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Dio’s death is a stunning and enormous loss for the rock and roll world.

From page 99 of Classic Rock Magazine Summer 2010

Cover of Summer 2010 issue.

Heralded as one of the greatest voices in rock, Dio fronted not one or two but three of the of the linchpins of 70s rock and 80s metal. With his eponymous band emerging in the early 80s after his exit from Sabbath, Dio carved his face in the Mt Rushmore of metal for all time… Holy Diver remains a pristine example of hoodlum-school parking lot-outsidermetal.

Only Ozzy’s solo rivalled it in its extreme nature for the times – and in direct competition with each other. Ozzy brought out Randy Rhoads and Dio countered with Vivian Campbell. Ozzy bites the head off a bat; Dio slays a dragon on stage. And while Ozzy continued on with enormous commercial success –

sacrificing personal integrity and ultimately becoming a parody of his former self – Dio remained true to his art and craft. Happy to play for anyone who would listen with varying levels of success over the years, his appeal never waned.

Indeed my first big date with my now wife was Dio, Deep Purple and the Scorpions. Recently his work with the reformed Dio-era Sabbath – Heaven And Hell – yielded a killer new record and subsequent tours, reminding the rock family the world over who the true heavyweights of metal are. He will be missed by many and we have lost a great voice and carrier of the flame.

Charles Owens, via email