GEEZER BUTLER Confirms (Sort Of) That HEAVEN AND HELL Will Perform Only DIO-Era Material

January 18, 2007

Former BLACK SABBATH bassist Geezer Butler has responded to a report that HEAVEN AND HELL — the new band featuring legendary heavy metal singer Ronnie James Dio (DIO, BLACK SABBATH, RAINBOW) alongside original BLACK SABBATH members Tony Iommi and Butler, plus drummer Vinny Appice (DIO, BLACK SABBATH) — will only be playing songs from the Dio era of BLACK SABBATH on its upcoming world tour.

In a message posted at the Black-Sabbath.com web site, Butler said, "Since the band is called HEAVEN AND HELL, then hopefully the set list will consist of entirely Ronnie James Dio-era songs, including the three new songs" written and recorded for the upcoming compilation album "Black Sabbath: The Dio Years".

HEAVEN AND HELL's world tour will kick off March 11 in Vancouver, British Columbia and will play at least ten shows across Canada, including Toronto, Montreal, Quebec City, Edmonton, Calgary, Regina, Winnipeg and London. An exclusive New York City show has also been scheduled but has yet to be announced. DOWN — the acclaimed New Orleans band featuring CORROSION OF CONFORMITY guitarist/vocalist Pepper Keenan, drummer Jimmy Bower (EYEHATEGOD, SUPERJOINT RITUAL guitarist),bassist Rex Brown (ex-PANTERA),guitarist Kirk Windstein (CROWBAR),and vocalist Philip Anselmo (SUPERJOINT RITUAL, ex-PANTERA) — will be the opening act for at least 10 of the dates. Then HEAVEN AND HELL will likely play South America, Japan, Korea, Australia and Europe before returning to North America for a U.S. tour in August or September.

The upcoming Dio-era BLACK SABBATH anthology, "Black Sabbath: The Dio Years", will feature three new songs ("Shadow of the Wind", "Devil Cries" and "Ear in the Wall"),and is tentatively due on April 3 via Rhino.

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