Hi brENski
Thanks for the heads up mate. I'll definitely grab for the first of those Storm albums if I can and see what I think. Always good to get some new leads on music people think I might like.
I like what I've heard of Ronnie Dio, which is basically his Holy Diver album and I also think he sang the lead vocals on the Black Sabbath album Headless Cross. He's definitely another I want to hear a lot more of, both in Black Sabbath and in his own band. I also heard a song called Lady of the Lake, which I think he did with Rainbow (not the Sweet version), which was also pretty fantastic, so I might have to look at them as well.
On the matter of who influenced who, Andy Scott used to swear Queen copied Sweet, but apparently people would tell Sweet they sounded like Queen. However in recent years I think his view has softened and he was pretty chuffed to be sharing a stage with Brian May recently at Concert at the Kings.
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Heavenite wrote:I like what I've heard of Ronnie Dio, which is basically his Holy Diver album and I also think he sang the lead vocals on the Black Sabbath album Headless Cross. He's definitely another I want to hear a lot more of, both in Black Sabbath and in his own band. I also heard a song called Lady of the Lake, which I think he did with Rainbow (not the Sweet version), which was also pretty fantastic, so I might have to look at them as well.
Sorry to butt in, but Dio wasn't on Headless Cross, that was Tony Martin, but the comparison is understandable. The Black Sabbath albums Dio was on, are Heaven and Hell, Mod Rules, Live Evil, and Dehumaniser. He also teamed back up with them more recently to form Heaven and Hell (the band), which was the last time Dio played live. Of the Sabbath albums, Heaven and Hell (the album) is the best (imo), but Mob Rules and Dehumaniser are worth checking out. :)
the three tracks imentioned are ALL on the first dio/sabbs album...Heaven & Hell
they are really good examples of the great quality of his voice
also, the first three Rainbow albums - are worth a go...but esp "Rising" and "Long Live Rock and Roll"
Rising - has two absolute classics in - Stargazer (a song about the tower of Babel) and A Light In The Black - which feels like a natural sequel...the vocals on both are amazing and Cozy's drumming on ALITB is blitzkreig to say the least...Blackmore employs his famed Turkish/Asian style guitar playing to great effect.
As for LLRnR - there's some quality songs on there too - the title track, Lady of the Lake, Kill The King, and the incredible Gates of Babylon...but if you want a queen parallel - Rainbow Eyes is the one....it's not unlike White Queen....
and don't forget to get the Black Sabbath - Heaven & Hell album from 1979
enjoy!!!
they are really good examples of the great quality of his voice
also, the first three Rainbow albums - are worth a go...but esp "Rising" and "Long Live Rock and Roll"
Rising - has two absolute classics in - Stargazer (a song about the tower of Babel) and A Light In The Black - which feels like a natural sequel...the vocals on both are amazing and Cozy's drumming on ALITB is blitzkreig to say the least...Blackmore employs his famed Turkish/Asian style guitar playing to great effect.
As for LLRnR - there's some quality songs on there too - the title track, Lady of the Lake, Kill The King, and the incredible Gates of Babylon...but if you want a queen parallel - Rainbow Eyes is the one....it's not unlike White Queen....
and don't forget to get the Black Sabbath - Heaven & Hell album from 1979
enjoy!!!
Hi Lord Fickle
Thanks for ironing out those Black Sabbath facts for me. So I haven't actually got a Black Sabbath album with Dio on it then. Apart from Headless Cross, the only two other albums I've got of their's are possibly the two most famous - Paranoid and Sabbath Bloody Sabbath with Ozzy on vocal. I particularly like Paranoid with Iron Man and War Pigs on it. Sabbath Bloody Sabbath is not bad either. I particularly like the title track and Fluff on that one. Funny how when a heavy metal band like Sabbath do a cutesy little song like Fluff, they do such a great job of it. I remember something similar happening on a Bread album. Such a soft rock MOR band, yet this one song (can't remember its name) was a real rocker and they did it perfectly.
Thanks for ironing out those Black Sabbath facts for me. So I haven't actually got a Black Sabbath album with Dio on it then. Apart from Headless Cross, the only two other albums I've got of their's are possibly the two most famous - Paranoid and Sabbath Bloody Sabbath with Ozzy on vocal. I particularly like Paranoid with Iron Man and War Pigs on it. Sabbath Bloody Sabbath is not bad either. I particularly like the title track and Fluff on that one. Funny how when a heavy metal band like Sabbath do a cutesy little song like Fluff, they do such a great job of it. I remember something similar happening on a Bread album. Such a soft rock MOR band, yet this one song (can't remember its name) was a real rocker and they did it perfectly.
Hi brENski
Thanks for your info as well.
Looks like Heaven and Hell is another overdue album for me. I know people often refer to that one along with Paranoid and Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, so its probably time to get the last of the "big three" then.
I'm not surprised to hear what you say about Dio with Rainbow either. That song Lady of the Lake was really out of the box, as far as I'm concerned. I also heard people referring to Dio as "Stargazer" at the time of his death, so it sounds like your opinion on that track is fairly universal.
And getting into something as good as White Queen has got to be a priority too. I absolutely love White Queen (along with March of the Black Queen and Nevermore) so I've got to have a listen to Rainbow Eyes.
Thanks for your info as well.
Looks like Heaven and Hell is another overdue album for me. I know people often refer to that one along with Paranoid and Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, so its probably time to get the last of the "big three" then.
I'm not surprised to hear what you say about Dio with Rainbow either. That song Lady of the Lake was really out of the box, as far as I'm concerned. I also heard people referring to Dio as "Stargazer" at the time of his death, so it sounds like your opinion on that track is fairly universal.
And getting into something as good as White Queen has got to be a priority too. I absolutely love White Queen (along with March of the Black Queen and Nevermore) so I've got to have a listen to Rainbow Eyes.
Rainbow Eyes is a beautiful piece. Personally, I would offer a comparison to the quiet part of Stairway To Heaven. :)
I've never really been into Sabbath with Ozzy. Not too keen on all the doom stuff, and Ozzy isn't exactly in Dio's league, in terms of vocal qualities lol!
Certainly check out any Dio era Rainbow or Sabbath, and also the early Dio 'solo' albums, but his later stuff was a bit stale, in my opinion, and he tried to move away from the 'fantasy' lyrics which he was so good at. If it ain't broke, don't fix it, is my motto! ;)
Oh, and to bring the thread full circle, so to speak, an interesting fact is that Dio was asked to join The Sweet after Brian Connolly left (or, was fired), but turned down the offer and joined Sabbath instead.
I've never really been into Sabbath with Ozzy. Not too keen on all the doom stuff, and Ozzy isn't exactly in Dio's league, in terms of vocal qualities lol!
Certainly check out any Dio era Rainbow or Sabbath, and also the early Dio 'solo' albums, but his later stuff was a bit stale, in my opinion, and he tried to move away from the 'fantasy' lyrics which he was so good at. If it ain't broke, don't fix it, is my motto! ;)
Oh, and to bring the thread full circle, so to speak, an interesting fact is that Dio was asked to join The Sweet after Brian Connolly left (or, was fired), but turned down the offer and joined Sabbath instead.
Hi again Lord Fickle
From what I have heard of Dio I might also put him ahead of Ozzy, although Ozzy has an increbibly distinctive voice. Quite possibly its the Rainbow stuff that intrigues me most, although I was looking at a copy of Heaven and Hell yesterday but baulked at the cost of the Expanded edition. Might just get a regular copy to start with as they seem to be as cheap as chips.
Interesting the different stories we hear. Coming from the Sweet end, it was Dio, who had struck hard times, that wanted to join Sweet, not the other way around. That's the way Andy Scott describes it. If true, its certainly a decision he has lived to regret!
From what I have heard of Dio I might also put him ahead of Ozzy, although Ozzy has an increbibly distinctive voice. Quite possibly its the Rainbow stuff that intrigues me most, although I was looking at a copy of Heaven and Hell yesterday but baulked at the cost of the Expanded edition. Might just get a regular copy to start with as they seem to be as cheap as chips.
Interesting the different stories we hear. Coming from the Sweet end, it was Dio, who had struck hard times, that wanted to join Sweet, not the other way around. That's the way Andy Scott describes it. If true, its certainly a decision he has lived to regret!
i wouldn't touch the expanded version of sabb's heaven and hell...it's just a load of live stuff
if you want a good copy of the original: only £4.07
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/B0002XMF4O/ref=dp_olp_new?ie=UTF8&condition=new
...and there really isn't a bad track on this album
as regards rainbow: £2.60 & £2.64
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/B00000IMTF/ref=sr_1_1_olp?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1346180362&sr=1-1&condition=new
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/B00000IMTH/ref=sr_1_1_olp?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1346180395&sr=1-1&condition=new
if you have a tenner to spare - get all three...honestly, you'll love it
if you want a good copy of the original: only £4.07
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/B0002XMF4O/ref=dp_olp_new?ie=UTF8&condition=new
...and there really isn't a bad track on this album
as regards rainbow: £2.60 & £2.64
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/B00000IMTF/ref=sr_1_1_olp?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1346180362&sr=1-1&condition=new
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/B00000IMTH/ref=sr_1_1_olp?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1346180395&sr=1-1&condition=new
if you have a tenner to spare - get all three...honestly, you'll love it
i don;t understand the Andy Scott perspective - unless it's a bit of bravado?
Dio had just left Rainbow and was far from "on hard times", in fact he was certainly making more money thatn Sweet were at that time...sweet had (until LILO in june 78) had not had a top ten hit for over 3 yrs in the UK....
Dio had come off the back of a gold and silver UK album, in truth all four Rainbow albums that Dio was on (incl on stage) all made the UK top 20...
not ONE sweet (non compilation) album made the UK top 20
Dio had just left Rainbow and was far from "on hard times", in fact he was certainly making more money thatn Sweet were at that time...sweet had (until LILO in june 78) had not had a top ten hit for over 3 yrs in the UK....
Dio had come off the back of a gold and silver UK album, in truth all four Rainbow albums that Dio was on (incl on stage) all made the UK top 20...
not ONE sweet (non compilation) album made the UK top 20
I can't point to any evidence to back up either version, but like Brenski, I can't really see that Dio was desperate for work, given the success of the Rainbow albums. Indeed, Dio left Rainbow because Blackmore wanted to go in a more commercial direction, so I can't really see him leaving one 'pop' band (as it was turning into) for another, such as Sweet, despite the 'rock' respect they were gathering at the time, mainly for the albums and single b sides. Can't really see Dio singing Little Willy or Wig Wam Bam (lol!), and can't really see Sweet doing the dungeons and dragons stuff either. The two just weren't suited, although, there are rumours of some existing audition tapes that would be very interesting to hear.
those would be great tapes to get hold of
"High noon
Oh I'd sell my soul for water
Nine years' worth
Of breakin' my back
Ho-chi-ka-ka-ho Co-Co
Ho-chi-ka-ka-ho Co-Co
Ho-chika-ka-ho go go Co-Co"
"High noon
Oh I'd sell my soul for water
Nine years' worth
Of breakin' my back
Ho-chi-ka-ka-ho Co-Co
Ho-chi-ka-ka-ho Co-Co
Ho-chika-ka-ho go go Co-Co"
PMSL!!
Just thinking about this - most of my favourite singers are dead! How fucking tragic is that!
that's the way it goes...also a "time of life" things for me
most of my favourite artists have passed on
dio, rhoads, brad delph, freddie, rick wright, jon lord, warren zevon, rory gallagher, phil lynott and garry moore, george harrison, roy orbison....
most of my favourite artists have passed on
dio, rhoads, brad delph, freddie, rick wright, jon lord, warren zevon, rory gallagher, phil lynott and garry moore, george harrison, roy orbison....
Yup, to name but a few. I'd add Cozy Powell, John Bonham, Bon Scott...