Talking Travel: ‘We’re with the band…’

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In this episode of Talking Travel, we honor the musical – and travel – legacy of Ronald James Padavona, better known to heavy metal fans as Ronnie James Dio. Dio died on May 16 at the age of 67, following a battle with stomach cancer. Widely regarded as one of the strongest, most distinctive voices in the world of metal, Dio fronted numerous bands, including Black Sabbath, Elf, and his own band Dio. He also championed the famous devil-horn salute that every headbanger, and potentially horrified parent, knows by heart.

A public memorial service will be held in Los Angeles on May 30. Back in 2005, Lonely Planet’s Robert Reid was traveling across Siberia working on LP’s guidebook. He noticed that there were Dio posters everywhere. Turns out, Dio was going to start his world tour that year in, of all places, Khabarovsk, Russia. Reid managed to have an email exchange with Dio about music, and travel. We use that as the beginning of our Talking Travel journey into where music can take us. By the way, we’re hoping it will take us aboard Ed Force 1 with lead singer, and chief pilot, Bruce Dickinson and the rest of Iron Maiden…watch this space.

Here are some helpful links from the show:

• Ronnie James Dio website
• More on Dio’s memorial service
• Kaliakra Rock Fest in Kavarna, Bulgaria
• Official website for Kavarna, Bulgaria (featuring heavy metal)
• A list of remaining metal festivals this year
• Iron Maiden’s Ed Force One deal…
• Billy Joel’s Long Island
• Morrissey’s Manchester

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(Photo: Shadowgate from Novara, ITALY, via Wikipedia)