Rolling Stone's Chris Harris proves why some rock journalists should seek another form of employment

[Amerigo Vespucci]

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/;kw=<13193,152764>

By Chris Harris
May 16, 2010 6:26 PM EDT

Metal Icon Ronnie James Dio Dead at 67 After Cancer BattleFormer Black Sabbath singer "peacefully passed away," his wife, Wendy, says in statement

Ronnie James Dio, the former Elf, Rainbow and Black Sabbath singer who often claimed credit for inventing metal's chief hand gesture, the devil horns, has died at the age of 67, according to a statement from his wife and manager Wendy Dio. The Holy Diver mastermind revealed last fall that he'd been diagnosed with the early stages of stomach cancer. Despite undergoing immediate treatment at the Mayo Clinic, Dio was unable to do what he swore he would: kill the dragon.

"Today my heart is broken," Wendy wrote in a message on Dio's official website. She said Ronnie passed just before 8 a.m. today. "Many, many friends and family were able to say their private goodbyes before he peacefully passed away. We so appreciate the love and support that you have all given us. Please give us a few days of privacy to deal with this terrible loss. Please know he loved you all and his music will live on forever."

Dio, who was known for his high falsetto, imposing presence, and mythic lyricism, was forced to cancel a European tour soon after making the announcement about his health. In online messages to fans, he expressed his determination to kick the fatal disease, the second most common cause of cancer death worldwide. He had recently undergone his seventh chemotherapy treatment and was hoping to take the stage again soon. Heaven and Hell were forced to cancel their summer tour earlier this month.

High falsetto?

:wtf:

[Twillig]

1. Imposing presence?

He was Five Foot Nothing, weighed One hundred and nothing... Not exactly Zakk Wylde...

Fucking Rolling Stone.

Never understood rock and roll. At least the heavy end of the spectrum.

This guy needs a nut kicking, let him judge what a high falsetto really is.

[Amerigo Vespucci]

2. Yep...his pre-Rainbow band was named "Elf" over his "Five Foot Nothing" status.

I read that obit and I think of "Lt. Bob Hookstratten" revealing in "This Is Spinal Tap" that he and his men are "big fans of the whole genre of rock ’n roll."

:rofl:

[elshiva]

3. RIP Dio. I don't know Dio, but rock criticism mostly stinks.

Mostly they don't really talk about the MUSIC, it's clothes, hair, drugs, and groupies. And when they actually address the music they often get it wrong because the writer does not listen to the music that he or she is writing about or at least don't show evidence (that they listened to music in their writing).

[Kat45]

4. Methinks he needs to look up the definition of "falsetto."

Dio was certainly known for having quite a voice but he wasn't singing falsetto.

[MicaelS]

5. Falsetto my ass, Dio was not a falsetto...n/t

[Drunken Irishman]

6. So you're saying he's false about Dio being a falsetto?

[Amerigo Vespucci]

7. Tiny Tim singing "Tiptoe Through The Tulips" is falsetto singing

Dio singing anything Dio ever sang is not falsetto singing.

I rest my case.

:eyes:

[jobycom]

10. I think you just answered a joke with a serious post.

:shrug:

[Amerigo Vespucci]

12. Nah, I knew it was a joke. I just had to get the Tiny Tim thing in there.

:rofl:

:toast:

[jobycom]

8. He sang falsetto when he was with Supertramp

and on his hit single "Freddy's Dead."

:smoke:

Think they'll hire me?

[Common Sense Party]

9. Falsetto, my uvula. Dio had a beautiful tenor voice when he sang,

and a kick-ass growl when he did the metal thang.

He had THE quintessential metal voice. Period. Even Rob Halford fans (which I am) have to recognize that.

[Tobin S.]

11. That article reads like he just copied and pasted exerpts from other articles

It seems unlikely that Chris ever listened to a Dio album.

[cemaphonic]

13. One of Frank Zappa's most memorable and insightful observations:

"Rock journalism is people who can't write interviewing people who can't talk for people who can't read."