I'm so excited about this tour! Shockingly, this comes from MTV.com:

Jon Wiederhorn of MTV.com recently conducted an interview with Ronnie James Dio about the upcoming BLACK SABBATH best-of album, "Black Sabbath: The Dio Years", and the world tour alongside guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler and drummer Vinny Appice under the band name HEAVEN AND HELL.

"It's going to be a lot of fun to get back in front of fans and perform these songs again," Dio said. "I think this is something a lot of people have been waiting a long time for."

According to Dio, the HEAVEN AND HELL tour will kick off in Vancouver, British Columbia, on March 3 and play at least seven shows across Canada, ending in Toronto. Then the band will likely play South America, Japan, Korea, Australia and Europe before returning to North America for a U.S. tour in August or September.

Though Dio is thrilled to be able to revisit his past with SABBATH, he hasn't lain awake at night longing for a reunion. And while Iommi and Butler have wondered over the years what it would be like to play again with Dio, it was Warner Music subsidiary Rhino Records that first brought up the idea by making plans to release "The Dio Years". The label contacted Iommi's manager and said it would like to include some previously unreleased songs. Since there was nothing worthwhile in the vault that hadn't been used, Iommi contacted Dio and suggested they consider getting together to write some new material.

"About four months ago, I went over to England to Tony's house, where he has a studio," Dio said. "We started to work together, and it was really so enjoyable. After long spaces of time not working with people, you forget how good they are or how much you liked being around them."

The band isn't yet ready to announce the titles of the three new songs, but that doesn't mean Dio isn't eager to talk about them. One, he says, will be slow and doomy, the second will be midtempo and the third will be a scorcher.

"They're the perfect blend, [given] the limitations of only doing three tracks," he said. "I feel like we covered all the bases, and it's all guitar, bass, drums and voice. There are no keyboards, and it sounds excellent. And the lyrics are pretty weird. Whenever I get back with SABBATH, I seem to have this leash taken off me and I can write as weird as I want to."

Read more at MTV.com.

Dio is having a bit of a renaissance now, what with the Tenacious D movie and the Sabbath reunion. I never thought we'd hear new Sabbath with Dio again. Hopefully the new songs will add something to the "Heaven And Hell" legacy.

More Sabbath info from Billboard.com!

What began as fondly jamming to the post-Ozzy Osbourne Black Sabbath tracks "Heaven and Hell" and "The Mob Rules" during Sabbath's Ozzfest 2005 soundchecks eventually led to a reunion with former singer Ronnie James Dio, according to bassist Geezer Butler.

"We just thought it was a bit of a shame that we can't play those songs again," he tells Billboard.com. "And then earlier this year [Sabbath guitarist] Tony [Iommi] went to see Dio. They wrote a couple of songs together and it just went from there."

Not only will an upcoming Dio-era Sabbath anthology feature three new songs ("Shadow of the Wind," "Devil Cries" and "Ear in the Wall"), but, as previously reported, a world tour is planned for 2007 as Heaven And Hell, the title of Sabbath's first post-Ozzy album from 1979.

"The [Dio-era had] really good songs [that were] a lot different to the old original Sabbath stuff," Butler says. "They really are fun to play because a lot of them have a lot of space, where you can improvise a lot instead of sticking to the rigid formula."

For Dio, who hasn't performed with his old bandmates since 1992 and never stopped playing his era of Sabbath tunes, the reunion wasn't solely about walking down memory lane.


"The writing process was so much fun and harked back to how productive Tony and I were as writers before, so I think that's what kind of kick-started everything," Dio tells Billboard.com. "I think for the other guys it's more of a revisiting that pleasure perhaps, but it wasn't a big thing for me. But it will be nice to play them with the original guys again. That will be special."

Current touring plans call for a 10-date Canadian run with drummer Vinnie Appice (who appeared on the band's 1992 album, "Dehumanizer") this spring followed by a few New York shows. From there, Heaven And Hell will head around the globe, including European summer festival dates. The outfit hopes to return Stateside in the fall for a full tour. For now, there is no talk of a full-length album, with Dio saying he hopes to release another solo set in 2008.

The media has portrayed the Heaven And Hell announcement as a bargaining tool to get Osbourne into the studio for a long-awaited new Black Sabbath album. However, Butler discounts this notion.

"We did try it in 2001 and I think we tried to do too much," Butler said. "We went for quantity rather than quality. I think [Ozzy] and Tony need to sit down together more, like the way Ronnie did with Tony this time. You don't need a whole studio or anything."

He adds, "I think we are talking about one final Sabbath album and a final Sabbath tour, which will obviously be after next year when we finish the Heaven and Hell thing. We'll have to see how things go."

Tickets for the NYC show went on sale this morning. I picked up 2.

John-my friend Jesse snagged us 2 as well. We're from South Jersey and know squat about the area-perhaps we could meet up before the show if we find our way correctly? Sabbath rule!
Can't wait for this show-the only one with no opener and a longer setlist (whatever that means).

Radio City is a nice area with plenty of restaurants. Maybe we can meet early for dinner and then head over to the show that night!

Radio City is a nice area with plenty of restaurants. Maybe we can meet early for dinner and then head over to the show that night!



John-yes, that sounds nice. I think we'll (my friend and I) both take off work that day. I'm sure we can get in touch as the show gets closer and then rock our asses off!
I'll also try to find out where we're sitting, although I think he told me we're in the first 10 rows down low. I'll also find that out. Thanks for responding and we'll keep in touch!

Guess who gets the other ticket? Thanks John!

Somehow I've made it this far in life without seeing any Black Sabbath line-up in concert, a situation that will be rectified in a few months!

Somehow I've made it this far in life without seeing any Black Sabbath line-up in concert, a situation that will be rectified in a few months!



Jimbo,
As a Sabbath fanatic, I guarantee an awesome experience. Tony Iommi is an absolute master guitarist and I've never, ever seen him off. There will be no train wreck with Dio singing-he's the consummate pro. Geezer Butler and Vinny Appice-what a powerful rhythm section! And, with Scott Warren on keys they have a first-rate keyboardist (hope he's not buried off-stage).
I've seen Sabbath with Ozzy, Dio, I. Gillan, R. Gillan and Martin singing and they've all been among the best shows ever.
I hope the Heaven And Hell shows live up to the billing and I'll hopefully see you there!

Sweet! These tix are going for a small fortune on ebay already and supposedly this show is being filmed for a DVD-glad we got tix!
From Blabbermouth.net:

HEAVEN AND HELL's sole U.S. concert this spring, which is scheduled for March 30 at the Radio City Music Hall in New York City, has officially sold out less than two hours after tickets went on sale this morning (at 10:00 a.m.).

HEAVEN AND HELL, the band made up of BLACK SABBATH guitarist Tony Iommi and bassist Geezer Butler, singer Ronnie James Dio, and drummer Vinny Appice, will kick off a world tour with 11 Canadian dates beginning March 11 in Vancouver, British Columbia, and wrapping up March 28 in Ottawa, with opening acts MEGADETH and DOWN. Additional U.S. dates will come later in the year.

The shows are expected to only feature material from Dio's era with BLACK SABBATH, including three new songs that were recorded for the upcoming anthology "Black Sabbath: The Dio Years" that's due April 3rd.

HEAVEN AND HELL is also planning to his Europe and Asia, and the band expects to be on the road until the end of the year.

I'm jealous as heavan and hell. I saw one of the reunions in '99 when the stage was set up like a medival castle. All four original members, that I thought I would never see, and it was one of the highlights of my concert career. Top to bottom one of the best.

I also got to see Dio around the same time open up for Deep Purple. Both were great. I have not heard much from Dio prior to that show but he really impressed me. Hope you all enjoy that one and be sure to give us all a review.

I wonder if they'll do any of Dio's solo material? I wouldn't mind hearing Dio yelp "Rainbow In The Dark".

btw..there is a Heartland Brewery near Radio City that would make a great meeting point for all who come to hear the metal masters.

Located at 1285 (Ave Of The Americas) 6Ave at 52 Street just up the street from Radio City. You can find out more at http://www.heartlandbrewery.com/

They have good food and fine drink.