GEEZER BUTLER: 'I Was Really Glad That Me And RONNIE JAMES DIO Had Made Up And All The Past Was In The Past'

March 20, 2022

Damian Muziani of BLACK SABBATH fan site Black-Sabbath.com has shared a four-minute report on the world premiere of "Dio: Dreamers Never Die", the career-spanning documentary on the life and times of the legendary rock icon Ronnie James Dio, which took place this past Thursday (March 17) at this year's SXSW Film Festival in Austin, Texas. You can watch the video below.

On Friday, several music personalities who were involved in the making of the film — Dio's wife and longtime manager Wendy Dio, BLACK SABBATH bassist Geezer Butler and former SKID ROW singer Sebastian Bach — took part in a panel, "Dreamers Never Die: The Enduring Power Of Metal" panel, hosted by SiriusXM's Eddie Trunk at Austin Convention Center.

Damian, who was the last person to conduct a post-show interview with Ronnie James Dio after his final performance ever in 2009, asked Butler for his memories of Ronnie. The 72-year-old musician said: "I was really glad that me and Ronnie had made up and all the past was in the past. At the end of the film, I was so glad that we got together in HEAVEN & HELL and sorted everything out. It was great."

Photos from both days can be found below. More pictures of the "Dreamers Never Die: The Enduring Power Of Metal" panel are available at Shutterstock.

"Dio: Dreamers Never Die" is the first documentary about Dio to be fully authorized by the artist's estate. According to the film's official description, it "delves deep into his incredible rise from '50s doo-wop crooner to his early classic rock days in Ritchie Blackmore's RAINBOW, to replacing the iconic lead singer Ozzy Osbourne in BLACK SABBATH, to finally cement his legend with DIO. Ronnie's biography is completely unique to the tired sex, drugs and rock and roll clichés. The film is about perseverance, dreams and the power to believe in yourself."

"Dio: Dreamers Never Die" was financed solely by BMG and was helmed by Don Argott and Demian Fenton ("Framing John DeLorean", "Believer", "Last Days Here"),produced by Don Argott and Sheena Joyce for 9.14 Pictures, and executive produced by Wendy Dio for Niji Productions and Kathy Rivkin Daum for BMG.

Ronnie James Dio's story transcends the standard rock documentary. Set against the backdrop of Dio's autobiography — half finished by Ronnie before his untimely death from stomach cancer in 2010 — the film chronicles the inspiring journey of his life, love, and storied career. Whether playing sold-out stadiums or battling illness, his powerful voice and gentle heart have had a profound influence on his family, friends, and fans around the world.

Wendy Dio recently told Argentinian journalist Lucas Gordon about "Dio: Dreamers Never Die": "I saw the first cut of it. It was very emotional. It's very different from [Dio's autobiography]. 'Cause the book finishes in 1986, with Ronnie playing Madison Square Garden. But the documentary goes all the way through his life till the end. And it was very emotional. I was watching it with my publicist and a person from BMG, who are funding the documentary. And we all cried. It was very emotional. But it's really interesting and really good. Rob Halford is great in it, talking about stories. Lita Ford [and] Jack Black [are also in it]. Eddie Trunk and Mick Wall [author of Dio's autobiography] both kind of narrated it and everything. I'm very pleased with it."

Last August, Wendy told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" about what fans can expect to see in the documentary: "There's a bunch of stuff from [old] Super 8 [tapes] and some other stuff. There's fantastic interviews with all kinds of different people about when they were working with Ronnie or what they were doing at the time, maybe supporting Ronnie. It's totally different to the [recently released Dio] book. And I'm very interested to see this cut. I'm excited, actually, to see it. And I think it's gonna be great."

In October 2019, Wendy told the WSOU radio station that the documentary "will go from Ronnie's childhood all the way through [to the end of his life]. I think they interviewed Jack Black, and I think they interviewed all of Ronnie's bandmembers and Doug Aldrich and, I think, Jeff Pilson. They were getting ready to go to Arizona to interview Rob Halford and Lita Ford. And then they were going into England to interview Tony Iommi. They already did Geezer. So there will be very interesting stories from different people. I think it'll be a great thing, and it'll show people a lot of things that people have never seen before."

Ronnie James Dio passed away of stomach cancer on May 16, 2010 at the age of 67.

Dio was renowned throughout the world as one of the greatest and most influential vocalists in heavy metal history. The singer, who was recording and touring with BLACK SABBATH offshoot HEAVEN & HELL prior to his illness, was diagnosed with stomach cancer in late 2009. He underwent chemotherapy and made what is now his final public appearance in April 2010 at the Revolver Golden Gods Awards in Los Angeles.

Dio's autobiography, titled "Rainbow In The Dark: The Autobiography", was released last July via Permuted Press.

Great time in Austin, TX at @sxsw with Wendy Dio at the World-Premiere of Dio: Dreamers Never Die. #hostlife🎤 #actorslife #journalist #heavymetal #sxsw #movies

Posted by Damianemcee on Friday, March 18, 2022

Great time in Austin, TX at @sxsw with Wendy Dio at the World-Premiere of Dio: Dreamers Never Die. #hostlife🎤 #actorslife #journalist #heavymetal #sxsw #movies

Posted by Damianemcee on Friday, March 18, 2022

Interviewing legendary Black Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler @sxsw #dio #dreamersneverdie die #sxsw2022 #hostlife🎤

Posted by Damianemcee on Friday, March 18, 2022

We had a surreal time premiering Dio: Dreamers Never Die at SXSW. Thanks to everyone who came to support the film. It…

Posted by Demian Fenton on Sunday, March 20, 2022

DIO DREAMERS NEVER DIE DIO DREAMERS NEVER DIE was not one of the films I picked for the SXSW dance card. It was so low...

Posted by Reel News Daily on Sunday, March 20, 2022

Tonight's the night! Ronnie's documentary, DIO: Dreamers Never Die has it's world premiere at the SXSW Film Festival in Austin, TX at the The Paramount Theater!

Fo the full SXSW schedule, visit SXSW.com.

Posted by Ronnie James Dio on Thursday, March 17, 2022

Next week, Ronnie's documentary, DIO: Dreamers Never Die has it's world premiere at the SXSW Film Festival in Austin,...

Posted by Ronnie James Dio on Tuesday, March 8, 2022

Ronnie James Dio Dreamers Never Die!

So pleased to meet the fabulous, gracious, kindhearted boss lady Wendy Dio after a…

Posted by Noa Durban on Friday, March 18, 2022

At SxSW Honoring the late great
Ronnie James Dio 🎤🎸
with Sebastian Bach & Eddie Trunk & Mrs. Ronnie James Dio and daughter.. Such a good time! Thanks😅 Eddie Trunk Sebastian Bach

Posted by Keefe Norman on Thursday, March 17, 2022

Sebastian Bach from Skid Row in Austin for the Premiere of DIO: Dreamers Never Die
He has a great spirit and was easy...

Posted by Keefe Norman on Friday, March 18, 2022

Posted by Eddie Trunk on Friday, March 18, 2022

Posted by Gilberto Manzano Ibarra on Thursday, March 17, 2022

The Dio clan here..
Breaking bread last night at SXSW..
Jeffrey,Sebastian,Eddie,
Good times🤘🌈🤘
#eddietrunk #sebastianbach

Posted by Oni Logan on Friday, March 18, 2022

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