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Tag: Black Sabbath

  • Black Sabbath Vocalist Dio Dies

    Ronnie Dio performing in 2008
    Ronnie Dio plays IronFest in 2008

    Metal vocalist Ronnie Dio, best known for his role as Black Sabbath’s lead vocalist, died t0day according to a posting from his wife.

    Wendy Dio’s message read:

    Today my heart is broken, Ronnie passed away at 7:45am 16th May. Many, many friends and family were able to say their private good-byes before he peacefully passed away…

    Please give us a few days of privacy to deal with this terrible loss.

    Dio repeated the post on Facebook, where she said people could leave their condolences by liking the page.  After just 12 hours, nearly a quarter-million people had done so.

    Besides Sabbath (where he is credited with popularizing the devil horn gesture), Ronnie sang in the band Dio and a relationship with Jack Black led to his appearance in Tenacious D – The Pick of Destiny.

    Ronnie Dio later formed Heaven & Hell with former Black Sabbath members, including Tommy Iommi, touring through multiple countries in 2008.

    Wendy Dio announced last Thanksgiving that her husband had been diagnosed with stomach cancer.  Despite treatment at The Mayo Clinic, Dio was dead less than six months later at the age of 67.

    Photo by Shadowgate via CC2

  • New Music In Stores and Online10/7/08: The Streets, Sarah McLachlan, Oasis & More!!!

    Obviously I can’t have a record buying bonanza every week, otherwise I’d go broke. Definitely not a good look in today’s economy. So, this week will mark something of a vacation for me, with only one release that I’m nutso about. Here’s this week’s lineup of releases.

    Mike Skinner AKA The Streets. Photo by "realname".

    The Streets “Everything is Borrowed”:
    Folks on these shores (most of ’em) don’t get Mike Skinner or his style of music. Considering I didn’t think Amy Winehouse would cross over, I think Skinner is long overdue for some American love. “Everything is Borrowed” is his fourth, and reportedly the last album he is releasing under the Streets moniker. Expect more personal raps spiced with enough British slang that you might have to IM your best friend from London to ask “what the hell is he talking about here?”

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