Here’s the used car salesman back cover text, which I suppose says it all…

Rainbow In The Dark, Holy Diver, Don’t Talk To Strangers, Gypsy, Stand Up And Shout, We Rock, I Speed At Night, Sacred Heart, Dream Evil, Lock Up The Wolves, Jesus, Mary & The Holy Ghost, Dying In America, Fever Dreams, Killing The Dragon, One More For The Road…

…these are some of heavy metal’s loudest and proudest anthems, and we have the stories on how they came to life!

Elf, Rainbow and Black Sabbath gave him wings, but it was in 1983, through his namesake band Dio, that consummate vocal legend Ronnie James Dio was to bring his fiery personal vision to life.

Holy Diver was the pot full of gold and platinum at the end of the rainbow, and The Last In Line solidified Dio as one of metal’s most formidable and controversial franchises. As the years ensued, Ronnie and his ever-shifting crew would deliver album after album of top-notch power metal, the man at the mic delivering above the din, poetic, obscure sermons of a singular sort of fire and brimstone.

As a vocalist and frontman, Ronnie is the undisputed champion of heavy metal, and Dio: Light Beyond The Black is the first ever book on this highly influential and revered rock legend. Come see what makes this uncompromising enigma tick, as Martin talks at length to the man himself, as well as many of his co-conspirators such as Vivian Campbell, Jimmy Bain, Vinny Appice, Tracy G, Rowan Robertson, Jeff Pilson, Jens Johansson and Doug Aldrich.

Evil or divine? Heaven or Hell? A light in the black?… you be the judge!


And here’s some basic, no bull description, jes’ between me and you!

The book is 207 pages, and surprise – we’ve added a (somewhat rudimentary) photo section! Essentially I’m establishing a set here, with more to come with the same philosophy.  So yes, like the BOC, UFO and Rainbow (and the Rush – although that was picture-intensive), the format is album by album, song by song - I don't think there are any songs, from the debut through to Master Of The Moon, that don't get talked about by me or the guys or both. In and around that though, there is lots of tour talk, good stuff from Vin and Viv and Jimmy and of course lots of cool explanations and stories from Ronnie. Also included is a full discography, with song titles, fruity little notes from me etc.

This book is completely sold out!