But following a recent MRI scan, specialists have now given the singer a clean bill of health.
Dickinson says in a statement, “I would like to thank the fantastic medical team who have been treating me for the last few months, resulting in this amazing outcome. It’s been tough on my family and in many ways it was harder for them than me.
I’d also like to send a heartfelt thanks to all our fans for their kind words and thoughts. I’m a firm believer in trying to maintain a positive attitude, and the encouragement from the global Maiden family meant a great deal to me.”
He continues, “Right now, I’m feeling extremely motivated and can’t wait to get back to business as usual, as soon as I can!”
Iron Maiden manager Rod Smallwood says the band won’t tour or play any shows until next year to allow Dickinson to get back to full fitness, although he confirms the album plans will now kick back into gear.
He reports, “For now, the focus will be on putting the finishing touches to the new Iron Maiden studio album and that is what we will be concentrating on over the coming weeks. The release however will definitely be this year.
Meanwhile, I’d like to echo Bruce’s words and thank all Maiden fans. You have been incredibly patient, putting Bruce’s health and well-being first during this difficult time and the band and I appreciate all your positive support.”
Atria Books has acquired North American and audio rights to a memoir by Phil Collen, lead guitarist for rock band Def Leppard for more than 30 years. Adrenalized: Life, Def Leppard, and Beyond, written with veteran journalist and author Chris Epting and scheduled for publication on October 27th, is the first book written by a member of the group that holds claim to being one of only five rock bands with two original studio albums selling over 10 million copies in the U.S. Featuring personal, never-before-seen photos of Collen and his band mates on stage and off, Adrenalized is a fascinating account of the failures, triumphs, challenges, and rock-hard dedication it takes to make dreams come true.
“It’s fascinating for even me to look back at my life from working in a factory at 16 years old to eventually traveling the world selling over one hundred million records and all the experiences that come with that journey,” Collen says. “I realize that there is a constant evolution of ‘me’ that is still a work in progress even as I continue to be vital and dynamic in my same occupation for the past 35 years well into my late fifties.”
In related news, the guitarist recently announced formation and release of his new blues based music project, Delta Deep, coming this summer. To find out more about this project, and to listen to a snippet of the song Bang The Lid, please click here.
Def Leppard will be touring this summer with Styx and Tesla. The 48-date outing will begin in Tampa, Florida on June 23rd and wind down in Jacksonville, Florida on October 17th.
In honoring the passing of iconic singer Ronnie James five years ago, former Dio guitarist Craig Goldy reminisces with Rock Scene Magazine. Watch the video below, he discusses Dio starting at the 2:42 mark.
In related news, as previously reported, celebrities and musicians are honoring Dio’s 5th year remembrance celebration in Los Angeles, California this weekend (May 15th-17th). Please find a list of events below.
May 15th: Bowl For Ronnie Celebrity Bowling Tournament
Hosted by Eddie Trunk of VH1’s That Metal Show, this will be an evening of fun, food, entertainment and, of course, bowling with rock stars and celebrities competing for trophies in the name of raising funds and awareness for the Ronnie James Dio SUAS Cancer Fund. A silent auction will include collectible bowling pins autographed by artists such as Tenacious D, Aerosmith, Fleetwood Mac, YES, Anthrax and Metallica and in addition to many more major items. Music will be provided by KNAC.com’s DJ Will.
May 16th: Ronnie James Dio 5th Year Memorial Service and Celebration of Ronnie’s Music
Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills
6300 Forest Lawn Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90068
More info: http://www.diocancerfund.org/events/
A FREE public Memorial Service will take place at Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills on Saturday, May 16th to celebrate the 5th Anniversary of Ronnie’s passing. Several former band members and friends who worked with Ronnie over his illustrious career will be speaking and performing his music. As seating for this event is limited, if you are interested in attending, please send an email, along with your name, phone number and the number of seats to: info@diocancerfund.org
Riders will check-in at Harley-Davidson of Glendale, where they can enjoy a continental breakfast with entertainment and prizes provided by The Sound 100.3. The first 200 registered riders will receive a limited edition Ride For Ronnie challenge coin. Participants will depart from Glendale, traveling the freeways of North San Fernando Valley down to the 405 to a BBQ at Los Encinos Historical Park in Encino. The BBQ will feature great food and beverages, live music by Ronnie’s former band mates and friends, raffle prizes, live auction and more (BBQ-only tickets are available to non-riders.)
MAY 17th: Ride For Ronnie Motorcycle Ride and BBQ
Harley-Davidson of Glendale
3717 San Fernando Rd
Glendale, CA 91204
Bill Ward accepts that many fans of Ozzy Osbourne hate him – and says he “supports them” in their attitude.
The drummer has been the focus of rage since he demanded a public apology from the singer over claims he was too ill to take part in Black Sabbath’s reunion of 2012.
He insists those claims are untrue – and that they were only made after he’d refused to agree to a contract he regarded as “unsignable.”
Ward tells Classic Rock Revisited, “The sickness agenda started after I wouldn’t sign the contract. In 2011, nobody said anything to me about that – they all seemed to be quite happy that I was there. My health was really good.”
He underwent shoulder surgery in 2013, and admits it was “serious shit.” But he adds, “They say, ‘He couldn’t have done it anyway because he got sick.’ That’s a bunch of bullshit. These things are unforeseeable. Ozzy has had to cancel on multiple occasions because of unforeseeable events since all this has happened.”
Asked if the dispute simply boils down to money, Ward replies, “In my particular case, yes.”
He says one of his biggest regrets is that Sabbath supporters have been split by the argument. “I am really saddened,” he continues. “All the Ozzy fans f–king hate me. My team are very concerned about the people who dislike me – but they have every right to dislike me. I actually support them in their right to dislike me. They’re entitled to their opinions. I don’t necessarily agree with them that I’m an a–hole, but if they want to call me an a–hole I will support their right to do that.”
Ward released his solo album Accountable Beasts last month and he’s nearing completion on another record, Beyond Aston. Sabbath were expected to deliver their final album and tour this year, but Ozzy recently revealed it wouldn’t happen until 2016.
In his appearance on May 12th’s Another FN Podcast With Izzy Presley, Tracii Guns opened up about everything while not only telling us that there is a Devil City Angels record in the can and they will be shooting a video in June along with Gunzo dates and new music from them in the future, but he also talked about his relationship with Phil Lewis of LA Guns.
“Phil and I never really had any real bad blood, we had some cat fights and stuff like that” Tracii said. “There is actually a little plan right now where him and Gunzo may actually do something out of the country for a minute together, so there is all kinds of possibilities, but the reality of what Phil or I would call an L.A. Guns reunion, that probably won’t ever happen. but there is good chance you will see even possibly new music from Phil and I certainly at some point. As long as we are living we certainly will be on stage again at some point together” he continued.
When asked what it was like to get on stage with him after 11 years at a Sin City Sinners gig in las Vegas, Tracii said it was very comfortable and they both do L.A. Guns very well. They had been in touch because Phil had just moved to Vegas and Tracii was living in a hotel while working a gig there for a year. Phil has since joined Gunzo on stage for Ballad Of Jayne in Vegas in April.
Tracii also talked about the early days when Axl Rose was in L.A. Guns, how Guns & Roses was formed, and the laugh that Axl got when Tracii offered his services to Gun N Roses in the early 2000’s.
He was also asked about touring as L.A. Guns and having two versions of the band. He said it never felt like L.A. Guns. When people see a guy who used to be in a band playing the music he created with different musicians in a live setting it is cool but if you are using that name and the voice is different, people want to hear the voice.
Listen to entire interview at here. Tracii joins around the 50 minute mark.
Greg Prato of Bravewords interviewed Wendy Dio about this weekend’s five year memorial celebrations honoring the passing of the legendary singer. The interview appears in its entirety below.
BraveWords: Let’s discuss the upcoming events.
Wendy Dio: It’s five years since Ronnie’s passing, and every year, we have a little memorial ourselves up by the gravesite – it’s usually 30 of Ronnie’s friends. But this year, we decided it’s five years, why don’t we open it up to the fans? So we booked the auditorium up at Forest Lawn, and we thought it would be nice for the fans to come, and there will be people speaking about Ronnie’s life and also performers – band members that used to play with Ronnie and his friends – and we’ll have a really nice celebration of Ronnie’s life up at the memorial. Then we thought, “What should we do extra for the fans?” Well, we decided that we would do a mini-museum. So we have a mini-museum up there in the foyer – of some of Ronnie’s stage clothes, awards that he’s been given, like, a letter from George Harrison, some of his music, original artwork from Holy Diver, Last in Line, and Sacred Heart, and a lot of little things that I thought the fans might be interested in seeing. And then, when we started getting the invites back, a lot of people are coming from as far as Australia, Japan, Russia, and a lot of places. We thought, “Let’s put something around it – events that they might want to attend, and also raise some money for the cancer fund.” So, that’s why we decided to put in the celebrity bowling at Pinz in Studio City on the 15th of May. And Jack Black has graciously said that he would bowl for us, and lots of other celebrities, which I’ve got a list here…here are just some of the people that will be there – Tom Morello, Vinny Appice, Jimmy Bain, Jack Black, Amber Lynn, Chris Broderick, Robbie Crane, Marc Ferrari, Lita Ford, Kyle Gass, Craig Goldy, Phil Sandoval, Oni Logan, Rudy Sarzo, Eddie Trunk will be there for all three days, Simon Wright, and more and more people. So those people will all be bowling. And then we’ll do a silent auction there and maybe a live auction, and then of course the memorial is the next day. The following day we’ve decided to do Ride for Ronnie, and if it goes well, we’ll make this every year – it’s a motorcycle ride from Harley Davidson of Glendale, finishing in Los Encinos Park, and there will be a barbeque there with live music. Eddie Money is one of the people playing, Gabbie Rae, Dio Disciples, a bunch of people. It will be a fun celebration of Ronnie’s life and his music. We’re also going to raffle off a Harley Davidson motorcycle that is being painted at the present time – of the Holy Diver album cover. The raffle will be worldwide. So those are the things that we’ve been planning for the last few months.
BraveWords: Are there any updates regarding the Hear N’ Aid Stars reissue and re-recording?
Wendy Dio: I am in talks with a few record labels right now about reissuing Hear N’ Aid. We have a lot of backstage footage – lots of stuff that hasn’t been seen before. And I would like to do it and have the proceeds go to Stand Up and Shout. We have a lot of legal issues to go through, and we are working on it, and hopefully, we will get that out next year.
BraveWords: On YouTube, I have seen a snippet of great pro-shot live footage of Black Sabbath filmed circa 1981/1982. Is there any talk of releasing that full performance on DVD?
Wendy Dio: That would have to be discussed with the rest of the members of Black Sabbath, which I’m sure we will do at some time. It’s great, vintage footage – absolutely.
BraveWords: Are there any updates regarding how Ronnie’s autobiography is coming along?
Wendy Dio: He started a book – he went halfway through the Black Sabbath days, when he passed away. I do have a publisher for it, and they did ask me to finish it with some help from some friends. I just haven’t had the time or been able to sit down and finish it yet. But yes, it will come out.
BraveWords: And lastly, are there any other Ronnie-related projects on the horizon?
Wendy Dio: Everyone is asking me if there is any unreleased material. I do believe there is some. I closed Ronnie’s studio when he passed, and I haven’t been in there since. But I will go in, look, and see if there’s anything. And if it’s anything that’s up to Ronnie’s standard, we will release it. But if it’s not, then we won’t.
For more details about the Ronnie James Dio 5th Year Memorial Service and Celebration of Ronnie’s Music visit diocancerfund.org/events. You may also find a donation link on top of the site, should you want to contribute to Dio’s cancer fund.
