Ronnie James Dio passed away yesterday at the age of 67 after a battle with stomach cancer. I first heard Dio the way most people of my generation did: Rainbow in the Dark on classic rock radio in the 90s. Later, I caught the video for Holy Diver on late night VH1 (remember when they showed metal videos in the middle of the night) and after seeing this tiny man dressed in hilarious barbarian garb, belting out fantastic lyrics–always kept vague enough to have meaning applied to them–I was hooked.
Later, I would learn of Dio’s importance to the culture of metal. He made one very great contribution that I feel a few people are unaware of.
This hand gesture. The “horns,” as they are colloquially referred to, were a gesture Dio came up with when he first joined Black Sabbath, borrowing his Italian grandmother’s “malocchio,” or evil eye gesture to replace his predecessor’s peace-signs. Unwittingly, or perhaps semi-wittingly, he created an iconic representation of a subculture, a sign of belonging and enthusiasm, as well as giving a bit of potentially-evil mystique to a form of music that is steeped in kids’ interests in witchcraft, the dark side, and general bad-ass-ness.
Other people have laid claim to the horns, but Dio caused them to be used as they are now. Outside of all his contributions in music, his powerful voice and stage presence, this contribution alone should rank him as a trendsetter in what has become an entire culture unto itself.
He will be missed, but his music will live on. I suppose that’s the best thing one can say, as trite as it is. I, for one, will provide him with an awkward textual salute. Rest in peace, Dio.
m/ RJC m/
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