Heavy Metal Vet Still Making a Commotion

It was cold and windy at the Ventura Raceway that fall night of 1983 as “The Commotion by the Ocean” was living up to its name. Steven Tyler was swaggering around the stage screaming obscenities at his Aerosmith bandmates and repeatedly kicking the mike stand off the stage. “That’s it bleep, bleeps,” said Tyler as he staggered off the stage to a chorus of boos after just five crummy songs.

More memorable and with a longer set was the opener at that gig, Dio, who sang louder than a passing freight train. Dio will be singing just as loud tonight, when he headlines a hard-rock blowout at the Ventura Theatre. And Aerosmith still owes Ventura a concert.

“I remember that show,” said Dio during a recent phone chat. “That was the gig when Aerosmith finally exploded onstage. We were backstage when Steven Tyler broke up for quite a while after that gig. I think Steven Tyler is one of the greatest singers of all time, and I’m glad they’re back.”

Ronnie James Dio, with a voice like really angry thunder, could probably explode all the glasses in the back bar at the venue. Dio, amazingly enough, began his musical career as a trumpet player, not a singer. But it soon became clear to Dio that the cool guys probably weren’t in the school band.

“The difference in musical styles was obvious to me. One was exciting and the other was tedious,” he said. “From the time I was 5 years old until I was 17, I worked my [rear] off, and my dad pushed me. If it was up to me, I’d have preferred a bat and ball, but it taught me perseverance. Playing the trumpet taught me to sing because the techniques are the same. I remember every day after band practice, I’d come home with this little red circle on my lips. I just hated that.”

Dio was in a rock band called Elf, which made albums in the early ‘70s and opened for metal gods Deep Purple.

“We did eight world tours with Deep Purple, and in ’75 or ’76 Ritchie Blackmore asked me if I wanted to be in a new band with him,” he said. “All the guys in my band Elf became Rainbow, except for the guitar player, whom we didn’t need anymore because we had Ritchie Blackmore. These were guys that I’d grown up with. Gradually, they dropped out of the band and were replaced by different people.”

After three years and five albums, Dio left Rainbow to join another legendary metal band, Black Sabbath, after Ozzy Osbourne went on to scream solo. For Dio, replacing Ozzy was no problem.

“There wasn’t really any pressure on me. I enjoy a challenge. The band’s last two albums hadn’t done well, and I wanted them up there where they deserved to be. The ‘Heaven and Hell’ album proved that. But it was never like I was replacing Ozzy because I was always me.”

Despite the continuing deprecations of adults, the Religious Right and just about everyone not wearing black, metal continues to thrive. Not only are reports of metal’s demise premature, the genre is not even sick.

“Metal will never die,” said Dio. “Sabbath was one of the great examples. I’ve heard it happen before, that metal is dying, but the fan base is so loyal, they just love the genre. Metal has always been there, even though it’s always the musical form that gets pushed to the bottom of the page.”

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Of course, there would be more respect for the genre if it weren’t for all those satanic references, the party-till-you-puke attitude, the macho posturing in a sweltering sea of testosterone, not to mention the scary lyrics, the gruesome imagery and the noise.

“It’s always been the image that we’re devil worshipers and that I’m this deeply evil person,” Dio said. “Actually, we show people that there is an evil side, and it’s their choice to decide between good and evil. Then again, what are you going to say about a band with a name like Black Sabbath? One time in ’83 or so, the governor of Arizona canceled a Sabbath Easter show and made us wait until Monday.”

Not surprisingly, Dio has a new album, “Angry Machines,” which is his latest manifestation of parent-hating Satan music. Next comes the serious road trip.

“We’ll tour for a year and a half with this album,” he said. “You have to like to travel, and I like to see places I’ve never seen before, except now I’ve already seen them. I get to meet and talk to a lot of people. It’s all about people. You get into the routine of it--this is my profession. You pace yourself. All sorts of debauchery--I’ve done all that stuff, thrown TV sets out the window. You grow up after a while.”

Then again, successful musicians don’t have to grow up, especially those in metal bands. And it seems clear that metal musicians attract the best-looking women, which seems to keep them forever young or rapidly accelerate the aging process, depending. Must be the outlaw image and all that.

“I don’t know, but I always thought it was the sports guys that got all the best-looking chicks,” he said. “But obviously, we do well.”

OK, so if it’s too loud, are you too old?

“Oh no. I don’t think so, although the ears can suffer a bit with age.”

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There will be a concert tonight at Toes Tavern in Santa Barbara to celebrate the memory and music of Keith Brown, former frontman of Popsicko. Brown was killed on this date a year ago in a crash on U.S. 101 between Ventura and Santa Barbara. On the bill, according to former Popsicko bass player Marko, will be Baby Lemonade and Ridel High with others to be named later. “Hard-rock pop band”--that was Popsicko, he said. The band recorded a CD and a few tapes during their three-year existence.

Toes is at 416 State St. The show will probably be free or cheap and starts around 9. Call the venue at 965-4655. If you can’t make it, at least wear your Popsicko T-shirt.

DETAILS

* WHAT: Dio, Helarage, Choking Ghost.

* WHERE: Ventura Theatre, 26 Chestnut St.

* WHEN: Tonight, 8 p.m.

* HOW MUCH: $19.50

* CALL: 648-1888.