CRAIG GOLDY: WENDY DIO 'Is Trying To Keep RONNIE's Name, His Music And His Legend Alive'

Jeb Wright of Classic Rock Revisited recently conducted an interview with former DIO guitarist Craig Goldy. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

Classic Rock Revisited: Watching Ronnie backstage with the fans was amazing. He would take every picture and shake every hand. He was not forced to do it; he wanted to do it.

Craig: There were times he would allow the band to go back to the hotel and he and I would stay back and meet with the fans. I think that may have helped form our bond even tighter. Ronnie was also really good to the crew; he didn't treat them like shit. They were like family. We would hang out with them after the show and we would actually help them and carry shit and put it away. One night it was pouring rain and we were in the limo getting ready to leave the arena; it was three o'clock in morning. As we are pulling out we see these two guys standing out in the pouring rain. Ronnie and I looked at each other and Ronnie goes, "Stop." He rolls down the window and tells these two guys to come over. They come over and he is getting ready to sign the stuff they wanted signed and he and I looked at each other again and go, "Fuck this shit." They go, "We're sorry man." Ronnie goes, "No, not that. If you guys can wait for us in the pouring rain then we can stand with you in the pouring rain." We got out of the limo and stood and talked with them. We had a six o'clock lobby call and it was already three and there were only two of them but we knew we had to stop. We didn't have to, we wanted to. Because we loved the fans so much it became a matter of having to do that. It is not an obligation, you actually need to reach out and make that connection. Because you love them so much you have to reach out and give them a hug and talk to them. Most rock stars would say, "buy me a drink" or "roll me a joint" or "give me a snort of coke." We would feed them and give them our time.

Classic Rock Revisited: You were supposed to be the guy on [DIO's] "Killing The Dragon" but that you left.

Craig: I was in the studio with Ronnie writing and recording "Killing The Dragon", but there were times when your family needs you. My third wife was in Denmark and she was pregnant with my son and I just couldn't leave her in a strange country while we went on tour. Doug Aldrich came in and overdubbed my parts. I was on the album. "Throw Away Children", "Push" and "Rock And Roll" are my songs. I wrote the intro for "Killing The Dragon". I just had to be with my wife. I couldn't let her give birth to my first son in a different country while I went on tour. That is why I keep getting invited back because it is not like I am a fuck-up. Things just happen; life will kick the living shit out of you. You just have to do what you have to do.

Classic Rock Revisited: At what point did you find out that Ronnie was really sick?

Craig: Here I go again, I am going to cry. I was on tour with BUDGIE and we were doing a meet and greet and this guy comes up with his cell phone and says, "Have you heard that Ronnie is in the hospital with stomach cancer?" My whole life suddenly stopped. I got a chance to talk to Wendy [Ronnie's wife/manager] and we met when I came back. Ronnie was doing chemotherapy. At one point the doctor told him that he was free of cancer. Wendy asked Ronnie what he wanted to do and he said, "I want to write music with Craig." We started writing more "Magica" music. We were writing music and Ronnie was walking and talking and eating and was fine. I had to go back and tour with BUDGIE for a month and when I came back he was in the hospital and two days later he was gone. He was my family and he was gone. Wendy knew how much Ronnie and I meant to each other. There were all these people in the room and Wendy cleared the room so Ronnie and I could have alone time.

Classic Rock Revisited: You are Ronnie were more than bandmates. Ronnie was a father figure to you.

Craig: He was a father and a friend. I go through this still to this day. I have good days and bad days. I apologize.

Classic Rock Revisited: There is no need to apologize. You are a real person. There is no bullshit.

Craig: I will tell you that there is no bullshit in this organization. Ronnie wanted the music to live on; he requested all of what is happening now to happen. It was all established before he died. A lot of people accuse Wendy of trying to create a cash cow but that is not true. She is simply trying to keep his name alive. I am not trying to put Ronnie next to Elvis but when Elvis died his estate was in debt. Priscilla took over the estate and turned it into an empire. She did it because she loved him.

Classic Rock Revisited: It is bullshit that anyone would think she has any other reason to do this than to fulfill Ronnie's wishes.

Craig: You should have seen the way [Wendy] spoke to [Ronnie] in the hospital. She loved him even though they weren't living in the same home; they were separated and she had a boyfriend. It didn't matter. It was very tender and pure; she really did love him. Anything that she does has nothing to do with money; she's got money. She is trying to keep his name, his music and his legend alive.

Read the entire interview from Classic Rock Revisited.