Ronnie James Dio’s autobiography will lay bare bitter fights with Ritchie Blackmore and Tony Iommi

News
By ( Classic Rock ) last updated

Rainbow In The Dark, Dio’s posthumous tell-all autobiography, won’t be pulling any punches

Dio biog
(Image credit: Little Brown)

Rainbow in the Dark, Ronnie James Dio’s posthumous autobiography, is being published by Little, Brown on July 27.

Dio had been working on his memoir in the years before his passing in 2010, and, with Wendy Dio’s full authorisation, his manuscript has been completed by Classic Rock writer Mick Wall, who has previously penned acclaimed, definitive biographies on Led Zeppelin, Guns N’ Roses and more. 

Dio and Wall shared a 30+ year friendship, and the book’s publishers say that their collaboration has resulted in “a frank, startling, often hilarious, sometimes sad testament to dedication and ambition, filled with moving coming-of-age tales, glorious stories of excess, and candid recollections of what really happened backstage, at the hotel, in the studio, and back home behind closed doors far away from the road.”

The book will delve deep into Dio’s formative years growing up in New York state, his time in Rainbow alongside Ritchie Blackmore, and the pair’s subsequent fall-out, his stand-offs with Tony Iommi as drug use and paranoia derailed the resurrection of post-Ozzy Black Sabbath, and the personality clashes which threatened to torpedo his own solo career, fronting Dio the band. 

As a hint of what one might anticipate, you could do much worse than read Mick Wall’s Classic Rock article about the acrimonious stories behind Dio’s masterful Holy Diver album. 

A documentary about Dio’s extraordinary life is also in production. Directed by Don Argott and Damian Fenton, the film will include “never-before-seen archival footage and photos from his personal archives,” and “scenes with his closest peers, friends and family,” Billboard reported last year.

Dio Biog

(Image credit: Little Brown)
Classic Rock
Classic Rock

Classic Rock is the online home of the world's best rock'n'roll magazine. We bring you breaking news, exclusive interviews and behind-the-scenes features, as well as unrivalled access to the biggest names in rock music; from Led Zeppelin to Deep Purple, Guns N’ Roses to the Rolling Stones, AC/DC to the Sex Pistols, and everything in between. Our expert writers bring you the very best on established and emerging bands plus everything you need to know about the mightiest new music releases.