Ronnie James Dio story to be released in August

The depth of loss felt within the Rock and Metal communities by the passing of Ronnie James Dio on the 16th May 2010 was immense, and is testament to the high esteem with which the man and his legacy is held. As a fitting reminder of this legacy, Universal Music is proud to present The Ronnie James Dio Story: Mightier Than The Sword, a 2CD collection celebrating over three decades of music from one of the greatest vocalists in the entire history of Hard Rock and Heavy Metal.

As lead vocalist to such Rock giants as Rainbow and Black Sabbath, as well as fronting his own eponymous band for nearly three decades, Dio created some of the genres most defining and respected works. Albums such as Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow, Rainbow Rising and Long Live Rock ‘n’ Roll for Ritchie’s post Deep Purple band Rainbow; then Heaven And Hell, Mob Rules, Dehumanizer and Live Evil for the mighty Black Sabbath and with his own band Dio, albums such as Holy Diver, The Last In Line and Sacred Heart, all stand as towering monuments of sheer class and brilliance in the Rock pantheon. As a live performer, Dio knew few equals. With his lions roar and incredible vocal range, the front-man presided over countless memorable rock shows, delighting millions of fans all over the world.

With two Discs full of Dio from early to late, we hear it where it all began with Elf, and Carolina County Ball from their 1972 eponymous debut album. Leading on to Dio’s time spent with Rainbow bassist and producer Roger Glover and his solo album The Butterfly Ball And The Grasshoppers Feast from which the song ‘Love Is All’ is taken from.

The next eight tracks are then naturally centered around Dio’s time with Rainbow include tracks ‘Stargazer’, ‘Kill The King’ and ‘Gates Of Babylon’ which rank among some of the greatest rock tracks ever recorded and although Blackmore’s band was steered somewhat haphazardly at times, Ronnie James Dio’s consistently supreme vocal contribution over their three studio albums and one live release, ensured a level of artistic excellence was maintained and still stands as a hallmark to some of the very best music in the rock field.

Also included are tracks from Dio’s time spent as lead vocalist with Black Sabbath. Dio had given Sabbath a new lease of life and the two titanic studio albums they recorded during the early 80s, Heaven And Hell (1980) and Mob Rules (1981), hold some of Metal’s greatest tracks. The version of ‘Mob Rules’ featured here is actually the demo track which was used in the soundtrack to the film celebrating the comic books, Heavy Metal.

Representing Dio’s time spent at the helm of his own band are the colossal title track and ‘Rainbow In The Dark’ from the debut album, Holy Diver (1983). Also, featured are ‘We Rock’ from the follow-up, The Last In Line album (1984); ‘Rock ‘N’ Roll Children’ from Sacred Heart (1985) and ‘All The Fools Sailed Away’ from Dream Evil (1987). The track ‘Push’ represents Dio’s Killing The Dragon album released in 2002 and the final track from Dio (the band) is the opening track from the very last album, Master Of The Moon, released in 2004. A further two tracks under the Black Sabbath brand also appear ‘ ‘I’ from the first reunion album, Dehumanizer in 1992 and also ‘Shadow Of The Wind’ which was a brand new track recorded exclusively for the compilation, Black Sabbath: The Dio Years and first released in 2007.

Rounding off The Ronnie James Dio Story: Mightier Than The Sword are two tracks recorded during the second reunion Dio undertook with his old Sabbath cohorts, though this time reunited under the banner of that first album, Heaven And Hell. ‘Neon Knights’ is the live version which appeared on the album, Live At Radio City Music Hall (2007) and ‘Bible Black’ from The Devil You Know, which was the final studio album Dio recorded with Heaven And Hell in 2008.

Full tracklisting overleaf.

DISC ONE:

1. Carolina County Ball ELF
2. Love Is All THE BUTTERFLY
BALL.
3. Temple Of The King RAINBOW
4. Catch The Rainbow RAINBOW
5. Stargazer RAINBOW
6. Run With The Wolf RAINBOW
7. Kill The King (Live) RAINBOW
8. Long Live Rock ‘n’ Roll RAINBOW
9. Lady Of The Lake RAINBOW
10. Gates Of Babylon RAINBOW
11. Die Young BLACK SABBATH
12. Heaven And Hell BLACK SABBATH
13. Children Of The Sea BLACK SABBATH

DISC TWO:

1. Mob Rules BLACK SABBATH
2. Voodoo BLACK SABBATH
3. Country Girl BLACK SABBATH
4. Holy Diver DIO
5. Rainbow In The Dark DIO
6. We Rock DIO
7. Rock ‘n’ Roll Children DIO
8. All The Fools Sailed Away DIO
9. I BLACK SABBATH
10. Push DIO
11. One More For The Road DIO
12. Shadow Of The Wind BLACK SABBATH
13. Neon Knights (Live) HEAVEN AND HELL
14. Bible Black HEAVEN AND HELL

The Ronnie James Dio Story ‘ ‘Mightier Than The Sword’ will be released on the 8th August 2011

Explore 1960s Culture at LA Museums

Explore 1960s Culture at LA Museums. Rock ‘n’ roll, civil rights and self-expression: From the fringes of society, radical new trends emerged that changed American culture and created icons in the 1960s. Now, 50 years later, several museums throughout Los Angeles are exploring the counterculture decade through exhibits showcasing the music, literature and art that shaped the revolutionary era.

“John Lennon, Songwriter” at the GRAMMY Museum
Through March 31, 2011
All Across the Universe…and now in especially in Los Angeles, John Lennon’s legacy lives — and for a limited time you can get in inside glimpse at his life, career and lasting impact. On what would have been his 70th birthday, the commemorative exhibit “John Lennon, Songwriter” opened at the GRAMMY Museum at L.A. LIVE. In the exhibit you’ll explore the origins of Lennon’s passion for music and songwriting, including his influences such as Eddie Cochran, Bob Dylan, Buddy Holly, Elvis Presley and others. You can also trace his evolution from his first band, The Quarrymen, through the Beatles era and then throughout his solo career. Personal memorabilia such as Lennon’s iconic round glasses, several guitars, drawings, hand-written lyrics and much more are on display as well as rare footage, photo and interviews. Don’t miss the interactive feature “In The Studio” with John Lennon. The GRAMMY Museum, in association with Hard Rock International produced this special exhibit, with pieces on loan from Yoko Ono. As a seven-time GRAMMY winner, it is the perfect venue to showcase Lennon’s prolific music career.

“Eva Hesse Spectres 1960″ at The Hammer
Through Jan. 2, 2011
Eva Hesse was one of the first women to achieve great success in the world of modern fine arts because of her cutting-edge work in painting and multimedia during the 1960s. Since her untimely death in 1970, she has been heralded as a visionary for her abstract self-portraits that depicted dream-like figures and emotional states. This specially curated exhibit at the Hammer Museum is the first time that these particular works from early in her tragically short career have been featured together. The exhibit was organized by E. Luanne McKinnon, Director of the University of New Mexico Art Museum, Albuquerque, and it is intended to delineate Hesse’s growth as an artist and her contribution to the greater art scene of the time.

Charles Bukowski: Poet on the Edge at The Huntington
Through Feb. 14, 2011
In a decade that was all about toppling the establishment, Charles Bukowski shouted the stories of the lowest tiers of society in his poems and novels. The author struggled through poverty and alcoholism right on the streets of Los Angeles, and he garnered material from his experiences. Writing in a raw, realistic voice he gained a cult following, though he never gained widespread notoriety during his lifetime. On display at The Huntington, you’ll find early edition prints of his works in literary magazines such as Wormwood Review, The Outsider and The Limberlost Review; rare novels; original drawings; and his manual typewriter.

Alexx Calise, hot up-and-coming indie artist.

”Throw your words at me, I’ll have my way with them,” mocks young and sharp-tongued singer, guitarist and songwriter, Alexx Calise. Delivering a sound that is both fresh and uniquely her own, Calise combines hard rock, electronica, and urban-edged pop with crunchy guitars, angsty lyrics, and an instantly identifiable vocal that is hauntingly beautiful and completely raw all at once. Calise grew up in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where she spent her childhood mostly alone or in the pages of a notebook, finding comfort only in her parents’ vast record collection, which included everything from Mozart to Led Zeppelin. At 11, she picked up the guitar to emulate her father, also a talented musician, and began fusing the melodies she heard in her head with her own poetry and recitations. Now living in Los Angeles, California and continuing along the same path, Calise is endorsed by over 13 music gear/clothing manufacturers, she has appeared in several national TV commercials, shows and special programs (including the Discovery Channel documentary, “The Science of Sex Appeal”), and she has been featured in Blender magazine, Guitar World, and the how-to/method book, “How to Succeed as a Female Musician” alongside such notable musicians as Lisa Loeb and The Donnas. Her music is in heavy rotation on MTV/VH1 Networks, and on thousands of radio stations internationally. Most recently, Alexx’s song, “Morning Pill” was used in a One Tree Hill promo, she appeared as the lead guitarist for a Disney Imagineering DVD about soundwaves, and she was featured on Boston’s #1 Hit Station, Kiss 108 FM as a “hot up-and-coming indie artist.” Calise has just released her 2nd album, In Avanti, a high energy “rocktronica” collaboration with Grammy-nominated producer, Luigie Gonzalez. Immediately following will be her debut album with other music project, Sound of Cancer (with accomplished drummer/songwriter, Dennis Morehouse). To visit her website click here