On August 14, ANTHRAX singer Joey Belladonna and his tribute band to Ronnie James Dio kicked off a four-date tour of Florida at Capt Hirams in Sebastian. The group, through which Belladonna is joined by Mike Rivera on guitar, Rob Stokes on bass, and Jim McCourt on drums, is performing music from DIO, BLACK SABBATH and RAINBOW.
Fan-filmed video of the Sebastian live performance will be seen under.
A decade in the past, Belladonna spoke to Jay Nanda of the San Antonio Metallic Music Examiner concerning the ANTHRAX frontman’s involvement in “This Is Your Life”, the tribute to album to Ronnie James Dio. Requested why ANTHRAX selected to document a canopy model of the BLACK SABBATH basic “Neon Knights”, Belladonna mentioned: “I feel I urged it. Once we talked about doing one thing, collectively, all of us just like the track, so it was a no brainer. We might just about choose something… I went for the heavier.”
Requested if recording the “Neon Knights” cowl was a extra emotional expertise than a number of the different cowl variations ANTHRAX had recorded over time, Belladonna mentioned: “For me, no. I simply love doing that kind of factor, and it was one other day for me to sing one thing of his. Clearly, I am excited, as a result of it’s a document, however I do not suppose I did it any totally different. In reality, I solely did a few takes. I imply, I even have on video the primary time I attempted it, and it just about seems like what it seems like already. It was enterprise as standard for me.”
Concerning what Ronnie meant to him, Joey mentioned: “Ronnie‘s an inspirational singer for me.” He added: “I actually imagine that as you develop up, you are impressed by the those who carry out and issues that you simply wish to hear your self be in that sort of class and have such a expertise like he did and simply be impressed. [He was a] nice human being, nice musician — simply all that… He was simply the slickest. He was so heavy however melodic, in addition to his perspective about the whole lot. He had nice charisma.”
Belladonna additionally spoke concerning the first impression Ronnie made on him. “He made me giggle huge time,” Joey mentioned. “He simply need[ed] to be humorous. And but he [was] so honest and [could] have that critical standpoint. You have to be enthralled with that if you’re round him, to have him communicate to you with that sort of perspective and spunk that he had. And I might been round him when issues weren’t so good, which I will not carry up proper now, however to have him share that with me, which was extra non-public, about being in his band — issues like that. Simply to interact in that with me and run that by me.”
Belladonna, whose most up-to-date return to ANTHRAX was formally introduced in Could 2010, was initially the lead singer of ANTHRAX from 1984 to 1992, and was thought-about a part of the influential thrash metallic group’s basic lineup (alongside guitarists Dan Spitz and Scott Ian, bassist Frank Bello and drummer Charlie Benante),which reunited and toured throughout 2005 and 2006. His voice was featured on over 10 albums, which reportedly offered eight million copies worldwide.
Hey everybody! The boys and I are gearing up for one more enjoyable run of reveals celebrating Ronnie James Dio. Collect the wind and get tix asap. Final 12 months they went quick. Do not be the final in line.
Posted by Jim McCourt on Monday, June 30, 2025