DORO PESCH: Performing With DIO DISCIPLES Was 'One Of The Happiest Times Of My Life'

Jay Nanda of the San Antonio Metal Music Examiner recently conducted an interview with German metal queen Doro Pesch. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

San Antonio Metal Music Examiner: You just played three DIO DISCIPLES shows filling in for Tim "Ripper" Owens. How was that experience?

Doro: That was so great when I got the phone call! A promoter called me and said, "Hey Doro, would you like to fill in for Ripper?" And I was like, "Yes! I will cancel everything. Just tell me when and where I have to go!" I love Ronnie so much, I still miss him so much. We did it in Spain, and it was great. I wish we could do it in the States. Maybe sometime. The first show, I was so nervous: "I have to do good for the people and for Ronnie." I knew the band, Craig Goldy and Simon Wright, from touring together. Toby Jepson was the other singer, James Lomenzo on bass, and we got along great. I heard some songs that I hadn't heard in a long time, and I found out some songs I didn't know. It was so good for my soul, so energizing. When I had to learn the songs, I probably listened 500 times to the same song, (to learn) the little nuances and to feel different things. It was great. It was one of the happiest times of my life even though I was so nervous. I think it went great.

San Antonio Metal Music Examiner: How close were you to Ronnie over the years?

Doro: Ronnie was always my favorite singer. We toured in 1987 when "Triumph And Agony" came out, and I couldn't speak English that well. So I could only say, "Hey, how you doing?" Then we toured again in 2000, and it was great. I was so grateful. He took us out, and in the '90s during grunge, it was tough. In 1999, everyone was saying metal was coming back. There was a tribute album (in 2000) called "Holy Dio", and I did the song "Egypt (The Chains Are On)". I love that song so much. To make a long story short, a couple months later, we were on tour (together),and it was the best, and we all miss him so much. Then we played a couple shows in Europe with HEAVEN & HELL, and it was fantastic, and we became really good friends.

San Antonio Metal Music Examiner: How does "Fear No Evil" compare to your other efforts?

Doro: I love it. I love "Night Of The Warlock". There are songs all the way from "Running From The Devil" to a beautiful ballad "Herzblut", and a hard song "Caught In A Battle". It's a good mix, and we are working on the new record in the same direction. Every record you want to be better than the last.

San Antonio Metal Music Examiner: So when can we expect the new one?

Doro: Probably the beginning of next year. There is one song where I want fan club members singing in the background. It's called "Radio Fist". I want it to have a lot of killer anthems, hopefully do a couple of surprises and a duet. It's going really well. The songs are killer. One song is called "Hero" in honor of Ronnie. I definitely want to do that and, of course, for [Ronnie's wife/manager] Wendy. I hope to get her blessing. I hope she likes it.

San Antonio Metal Music Examiner: Your scream at the end of "Touch Of Evil" is one of the most incredible screams ever in metal. Is there a story behind how that came about in the studio back in 1987?

Doro: Thank you! Yes, actually! Cozy Powell was one of my favorite drummers, and I wanted someone who could play something powerful in the beginning, so I got Cozy. On my vocals, I wanted high energy and lots of power. In the studio, there was a tiny window, and I was screaming. I usually have my eyes closed. And I saw everything was lighting up. Everyone was sitting there, and I screamed, and I opened my eyes, and everyone was just sitting there . . . "uhhh . . ." like paralyzed. The next day, I listened to the vocals, and they were saying, "You scared us yesterday." And I thought, "I don't know. I just did it." It was very awkward with the light. And they said, "We should keep it on the record."

Read the entire interview from San Antonio Metal Music Examiner.