Dio/Sabbath to tour soon!!!

If this is true, I must go! Heaven and Hell is a masterpeice and I have always wanted to see Dio. How is his voice these days? Anyone here seen him live recently?
 
Dio's voice is unbreakable! :D

I saw him not too long ago and he's still in top form for someone who's 64 years old! Ok he might not reach the high notes anymore but you can still feel the same passion in his vocal delivery. And that's saying a lot :headbang:
 
From the oficial BS website

Heaven & Hell Rising in 2007?
File this story under the "very interesting rumour" department...

I've gotten quite a few emails about this subject today, and I wasn't planning on saying anything quite yet, but the fact that I keep getting emails has prompted me into saying something.

There is a story running today that claims that Ronnie James Dio, Bill Ward, Geezer Butler, & Tony Iommi are going to be touring in 2007 under the moniker of "Heaven & Hell". First off, let me copy the article verbatim, and then I'll have a few remarks about it:

Madrid, Spain-based webzine Rafabasa is reporting that former BLACK SABBATH members Tony Iommi, Ronnie James Dio, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward will rejoin forces once again under the HEAVEN & HELL banner for a number of festival appearances next summer.
According to Rafabasa, the four members cannot tour under the name BLACK SABBATH or "BLACK SABBATH with Ronnie James Dio" due to legal reasons.

No tour dates have yet been confirmed, but the band's booking agent is allegedly offering the group to the promoters of the most important heavy metal festivals that are set to take place next year.

If the report is to be believed, HEAVEN & HELL will play a set consisting of selections from every single SABBATH CD that Ronnie James Dio appeared on: "Heaven & Hell", "Mob Rules" and "Dehumanizer".

In an August 16, 2006 appearance on the syndicated radio show "Rockline", Dio had the following to say about the possibility of further collaborations with BLACK SABBATH guitarist Tony Iommi:

"We've already written one [new] song together. The reason for that is that there's a release coming out, it's called 'Black Sabbath: The Dio Years' — they've already done one, of course, 'Black Sabbath: The Ozzy Years'; that was the beginning and, really, the best part of it all — but they've decided to do one, again, 'Black Sabbath: The Dio Years', and we wanted to make it a little but more special, not just give you things you've not heard from a live perspective. These are two things you'll never hear again — two new songs. We are going to do that. It's been fun already. The one we've done — the one that I've done with Tony has been really wonderful — just great to realize how magnificent a player he was. You forget that after 10 years at a time that you don't work with someone. So we are gonna be doing that. And I hope you'll like it. I think it'll be great."

On the rumors of him possibly rejoining BLACK SABBATH, Dio said, "There's always rumors about everything — about a RAINBOW reunion, about a BLACK SABBATH reunion. Our purpose was to do this because we wanted to have this product be a bit more special than anything else — not just, 'Here's a live track you've never heard before.' I mean, that's cool, but I'm sure people have heard that. We wanted to do something a bit more special, so the whole band would write and play these songs, and… They've wanted to hear them long enough, so here they are. But it's not anything that we've talked about leading to anything other than that. No, it's for that project."


A few remarks by me on all this:

Today was not the first time I had heard these rumours. Running this site I hear all kinds of things, and generally I tend to discount them - but this one had some more weight to it, so I decided to do some poking around on my own. While I can't get anyone to officially say anything about this, it does seem to have the air of an authentic story to me. Heck, I can't get any official word about who is even playing on the new tracks for the Dio Years set, besides Iommi & Dio. One would hope it's the same four guys (Iommi/Butler/Ward/Dio), but I can't get official confirmation of that one, either.

So it's known that the Dio Years box set is happening. When - who knows, although I would imagine sooner rather than later. What the contents of the set are is also officially unknown. I've been hearing some rumours about specific content, but I don't really want to spread any more FUD about that issue, so I'll leave that out for now. Suffice it to say if what I heard is true, fans will really like it.

The other issue I wanted to say something about was the bit about legally not being able to call themselves Black Sabbath. A few points about this.. Ronnie has stated on many interviews and on his website that he would not be rejoining Black Sabbath. Assuming you take that as true, the rumour I heard that it was a choice to call themselves Heaven & Hell and not Black Sabbath should be taken as correct. The other side to that is the ownership of "Black Sabbath". It's always been my knowledge that in the mid 80's Tony Iommi bought all the rights, and to this day retains such ownership. There was a lot of stories that in order to get Ozzy to come back in 1997, some of that ownership would have to be given to the Osbournes. Now I want to say this. I am a fan. A somewhat connected fan, but I still am a fan. I'm an idiot if I think I know everything - I do not. But I do pay attention, and I have never seen anything that tells me that the ownership situation of "Black Sabbath" has changed. My educated guess tells me that this bit about legally not being able to use the name Black Sabbath is incorrect, that it's a choice to do that. If I hear anything factually to counteract that, I will retract my opinion here. I'M RIGHT - see update below.

Having said all this stuff, this is a very exciting possibility. To sum up:

Known facts:

There will be a "Black Sabbath: The Dio Years" box set.
Said box set will contain at least two newly recorded tracks.
Tony & Ronnie collaborated on the newly recorded tracks.
Rumours/Speculation:

These are all unconfirmed - so don't take it as fact, eh? :)

Geezer Butler & Bill Ward will comprise the rhythm section on the new tracks.
Iommi/Butler/Ward/Dio will tour in 2007 as "Heaven & Hell".
They are not billing themselves as "Black Sabbath" due to legal reasons. FALSE - see update below.
The Dio Years set may include the video mentioned by Dio on the Live Evil recordings.
Hopefully I can get some official confirmation about this stuff now that the "word is out" so to speak. I do work for Bill Ward & Geezer Butler, and am fairly friendly with Tony Iommi's people, so hopefully I can find out something I can officially talk about. The only "official" things are the three things listed above as "facts". The rest is speculation. I hope it's all true. And if they do tour, they'd better come to Dallas, dammit! :)

Hmm... Dio replaced Ozzy back in 1979, and now it's (in a fashion) being done again in 2007. Does this mean that a TV show with Ronnie going "WENNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNDY, the dog crapped on the carpet again!" is far behind? ;)

UPDATE Sep 28: I've since gotten email from an official source that wishes to remain anonymous that I was 100% correct on the legal situation with Tony Iommi and the name "Black Sabbath". It's still his sandbox, so there's no legal reason that would stop them from going out under the name Black Sabbath should they choose to. Should this all come off, and the name "Heaven & Hell" is used, it's my belief that it was some artistic choice, and not a legal one.
Click to expand...
 
This is from Today:

It's Official: DIO, IOMMI, BUTLER And WARD To Reunite As HEAVEN AND HELL - Oct. 25, 2006
A representative for BLACK SABBATH guitarist Tony Iommi has confirmed that the highly anticipated and much-rumored reunion of Iommi, Ronnie James Dio, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward appears to be shaping up and taking a new form. After various promoters have approached the former SABBATH bandmates' respective representatives, the guys have started taking all of this very seriously, as they have aparently wanted to reunite for some time now. It looks as if the new shape may be that of HEAVEN AND HELL — that is the moniker that the band is likely to use on their new venture. If all goes well, HEAVEN AND HELL should be hitting the road in early 2007.

In an August 16, 2006 appearance on the syndicated radio show "Rockline", Dio had the following to say about the possibility of further collaborations with BLACK SABBATH guitarist Tony Iommi:

"We've already written one [new] song together. The reason for that is that there's a release coming out, it's called 'Black Sabbath: The Dio Years' — they've already done one, of course, 'Black Sabbath: The Ozzy Years'; that was the beginning and, really, the best part of it all — but they've decided to do one, again, 'Black Sabbath: The Dio Years', and we wanted to make it a little but more special, not just give you things you've not heard from a live perspective. These are two things you'll never hear again — two new songs. We are going to do that. It's been fun already. The one we've done — the one that I've done with Tony has been really wonderful — just great to realize how magnificent a player he was. You forget that after 10 years at a time that you don't work with someone. So we are gonna be doing that. And I hope you'll like it. I think it'll be great."

On the rumors of him possibly rejoining BLACK SABBATH, Dio said, "There's always rumors about everything — about a RAINBOW reunion, about a BLACK SABBATH reunion. Our purpose was to do this because we wanted to have this product be a bit more special than anything else — not just, 'Here's a live track you've never heard before.' I mean, that's cool, but I'm sure people have heard that. We wanted to do something a bit more special, so the whole band would write and play these songs, and… They've wanted to hear them long enough, so here they are. But it's not anything that we've talked about leading to anything other than that. No, it's for that project."
Click to expand...
 
Well, this is from today. Says something different....

Metal Express Radio: Journalists are always asking you about BLACK SABBATH and RAINBOW reunions. When will you get fed up with these questions?

Dio: Well, you know, it's easy enough to say it's not going to happen. (Laughs) I don't have to explain that. I think it shows that people remember something that happened so long ago and consider it to be good enough to hear it again. It doesn't bother me. I mean I think people will eventually get the idea that it's not going to happen with me in the band anyway. It may happen with someone else. It's very possible that Ritchie [Blackmore] would get that band together and who knows who he will choose. It's not gonna be me. As far as SABBATH goes, they're releasing a box set called BLACK SABBATH "The Dio Years", and Tony [Iommi] and I are going to write a couple of songs for that project. But, that's it. I've created a different life for myself and I'm not about to leave this band for anything else. What comes along comes along, but at this moment it's just DIO that I'm concerned about.
Click to expand...
 
Funny thing, Sharon Osbourne was on Howard Stern this morning and they completely passed up asking her about the Dio Sabbath reunion. If you know the format of the show, they did mention the new of the Dio Sabbath reunion in the new with Robin...This went out world wide as Sirius is having their two day free offer...
 
Best news of the year! If it's true......... I'll be there wherever it happens :kickass:
And they should call it Black Sabbath, not H&H!


By the way, if you want to read crap from the Osbourne's camp, read below...

A representative for Ozzy Osbourne has issued the following statement regarding the reports that BLACK SABBATH members Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward are planning on teaming up with ex-SABBATH singer Ronnie James Dio for a tour under the HEAVEN AND HELL moniker:

"Tony Iommi and Ronnie Dio are working on a project together which has nothing to do with BLACK SABBATH. 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."
Click to expand...
:puke: :puke:

Yeah, right. The 3 main songwriters of Black Sabbath including the leader of the band + a former Black Sabbath singer, playing Black Sabbath songs, and it has nothing to do with Black Sabbath???
God I hate Sharon's arrogance! :D
 
My question to you all is this.
Are Iommi, Ward and Butler on Sharon's shit list again?!
I see no reason, they obviously want to make a little bank and play live before they can't. You don't see Ozzy getting motivated to write and record a new Sabbth album, right? He put them on hold, so hell they should not only go on tour, but record an album as well!
 
Fused was indeed awesome, and I might add, miles better than anything Ozzy has done in AGES!!! In fact, I personally haven't really liked anything since Bark at the Moon, with the possible exception of little pockets and songs here in and there. Now, I don't like Zakk Wylde's constant squealing, so that's part of it....but seriously....they are better off without Ozzy now. The DIO thing has MUCH more potential to be good. Further, everyone involved is getting to the point of "too old" so to be frank, this all needs to happen fast. If I reeeeeeally had my druthers though, Iommi would just make another album with Glenn Hughes and do a tour. Fused is the single best Sabbath related thing to come out since, say, Born Again, Diary of A Madman...etc.
 
ElectricWiz said:
they are better off without Ozzy now. The DIO thing has MUCH more potential to be good.
Click to expand...

Agreed.

Now, I don't take the papers, but apparently Ozzy is something of a dunderhead these days....
 
Fangface said:
Best news of the year! If it's true......... I'll be there wherever it happens :kickass:
And they should call it Black Sabbath, not H&H!
Click to expand...

That's lawyers for ya.

Fangface said:
Yeah, right. The 3 main songwriters of Black Sabbath including the leader of the band + a former Black Sabbath singer, playing Black Sabbath songs, and it has nothing to do with Black Sabbath???
God I hate Sharon's arrogance! :D
Click to expand...

Yup. The good thing is the people that really count, the fans, know the difference. As far as I'm concerned the best Black Sabbath was with Dio even though it had a much shorter run than the Ozzy version.
 
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