Heaven and Hell (band)

Infobox musical artist
Name = Heaven and Hell


Img_capt = Heaven and Hell at Sauna Open Air Metal Festival.
Img_size = 250
Landscape = Yes
Background = group_or_band
Genre = Heavy metal
Years_active = 2006 - present
Associated_acts = Black Sabbath
Dio
Rainbow
Alias =
Origin =
Label = Rhino (US)
SPV (Europe)
URL = [http://www.heavenandhelllive.com Official Website]
Current_members = Ronnie James Dio
Tony Iommi
Geezer Butler
Vinny Appice

Heaven and Hell is a musical collaboration featuring Black Sabbath members Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler along with former members Ronnie James Dio and Vinny Appice. The four members of Heaven and Hell recorded and toured together as Black Sabbath from 1980-1982 and again from 1991-1992. In 2006, while the foursome reunited to record three new songs for the compilation album, "", they decided to embark on a 2007 - 2008 tour. This was facilitated by the fact that current/founding Black Sabbath vocalist Ozzy Osbourne was slated to perform a solo tour during that time frame.

Because of the projected continuation of the band's original lineup (Iommi, Butler, Osbourne and Bill Ward) and the 2006 induction of the original lineup into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Iommi (owner of the Black Sabbath name) decided to call the touring group "Heaven and Hell". [ http://metalman.skynetblogs.be/archive-month/2006-11 site reports "During his weekly radio show, "Friday Night Rocks", on New York's Q104.3 FM (Friday, November 24), Eddie Trunk offered the following recap of his chat with the members of HEAVEN AND HELL"] [http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/music/poprock/369443,WKP-News-heaven04.article] The moniker was taken from the first Dio-fronted Black Sabbath recording, "Heaven and Hell".

History

Formation

In an October 2005 interview with the program "Masters of Rock", aired on BBC Radio 2, Ronnie James Dio revealed the fact that he would be writing with Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi once again. Dio mentioned that two songs would be penned, and were to feature on a "project" entitled "Black Sabbath - The Dio Years". [cite web|title=RONNIE JAMES DIO To Collaborate With TONY IOMMI On New BLACK SABBATH Project|author= |publisher=Blabbermouth.net|date=2005-10-23|url= http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=43279|accessdate=2008-03-07] Iommi, the owner of the Black Sabbath name, chose to call the collaboration "Heaven and Hell" so as to distance the group from the Osbourne fronted Black Sabbath. [cite news | first=Philip | last=Wickstrand | coauthors= | title=HEAVEN AND HELL | date= | publisher= | url =http://www.metaleater.com/interviews-heavenandhell022007.php | work = | pages = | accessdate = 2008-06-20 | language = ]

Ward's departure

Black Sabbath drummer Bill Ward (who performed on the 1980 "Heaven and Hell" album and the first half of the tour) declined to be band's drummer before they recorded three new tracks. [cite web|title=Bill Ward not participating in Heaven & Hell|author= |publisher=Billward.com|date=2006-11-26|url= http://www.billward.com/news/archives/2006/11/bill_not_in_heaven_and_hell.html|accessdate=2008-03-08] Ward's departure made way for a reunion of the classic Dio-fronted Black Sabbath line up featuring drummer Vinny Appice. It was Appice who replaced Ward midway through the original "Heaven and Hell" tour in 1980 and remained the Black Sabbath drummer for two years coinciding with Dio's tenure in the band from 1980-1982 and again when Dio reunited with the band in 1991 and 1992 (he also backed the Osbourne-led version of the group briefly in 1998).

Additionally, while Black Sabbath has historically included Geoff Nicholls on "behind the scenes" keyboards, those off stage duties were performed by Scott Warren of Dio during the tour.

Tour

Future Plans

Even before the beginning of the tour, the members had said that the "Heaven and Hell" 2007 tour was a one-off and had expressed their plans to go their separate ways. Dio would return to his band (Dio), having stated his desire to produce "Magica II" and "Magica III", sequels to Dio's 2000 album Magica. Meanwhile Iommi and Butler looked forward to a continuation with the original line up of Black Sabbath. However, in a March 2007 interview, Dio and Iommi expressed that while they were both tied to separate contractual commitments in 2008, neither would discount the possibility of future collaborationscite web
url = http://ultimate-guitar.com/news/interviews/heaven_and_hell_ronnie_james_dio_tony_iommi_speak_out.html
title = Heaven And Hell: Ronnie James Dio, Tony Iommi Speak Out
accessdate = 2007-11-20
last = Wiederhorn
first = Jon
authorlink =
coauthors =
date = 2007-01-16
work =
publisher = Ultimate-Guitar.Com
archiveurl =
archivedate =
quote = ] . Appice had yet to disclose his definitive plans regarding his post "Heaven and Hell" activity - but appears he will continue working with his latest band, 3 Legged Dogg.

In October 2007 "www.blabbermouth.net" reported that the band members had decided to continue their collaboration and record and release a new album in 2008. This information was confirmed by Ronnie James Dio during an interview with the website Komodo Rock published on November 1, 2007. cite web
url = http://www.komodorock.com/interviews/interviews/komodo-rock-talks-with-ronnie-james-dio-200711012460/
title = Komodo Rock Talks With Ronnie James Dio
accessdate = 2007-11-20
last = Elliott
first = Mike
authorlink =
date = 2007-11-01
format =
work =
publisher = Komodo Rock
archiveurl =
archivedate =
quote = ]

Recently it has been announced Heaven and Hell will be taking part in the Metal Masters Tour alongside Judas Priest, Motörhead and Testament. [ [http://www.antimusic.com/news/08/april/22Judas_Priest_Head_Up_The_Metal_Masters_Tour_With_Heaven_and_Hell,_Motorhead_and_Testament.shtml Judas Priest Head Up The Metal Masters Tour With Heaven and Hell, Motorhead and Testament - antiMUSIC News ] ]

Personnel

*Ronnie James Dio - vocals
*Tony Iommi - guitar
*Geezer Butler - bass
*Vinny Appice - drums

with
*Scott Warren - keyboards (tour, offstage) (2007-present)

Accolades

* Heaven and Hell's tour was voted "Comeback of the Year" at the Classic Rock Roll of Honour awards by readers of "Classic Rock".cite news | first= | last= | coauthors= | title=led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page officially a rock legend | date=2007-06-11 | publisher=News Limited | url =http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,22711729-16601,00.html | work =AdelaideNow | pages = | accessdate = 2008-06-20 | language = ]

Discography

* 2007: "Live from Radio City Music Hall" (CD & DVD) - "Gold (US)"

References

External links

* [http://www.heavenandhelllive.com Heaven And Hell official website]