DIO Confirms TONY IOMMI Collaboration, Shoots Down RAINBOW Reunion Rumors

April 24, 2006

Legendary heavy metal vocalist Ronnie James Dio (DIO, RAINBOW, BLACK SABBATH) has confirmed to Greg Prato of Billboard.com that he is collaborating once more with BLACK SABBATH guitarist Tony Iommi. "There's a box set that's going to be released, called 'Black Sabbath: The Dio Years'," he said. "The proposal was to write a couple of songs to be included. I have gotten together with Tony — we worked together for about a week in England. It went very well."

Another rumor that comes up often in metal circles is a beckoning RAINBOW reunion. "The beauty of that is that people still care after all these years," Dio said. "That's cool, but I've tried to say 'No' as many times as I possibly could. If there is a RAINBOW reunion it will not include me."

DIO will begin work on a new studio album this summer. "I'd like to make it a quicker album — our last album was more medium tempo," Dio told Billboard.com. "I always hear everybody gripe and moan about that, so I think we'll go for some fast ones this time. That's the plan, but knowing me, I'll probably end up in the doldrums, and you'll have a lot of slow things on it." The yet-to-be-titled set should arrive in early 2007.

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