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Thiago
Sarkis
of Brazil's Roadie Crew magazine recently conducted an
interview with Wendy Dio, the wife/manager of legendary heavy
metal singer Ronnie James Dio. During the chat, Wendy
shared her thoughts on Norwegian singer Jorn Lande's "Dio"
album; ex-DIO and current DEF LEPPARD guitarist Vivian
Campbell; BLACK SABBATH and RAINBOW; and talked
about her husband's favorite songs; religious persuasion; and
feelings towards death. A few excerpts from the interview follow
below:
On people accusing her of cashing in on Ronnie's death:
Wendy Dio: "I feel very, very, very sad. It's very
hurtful, but I know what I'm doing for the fans. I know what Ronnie
and I had together, so, you know, it's a shame that people say
things like that, but people do always say things like that. I'm
sorry for them. Most of the fans are fantastic; [they are] wonderful
fans that loved Ronnie so much and who know that I wouldn't
do anything to hurt Ronnie's reputation. We've always
fundraised. Ronnie and I always fundraised. For animals, for
children, for everything. It's only right that I continue in Ronnie's
aim to do that."
On whether she believes that those accusations are rooted in the
fact that she and Ronnie were not involved as a couple for a
number of years prior to his passing:
Wendy Dio: "Maybe. But in any relationships there are
ups and downs. You part, and you go back. Then you part and you go
back. Ronnie and I married in 1974. It's a long time to be
together with somebody who is a musician. Sometimes there are
ramblings of people who don't really know you, who don't really know
what's going on… these people always say things."
On the meaning of death to Ronnie James Dio:
Wendy Dio: "I don't think he was afraid. No, he wasn't
afraid of death. He was just pissed off that he didn't get to do and
finish things he wanted to do."
On Ronnie's faith and religious persuasion:
Wendy Dio: "Ronnie was raised a Catholic, and he
believed in something. Not necessarily the Catholic religion, but he
did believe. He believed in an ultimate being. He believed the same
that I do… That you are reborn, you come back, and there's
reincarnation. I hope he comes back at the same time as I do, so we
can be together again."
On what the band HEAVEN & HELL meant to Ronnie:
Wendy Dio: "It was a joy. I think that it was really
nice that he was able to finish what he began with BLACK SABBATH
and to be with them again onstage.”
On Norwegian singer Jorn Lande's "Dio" album
and other musicians who who have paid tributes to Ronnie:
Wendy Dio: "Ah… I don't know. I was very upset about
the fact that [Jorn's 'Dio' album] was released. Yes,
I was. When somebody dies, if you wanna record a couple of tracks
[as a tribute to that artist], that's fine. But… to do a whole
album of Ronnie's songs? Why would you want to buy a
reproduction when you can buy the original? There have been IRON
MAIDEN songs dedicated to Ronnie live. That's a real
tribute. Rob Halford [JUDAS PRIEST] was an incredible
friend of Ronnie. He did many tributes to Ronnie. Ian
Gillan [DEEP PURPLE] was another friend of Ronnie.
Klaus Meine [SCORPIONS] was a friend of Ronnie.
All these people were friends of Ronnie and they all paid
tributes to him in their own way without cashing in on
anything."
On whether there are any unreleased Ronnie tracks and if
there is any possibility of them seeing the light of day:
Wendy Dio: "There are maybe five, but I didn't look at
anything. I closed the studio up. I don't have the strength to go in
there right now. It's still so hard to think about those things. We
will see what happens and how it goes. I work all the time. There's
not a day that goes by that I don't miss Ronnie."
On Ronnie's reaction when he was invited to join BLACK
SABBATH:
Wendy Dio: "He wasn't quite sure that it was the right
band for him. But it turned out that it was. Monetarily-wise, we
finally had some money, because we didn't have any money in RAINBOW.
We were finally able to buy a house, and that was nice. He was
treated very well in SABBATH. I mean, they were all
equal."
On the controversy surrounding Ronnie's relationship with ex-DIO
guitarist Vivian Campbell (in a 2003 interview Vivian
called Ronnie "an awful businessman and, way more
importantly, one of the vilest people in the industry."):
Wendy Dio: "[Vivian] always said that he hated
all the albums that he played on with Ronnie, and that was
very hurtful to Ronnie. Very hurtful. Would you like someone
who said something like that about your albums? He said a lot of
things in the press that I don't wanna get into, because it really
wasn't Ronnie's feud at all. Ronnie didn't fire him. I
fired [Vivian]. He wanted as much money as Ronnie
wanted. He thought he was as important as Ronnie was, and
that was just wrong. But I don't wanna get into that. It's water
under the bridge. It doesn't matter."
On Ronnie's favorite songs that he wrote himself:
Wendy Dio: "His favorite song was probably 'Heaven
And Hell' [BLACK SABBATH]. But again, if you look at 'Stargazer'
[RAINBOW] and 'Gates Of Babylon' [RAINBOW]…
oh, these were majestic songs."
Ronnie
James Dio’s
widow Wendy says she’s hurt by
continued allegations that she’s cashing in on the singer’s
death.
She
managed her husband for much of his career, but they’d split as a
couple by the time he succumbed to stomach cancer last May.
Wendy
has continued to build Niji Entertainment, the company they started
together, and says she’s "sorry"
for those who continue to accuse her of cashing in.
She tells Roadie
Crew: "I feel very, very sad. It’s very hurtful. I know what
Ronnie and I had together – most fans know I wouldn’t do
anything to hurt his reputation.
"Ronnie
and I always fundraised: for animals, for children, for everything.
It’s only right I continue to do that."
Discussing
the couple’s personal split she says: "In any relationships
there are ups and downs. You part, then you go back; then you part,
then you go back. We married in 1974 – that’s a long time to be
together with someone who’s a musician.
"It’s
a shame people say things, but some people do. There are ramblings
from people who don’t know you and don’t know what’s going on.
I’m sorry for them."
Wendy
believes there could be five tracks Dio had nearly finished before
he stopped work, but she hasn’t felt able to check in the
singer’s studio. "I didn’t look at anything; I closed it
up," she says. "I don’t have the strength to go in there
right now. It’s so hard to think about those things.
"I
don’t think he was afraid of death – but he was just pissed off
that he didn’t get to finish things he wanted to."
She
reveals Dio wasn’t convinced he should join Black Sabbath when the
offer came in 1979. "He wasn’t quite sure Black Sabbath was
the right band for him, but it turned out it was. Money-wise, we
finally had some money – we didn’t get any in Rainbow. He was
treated very well in Sabbath. They were all equal."
But
Wendy dismissed Dio guitarist Vivian
Campbell when he wanted a similar deal,
she reports: "Ronnie didn’t fire him – I fired him. He
wanted as much money as Ronnie wanted. He thought he was as
important as Ronnie was; and that was just wrong. But I don’t want
to get into it. It’s water under the bridge, it doesn’t
matter."
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