Ronnie James Dio Telephone Interview
by Scot Clayton
Complete Audio Interview with RONNIE JAMES DIO by Scot Clayton
Part 1.........Part 2...........Part 3
AuDIO and Lyrics by permission of Scot
SMC
First off, I want to thank you a lot for
taking the time out of your
busy schedule, getting ready for your tour and all.
RJD
Hey, no problem, Scot.
SMC
You've had such a long and fruitful career, I know you've been asked the
same questions over and over. We are going to try to stay away from that
today. BUT, I know it's impossible because some stuff people still want to
know about.
RJD
Sure it's not a problem.
SMC
First off, your latest release, on Rhino records, The Very Beast of DIO,
my initial thoughts when I got this disc was "Wow, what a great packaging
for a compilation, I don't know if you've seen it, it has the 'evil eye' and
the book is really great, I thought it was really great. Did you have any
input in that?
RJD
Yeah, they actually called us first and asked if we would be interested
in having them do that. We said we would, we knew the people there. We knew
that they had always done a good job. They asked us about choices of songs.
What they thought, what we thought what their choices were. I don't think we
changed anything. We contributed some art work, some photos, and things like
that for the sleeve, but the rest of it they did themselves.
SMC
It's really fantastic. I was really glad to see the 'Children of the
Night' little blurb in the back also. Anything new on that?
RJD
We are still going to do what we said before. We've already written the
song for a presentation by six guitar players and six singers to do that one
particular song, and contributions by a lot of other bands with unreleased
material. So it will be a full CD. And at the same time they will re-release
the Hear-N-Aid album that we released back in '85, and that will be released
on CD, 'cause it's only been on CD in Japan, and all contributions from that
will go to Children of the Night.
SMC
Do you have any release date on this stuff?
RJD
Gosh, Scot, I wish I could say, I wish you hadn't asked me that
question. I know the problem is such a time consideration. I didn't really
expect to be out touring this much again this year, I thought we had pretty
much stopped.
SMC
Public demands.
RJD
Yeah, that's right, you've got to be clever enough to go where people
want you, rather than sit at home and say 'why doesn't anybody want me?'.
So, again, we're going to do it, and we would like to do it as soon as
possible, but the other problem is to get the other guys who are going to do
it, there at the same time. I mean that has changed a bit with the
technology we've got. You know how we can record the thing and then take it
somewhere else, take it to where they are or even send it to them and say
"here play a guitar solo if you want, play a whole bunch of guitar solos and
we'll just deal with it when we get back." So it can be done, but for me it‘s
a matter of when this touring stops, but when the touring stops, you've
got to do a whole another album. So it's just a never ending cycle, but when
we get back we'll start on "Children of the Night", but as for a release
date, it won't be until next year.
SMC
Speaking of the tour, it looks like you're starting on Valentines day in
New Orleans, I see a show in Vancouver. Any thoughts on doing any more
European shows this year?
RJD
Well, we are as a matter of fact. We are going, I believe it starts in
April, it was originally five weeks I just heard, is now eight weeks with
Alice Cooper in Europe.
SMC
The Monsters of the Millennium I've been hearing rumors about then?
RJD
I don't know, is that what it's called?
SMC
That's what I've heard
RJD
It could be. It could be.
SMC
Mostly in Scandinavia
RJD
That's right, that's the one.
SMC
Another point that comes up quit often, and I know the problem of
expense, but you have quite a following 'down under' and they haven't seen
you in a while, any plans for Australia?
SMC
Always plans for that, Scot, always plans for that. Every year it's like
"Ok, can we do Australia?" "Yeah, it looks good this year" but then it's
"nah, can't do it." Why? Because of . why?.because of. there is always that
'because of' some place, and we keep trying, and we will get there. That
would be wonderful if we could get there this year.
SMC
It doesn't look like it though?
RJD
We will definitely get there, without a doubt. I'll promise that.
SMC
Well, I'm sure they'll be happy to hear that.
Speaking of Magica, which
I think is a masterpiece.
RJD
Thank you
SMC
The line up that I saw on that tour, at the Colorado Springs show in
what I believe you have termed the "Dio Dome", a little place out there four
or five thousand with a sort of dome,very good sound in there.
RJD
Yeah, I never forget that place.
SMC
That was, I believe, one of the tightest. The current line up to me is so
tight. There is something special this time and I was amazed at say, the Dream
Evil tunes, that I have heard over the years, on the radio and on CD, and to
hear you guys play those tunes and how heavy they are now, it's amazing. Any
thoughts on the current line up? Are you guys having as much fun on stage as
we perceive you having?
RJD
Oh we do, I mean that has been the most mentioned comment, "You guys are
smiling all the time, are you really having a good time?" And we just do. I
mean you can't fake something like that. Especially when it's me, I'm pretty
on top of everything. It's just been so much fun. This is the best band I
think I've ever played in. It is the tightest. I think a lot of it has to do
with Jimmy coming back as well. I mean Jimmy is just so solid all the time
and really has changed his life around now, and Craig is brilliant. I think
the nicest thing about us right now, is that Vinnie is not with us now, and
I'm not saying that to be catty, I don't mean it that way, I don't mean it
negative for Vinny, but I think that for the band, I think that it is very
important for us to have Simon in the band because Vinnie is a very
brilliant, brilliant player, but I think Vinnie started over playing an
awful lot. It got to the point where every time there was a space some where
for a guitar to do something, or the vocal, or some thing else to happen,
there was a drum fill. And luckily we ended it very amicably and I just
notice such a difference, the music is so tight now it always so bludgeons
now, it just sort of kicks at you a lot, and I think that has a lot to do
with the fact that Simon is playing with us and not Vinny. Plus Jimmy and
Simon just play so well together.
SMC
The bass player is almost always underrated in most bands, and I did
notice that difference. I think Craig has improved, not that he wasn't a
great player in the past, but everybody grows older and improves a bit, and
I've heard the same comments on Simon, I was a big fan of Vinny's, I think
he's a great player, especially in the early days, but when I saw the tour a
couple of years ago, when Vinnie left to fill in for Bill, I had some
hesitation about it. But Simon is really the Magica tour. He is the "Dio
drummer".
RJD
He is, that's right. Again let's not take any thing away from Vinny,
Vinny is a monster, but he's not playing any more. I mean, I think he had a
band together for a short while, I don't know if they still are, but I think
he's done a lot of computer work now, he's brilliant, I mean this guy is
amazing. But it's a shame to loose a player like that, I think he should
play with some body.
SMC
I agree. A short little blurb here, there is a line in the story of
Magica that goes something like "Sanasha Gorath Sollis Arcanna" is that
actually some language or is that something that flows good?
RJD
It flows good and a couple of the words are from spells, but they just
flow well, we just wanted to make up words that sounded as though they were
that kind of a spell word
SMC
It works! Changing gears a little bit but continuing on with Magica, I
know you're looking at another album after the tour, have you and Craig
started writing on it? Do you have anything in the works? Or is it just a
concept yet? What are your thoughts on the new release?
RJD
I would like it to be 'not Magica'. I want there to be two more parts to
Magica. I want there to be a trilogy for Magica. I want the next album to be
a bit more straight forward. I think it will be a nice contrast for Magica.
I think I'd like it to be a bit more like, I hate to throw out labels for
things, but I think I want it to be more like an album Dream Evil, or an
album like Holy Diver or an album like Last in Line, has no numatic idea to
it, has no connection to a story, you know, just an out and out Dio songs, a
few more faster things, because Magica is kind of a big slow presents most
of the time. So some more faster things, more 'Stand up and Shout' kind of
tunes. If we're on the road to making Dio what Dio was suppose to be, then I
think that's what it calls for.
SMC
I don't think any one would be disappointed in hearing any of the
analogies you just gave.
RJD
No, I don't think so either.
SMC
I've had a lot of people ask about DVD releases of some of your past
shows, and some new stuff, any plans in the future for DVD stuff?
RJD
Well, yes, there are plans for DVD things. I don't think those plans
have been made definite, but they company that we are with in Europe, a
company called The Eagle, has quite a big DVD section and I think those
things, once the business part is sorted out will be available on DVD,
'cause most of those things are still owned by Warner Brothers, and you know
there are obviously the legal ramifications here, but that not a problem,
we'll sort it out.
SMC
Great, glad to hear it. Now, going back a bit, we continuously hear
about the Elf reunion.
RJD
Yeah, I spoke to my cousin about two days ago as a matter of fact. My
cousin David.
SMC
He seems quit anxious, I've read a few interviews with Dave and he's
like "Hey, I'm really ready to get in there".
RJD
He is very anxious. It's easy to be anxious when you haven't done it in
a long time. I guess once you've got your life sorted out, as far as your
family life goes, your kids are all growing up and you have a business,
'cause that's what Rock has, he can deal with that now. But for those who
have to do what they do to earn a living, from what we do, our time has to
really be more concerned with ourselves and with that at the moment what
makes it difficult is when we're done with touring, we have to do another
Dio album, I mean, that's not unfortunate to me, but we will have to do
another Dio album and a tour after that so we'll have to find out when there
will be time to do it's still in the works, and we will do it and I know he's
very anxious but he'll just have to wait.
SMC
Very good. Rainbow rumors. Do you have any contact with Ritchie?
RJD
We've had some contact. We haven't spoken to each other. We've sent a
telegram back and forth when we were in Europe. We were kind of touring at
the same time so we didn't see each other personally. That was about it.
There have been offers for another Rainbow album, and tour, and an offer to
do just one show in Japan a thing called "Last Night" or something like
that, and to film it etc., etc., I've not heard any more about it since
about six months ago, so I really don't know.
SMC
Have you heard any of Ritchie's stuff lately, the Blackmore Knights?
RJD
No, I haven't, I haven't had the opportunity, I haven't taken the time
to go out and buy it. I know where Ritchie's at. I'm sure I can figure out
what it's all about. I think there's some girl running around with a
tambourine somewhere isn't it?
SMC
We'll leave that at that. (Laughing)
RJD
I'm sure it's great. I mean Ritchie doesn't do anything bad. He's
brilliant. He's just one of the greatest. He's a genius. He'll rock and roll
again, I know he will, it's just a matter of when and how he chooses to do
it, I don't know what it's going to be, and you know, it doesn't concern me.
What he does, he does, and if anything comes up with Rainbow and we can do
something that's not going to take up all of my time to do it, then I'll
consider it. But I'm not going to leave the guys behind me laying on the
ground saying "good for him, what about us?" Not after all the time
they put in, it's not fair to them and besides, I enjoy doing what I'm doing
more than I'd enjoy doing that any way.
SMC
It's funny you should bring that up, do you enjoy searching the web, or
checking out any of the sites?
RJD
Once in a while I do.
SMC
The other day I ran across a site that, obviously a fan, spent quite a
bit of time on. It's a Promo for a movie, it has a fake script written, it's
hysterical obviously, it's really nice, high quality detailed work. The
movie is called "The Guitarist That Ate My Band". It's very humorous,
if you
get a chance to check it out, it gives you and Ritchie star billing.
RJD
What's the sight?
SMC
I knew you were going to ask me that, and I can't remember it, I didn't
write it down. I tell you what, I'll try to send it to one of your PR people.
RJD
I tell you what, I'll probably find it just looking up Rainbow, or
Ritchie Blackmore. I'll find it.
SMC
You probably will, I think you'll get a big kick out of it. Speaking of
some of the individual, solo type stuff, have you heard the Iommi solo album?
RJD
I haven't, no. Some one told me it was really good.
SMC
I think it is. I was disappointed, and surprised, I was hoping Tony
would ask you to do a song on it. Every song on it has different musicians,
different singers. If something like that comes up, would you be interested?
RJD
I'd work with Tony again, I'd do something with Tony. I don't have a
problem with that. I think that is pretty glaring, that because I wasn't
asked, or contacted in any way, shape or form that that would probably
preclude my being asked to do anything any way, but it's not something that
I'm concerned about or think about, I mean I couldn't care less whether he
asked me to do anything or not. I don't get it any way, because, wouldn't it
be kind of hard to tour with him?
SMC
Well, yeah.
RJD
I'm a working musician, that's what I do. I like to work, I do albums
because I have to. Writing is fun some times, some times it's a pain in the
ass, just like any work.
SMC
Sure.
RJD
But, uh, I forgot where I was going with this, probably to bitch and
moan about some thing, knowing me. (Scot laughs) Obviously, I was going to
bitch and moan about Tony. But again, I think that if he was going to ask me
to do it, he would have, a long time ago and just probably doesn't want to go
there any more. I don't know who is dealing with his business and that might
be some one who hates me as well.
SMC
Well, I think that's Sharon so that might have some thing to do with it.
RJD
Yeah, I figure that's probably what it's all about. Ozzie probably sang
a song on it, right?
SMC
You know, I think he did. But 99% of the other people that he had were,
at least in relation to you, are very new to the business, so I think that's
where he's going on that type angle, 'cause it's a lot different music,
though you definitely hear Tony's guitar. I think it's good stuff and if you
get a chance pick it up and listen to it, I think you'll enjoy it.
SMC
Speaking of the solo stuff, have you ever considered instead of doing a DIO
type thing, doing a similar thing, like Tony? Having a CD where every song
featured different musicians that were friends of yours, or people in the
industry? Have you ever thought about doing that?
RJD
No. I never would do that. No. I'm a band person, I'm a guy in a band,
that's what I do, that's what I've done all my life. I've been in a band, I
love being in a band. I like the camaraderie you get with other musicians
that interplay, that you get musically. The friendships that you make, the
experiences that you share, for me that's what it's all about, that's what
it's always been about, other wise I wouldn't tour as much as I have and I
wouldn't have done it all these years. Obviously Tony is a different kind of
person than I am, he has different goals and that's cool, but for me to do
something like that would be counter productive. The only time I've done any
thing like that was with the Hear-N-Aid thing which was some what like
that, just from a production stand point, but no, I just love to be in a
band, I really do, and I love the people that I'm playing with. And I would
hope it could last forever and so it's not something I'd want to do, I think
I'd be deluding myself.
SMC
I think it's readily apparent to most fans that you like doing that.
What's the latest on the autobiography? I know you've been busy lately, and
probably haven't had much of a chance to work on it.
RJD
Yea, it's been a matter of time again, and I just haven't had time to do
it. I'm still at the same point, just verging on half finished. The trouble
is I keep going on tour and keep adding all this more information I gotta
put in there and it's going to make it longer, ya know.
SMC
Speaking of your long career, most people consider you to have one of
the largest repartee of classical metal/rock songs, you have got to have
some that are your favorites and some that you don't like so much. What
would you say is your favorite to do live and your least favorite to do?
RJD
Truthfully, I would have to say all of Magica is my favorite to do live.
I just love that piece, I love all the hard work we put into it, I love the
way it's played, I get a tremendous enjoyment of playing music that doesn't
end for a while. So I'd have to say that that is my favorite, if it were a
single song, I would say, God, that's a hard one, I would say probably
Heaven and Hell. That's always been a song that gets a reaction that won't
stop. It's a great song and it was a great time in my life, so, I'd say that
one. But my least favorite? Probably Rainbow in the Dark.
SMC
I wasn't going to say it, but I had a feeling that was it. I've heard
you mention several times that you didn't want to put it on the disc, but
everyone talked you into it and it took off. Besides Rainbow in the Dark, is
there any tune that really surprised you like that. One that you thought
'this is a marginal tune, I don't really want to release it, but every one
else seems to thinks it's good so we'll go ahead and do it' and it really
surprised you?
RJD
No. Because really after Rainbow in the Dark, the career of the band
really exploded at that point and we were really able to get a bit more
selective. The thing I didn't like to do, and it wasn't a live thing, but a
lot of the album I didn't like, was Dream Evil as it happens. But I happen
to like it now, but I didn't like it then because of the circumstances because
the band was sort of breaking up at that point. So usually any thing from DE
I say is blah, I can't deal with that. But the things we do now, live, are
all things I like, I think on most of the albums, looking back now, there
are some that I wish I hadn't done, but I try to take them for what they
are, and if I don't like them, I don't listen to them.
SMC
I can understand that. As I've said before, the DE stuff has a sort of
popish/metal feel to the production of that album and when I heard you guys
do the tunes live, it just blew me away.
RJD
Like you mentioned, Craig has really grown up as a player, he's gotten a
lot better as a player, he doesn't think in those terms any more, but when
we were doing that, it was a time when everyone had 'high hair' everyone's
hair was teased up pretty far in those days. What I mean is that metal was
becoming a bit more 'poppy' and I think that since the band was breaking up
and we were just trying to put it together. It was the first album we had
done with Craig. We floundered around a bit here and there and it made for
an unhappy album to do. And we just let it go where it went I think was my
fault. You know, I produced it I should have known better. But in
retrospect, I think about it, there are some great songs on there. But,
yeah, you're right, Sunset Superman is a song we use to do live when the
album first came out, and I remember hating it, I remember hating doing that
song, just absolutely hating it. But now, when we do it now, the first time
we did it in rehearsal, I went "Why is that song so good now? What's
happened? What have we done differently?" Well, obviously the attitude
is
different, people have matured a bit more, we're playing it a bit different,
we're a heavier band now then we were then. Simon is playing drums, that
makes a great difference. And I think if we did all those songs again, you're
right, they'd probably come out real winners.
SMC
I noticed even RAINBOW IN THE DARK, I got a totally different take on
that song, to me the heaviness is so much there that it almost gave it a new
life.
RJD
And thank God for that.
SMC
We'll leave that at that. Deep Purple. I saw you doing that orchestra
stuff with Deep Purple, and you looked like you were having a blast
RJD
I had a great time. I just had a great time. A great time. Roger Glover
came to me at the end of the shows, and he said "You know, when you walk
on
the stage, it's like the sun comes out!" I said "well, that's really
good"
and he said, "You just light up the stage with your smile." I said
"Well, I'm having a great time." I'm having a great time in my life
now, and that is
why I smile when we play. I mean, how can you not smile when you're having a
good time? I'm not trying to portray some kind of evil image up there, I'm
just portraying the songs as they are when I sing them but that doesn't mean
I can't enjoy doing them, or that we don't have a good time having a
repoire. But with Purple it was that same thing, such a great time. Great
people, people I hadn't seen in, some of them for thirty years for God's
sake, and just falling right back into the old regiment of being best of
mates again. It was just great! I had a wonderful time, I have to go to
Japan and do two more shows at the end of this tour.
SMC
Great!
RJD
We're doing two shows in Tokyo, and I'm going to fly over for those, and
then we start a South American tour after that, and then we're doing the
Alice Cooper thing.
SMC
Did it seem like that basically when you got back with some of those
guys, like it was back in the old days when you use to open for Purple and
stuff? Did it bring back a lot of those old memories?
RJD
Oh, yeah, we spent all of our time drinking and swapping stories any
way. We couldn't get rid of Ian Gillian, for God sakes, we had to kick him
out the door when our mini bar was gone. But we had a great time, we just
sat around talking about old times. There was one time when the entire band
was actually in my room, and they all looked at each other and said "do
you
know this is the first time we have been together after a gig or in a room
for how many years now? Fifteen?" I thought, "Wow, it's amazing."
But it was
nice for me because I was able to draw them all together, them and - did you
meet Willy? Willy who works for me?
SMC
Oh, yes
RJD
You know Willy, and he's like the funniest man on the face of the earth.
Any way, he's known those guys for as long as I have so we've all been
buddies together. So we all just got together every single night, there
would be a drink in somebodies room, and I think we drew them all together
because they wanted to be around a place that is always happy, and Willy and
I are always happy, joke and laugh all the time. They just wanted to be
around some thing that wasn't the same old "aw, we gotta tour again, aw,
God
what are we gonna do." And so, we were like the hit of the tour because
we
were the happy people, and they all came into my dressing room , everyone
hung out in my dressing room 'cause it was happy, it was great.
SMC
It sounds like a high school reunion type thing.
RJD
It was, I tell ya, it was. It was unbelievable. We had shared so many
experiences before, and it was like we blasted back, and to me, nobody's
changed. Good thing we don't hold pictures up of each other of when we were
young, we probably wouldn't think that. But we certainly haven't changed as
individuals, not as people. Just great people, I mean, Roger is just the
best. There's nobody better than Roger. Roger is just the greatest man on earth.
SMC
Legal issues aside, what are your personnel feelings about fans who
record some of your shows and then trading with other fans all over the
world, not for money, but trading to sort of further the 'Dio cause', what
is your personnel take on that?
RJD
I don't care about that, it doesn't matter to me. I prefer that boot
legs weren't there, 'cause maybe in the long run the more people condone it,
the more it will become condonable. So, I'm not condoning it, but I think
only because I don't think it's something that you can stop. The technology
today is such, as you know, it doesn't take a very big instrument to record
some pretty good stuff these days. My only concern would be that we didn't
suck that night that they did it. You can't get around that, you either do
or you don't. But as far as that goes, if that's what they're going to do,
then that's what they're going to do. I can only hope they got a good
recording.
SMC
Well, I don't think they would have a problem with you guys not playing
well, at least not in the last couple of years.
RJD
No, that's true. So as long as we're in good shape we're OK. But as soon
as a flu comes along or a cold then it's all over. But anybody who recorded
the last tour that we did, and the one before it, got a great show every
night, I didn't care, it didn't matter to me.
SMC
That's great. Well, listen Ronnie, I don't want to hold you up any more,
I know you have more of these to do today. I want to thank you again for
taking time out to chat with us.
RJD
It's been my pleasure, Scot
SMC
I am looking forward to the Oklahoma City show, since you're not coming
to Wichita this year.
RJD
Yeah, you can run into Sheplers and pick up a pair of boots.
SMC
Yeah, sure.
RJD
Is that place still there?
SMC
Oh, yeah, sure.
RJD
I love going into those places, every thing in there is so new and
stiff, even the jeans, like they could stand up.
SMC
In the corner, by themselves
RJD
Yeah, they could. The boots are beautiful, but the day for rock
musicians to wear those boots is gone and I've got about fifty pair of them
any way. I could bring them down to them and sell them too them I think. I
got the old snake skins and all that. Of course a lot of them have the heel
on them that are about fifty feet tall.
SMC
You don't want to be doing any calisthenics on stage wearing that stuff.
RJD
Well, I thought I'd keep them just in case I got a gig in "Boogie Nights".
SMC
Yeah! Thanks again, Ronnie. Really appreciate this.