” on the same bill, that would be quite a night :o)
It’s good here – I dropped by to check out Coops’ link to the Cocoons and ended up wandering off down memory lane.
I’m parked there quite often.
I’d forgotten how nice it is down there. However, I’ve had to do a U turn as I’m off camping with the family this weekend and the 54kg tent takes some packing…
Ach, it’ll be great fun whatever if the weather holds its nerve!