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Ex-W.A.S.P./FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH Guitarist Pays Tribute To RONNIE JAMES DIO

May 17, 2010

Former W.A.S.P./FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH guitarist Darrell Roberts has posted the following message regarding the passing of legendary heavy metal singer Ronnie James Dio (DIO, HEAVEN & HELL, BLACK SABBATH, RAINBOW):

"Beginning May 16th 2010 my world will never be the same.

"For me, Dio was just one of those people that seemed like they would be around forever. Flawlessly singing those songs for eternity.

"Although early BLACK SABBATH (with Ozzy) will always be one of my favorite bands, and guitar riffs like 'Into The Void', 'Hole In The Sky' and 'War Pigs' were a HUGE influence on me, I didn't really become obsessed with SABBATH until I heard 'Heaven And Hell'. It was the perfect voice combined with the perfect music to create magic!

"One of my fondest memories was created many years ago when I first moved to Los Angeles. I was staying with a couple friends in North Hollywood that were from my hometown of Cincinnati/Dayton, Ohio. One of my roommates was a huge Dio/SABBATH fan and said she heard that Ronnie hung out at a little pub in the Valley. After a little research, we found the pub and sure enough, there he was sitting at the bar... It was Dio! I was barely old enough to get in, had never really met a 'famous' person and was basically a Dio super-groupie. To my amazement, he was the most down-to-earth, unpretentious, super-cool guy I had ever talked to. We sat for a couple hours drinkin' beers and talking about music, guitar players and life in general. I couldn't believe it! I had just moved to L.A. and I am sitting having beers and talking music with Ronnie James Dio?!!! I thought L.A. was the greatest place on earth...

"Well, it wasn't LA, He was just that special and it's never really happened since then.

"In the last year and a half, since my departure from FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, I have had a few offers to join bands or someone's project. I half-jokingly said, 'Unless your last name is Dio, Osbourne or Hetfield,' I respectfully decline — LOL! What I meant was that I have always wanted to do my own thing, put my own band together and feel like it's now or never. BUT... if given the chance to work with Dio (on any level) presented itself, I would be there in a split second.

"On more than one occasion, I put packages of my work together and dropped them off at Wendy Dio's place of business... but sadly never got the call.

"I have always imagined walking on a stage, guitar feeding back, and ripping into the 'Mob Rules' riff with Ronnie standing next to me and that ridiculous voice roaring through my monitor...

"Oh, a boy can dream, can't he?

"I guess May 16th, 2010 put an end to that fantasy. But only to a degree. I still have my albums, CDs, videos, memories and imagination.

"Long live the most metal MOTHERF**KER and greatest singer EVER!

"All my love and appreciation to Ronnie James Dio! Thanks, man!"

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