HEAVY METAL DIO HAS MESSAGE BEYOND HIS MUSIC

In some ways, Ronnie James Dio is the loudest social activist around. After all, the heavy-metal band that bears his surname operates at ear-splitting volume, and, as a singer, he boasts some of the most powerful pipes in rock.

But Dio’s concerns appear to extend beyond just belting out head-banging fare for fun and profit. In the wake of the famine-relief anthem “We Are the World,” he helped assemble a slew of heavy metal performers--collectively known as Hear ‘N Aid--to record the hard-rock counterpart, “Stars,” which he co-wrote and produced.

The former member of Black Sabbath and Rainbow also made a television promotional spot for the Rock Against Drugs campaign. And tonight at Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre, in his band’s only U.S. performance this year, Dio will headline a concert benefiting Children of the Night, a nonprofit organization that helps runaway teen-agers escape prostitution.

But despite these and other efforts, he makes no grand claims to humanitarianism. “I’m not a crusader,” Dio, 38, insisted in an interview this week. “I don’t want to be Bob Geldof (who has spearheaded the pop charity movement that began with the Live Aid famine relief effort). I’m not looking to be on the leading edge of social reform.”

Between sips of ice water in his publicist’s Burbank office, the native New Yorker elaborated on that view.

He acknowledged, for example, that if the Dio band hadn’t completed recording its just-released album “Dream Evil”--or if the quintet had been on tour--he probably wouldn’t have agreed to participate in tonight’s benefit.

“I have my own life to lead,” Dio said. “I have my business to deal with, which is my music. . . . That’s what I mean about not being a crusader.”

He applied this kind of candor to discussing the possible motives of some people involved with the concert, and some ironies tied to the event. The benefit is scheduled to include appearances by Yngwie J. Malmsteen, Armored Saint, Faster Pussycat, Kuni and a band featuring members of Dokken, Rough Cutt and Quiet Riot.

Considering that aside from Dio, these acts aren’t exactly the commercial cream of the metal crop, one might wonder how much their participation represents a gesture of benevolence versus a gesture of career boosting.

“Well,” Dio said evenly, “the people who are playing on the show are relatively, uh--not unknown, locally, but they’re not the top-of-the-line people, not the people who have (made) gold and platinum albums.

“It certainly can’t do anybody’s career any harm to play in a situation like this. But it didn’t hurt Diana Ross to be in ‘We Are the World,’ either--all the publicity and everything involved didn’t hurt her. So then it probably won’t hurt Armored Saint and it probably won’t hurt Dio.”

It definitely won’t hurt Children of the Night. Founded in 1979 by sociologist Lois Lee, the organization has helped teen-age runaways lured into prostitution, drugs and pornography flee that existence by offering such services as a 24-hour hot line, counseling and foster or group home placement.

Lee’s efforts have earned her numerous accolades--including the 1984 President’s Volunteer Action Award--and a profile segment on “60 Minutes.” She plans to establish a Children of the Night shelter where these so-called “street children” will receive food, housing and counseling until permanent housing can be arranged.

A smaller portion of the proceeds will go to Los Angeles Women in Music, a nonprofit educational group serving the music industry.

The nature of the beneficiaries of tonight’s show sets up a small irony, considering the general lack of sensitivity and social concern--and the surplus of misogyny--found in heavy metal.

“Well, obviously it’s a very rebellious kind of music, played by people clad in leather and chains and what not,” Dio observed wryly. “So it just doesn’t lend itself to sitting on a tuffet with Miss Muffet. It lends itself to a certain attitude and a certain image.”

Similarly, he believes that trying to incorporate social and political commentary into metal music is impractical, given the genre’s sonic overkill and its core audience of adolescents who aren’t particularly interested in political parties.

“I try to (address social concerns in the lyrics) occasionally, and, believe me,” he said, “it’s like shouting to a deaf man.”

At the same time, because his constituency is predominantly teen-age, he well understands the plight of the youngsters that Children of the Night aims to help.

“I see these kids on the street and my heart (aches) for them, just picturing what happens: A little kid from Iowa getting off a bus, after having traveled for three days with $5 in his pocket. And God knows what kind of jackals hang out at bus stations,” he said.

“All they want is a friendly face--and they get one. It’s a friendly face, but not a friendly heart. . . . “