HENRY ROLLINS On RONNIE JAMES DIO: 'What A Voice, What A Loss'

Punk rock icon Henry Rollins has posted the following message regarding the passing of legendary heavy metal singer Ronnie James Dio (DIO, HEAVEN & HELL, BLACK SABBATH, RAINBOW):

"Backstage at the venue [in Brandon, South Dakota during Rollins' spoken-word tour]. Listening to RAINBOW, tonight's walk-in CD is burning away in my laptop. All Dio all night.

"Ronnie James Dio, the great vocalist of ELF, RAINBOW, BLACK SABBATH, DIO and HEAVEN & HELL passed away [Sunday] morning.

"What a loss.

"I have been getting mail all afternoon about it.

"[Saturday night], there was an Internet rumor of his passing and it was great to hear that it wasn't true. I came back from the gym a few hours ago and Angel, our merch man, told me that it was indeed true.

"What a voice, what a loss.

"Dio's passing made me think of my old bandmates in BLACK FLAG as we used to listen to those records quite a bit.

"Damn, at least he left some amazing records behind.

"The metal world is stunned, I am sure.

"Ronnie James Dio, one of the greatest singers ever."