RONNIE JAMES DIO

The music industry's actions at the time of 9/11 and since have been actions driven by patriotism in most instances, and greed and stupidity to a lesser degree. Sounds like real life doesn't it?

Lyrically I like to use themes that make the listener use his or her imagination, and to give a little of the lessons I've learned in my own life.

Music, Rock and Roll music especially, is such a generational thing. Each generation must have their own music, I had my own in my generation, you have yours, everyone I know has their own generation.

I always wanted to be a basketball player.

The best subjects are always people, who never fail to amaze me by their unpredictability.

Saddam's fate should be in the hands of his country men. They were the major victims of his brutal reign and should decide his life, death, or permanent imprisonment. Personally, I would lock him away forever.

I've never taken vocal lessons. My early trumpet training and a fortunate talent for singing has always been enough for me. In the case of rock singing, I've always felt it was better to remain a bit untrained to maintain your individuality.

You can't tell young people what to do. You can't tell 'em because they'll look at you and say, 'Well, how can you tell me not to do that when you were there doing it yourself?' Or supposedly were doing it yourself. I think you must let everyone live their life the way they have to.

My childhood was safe and sane. No abuse and no traumas. I was surrounded by a large and loving family who taught me the importance of hard work and a meaningful education.

In my mind, we live in Heaven, and we live in Hell.

I think life should be easier as you get older and not more difficult. And Ritchie is too difficult a person for me to deal with, because I like to have control of my own life.

The Catholic Church, though I think it's important that people grow up with moral values, I just always disagreed with their tactics, which I thought were fright tactics, as opposed to sitting down and explaining the situation.

My hand landed on a rock, and the gnome landed on it, squashing my thumb between the rock and the gnome. Basically, it was crushed and took the end of my thumb off. I just looked at my hand, and the first thought that flashed into my mind was, 'How on earth am I going to make my devil horn sign now? That's my trademark!'

Someday, I'll be too old to run around the stage - though that won't hopefully happen for a long while yet.

I just disagree so much with the way the Catholic Church says things like, 'If you're not a good person, you'll die and go to Hell; there's a purgatory there...' If I was talking with a Holy Ghost, it would scare the living Hell out of me.

I know it was all a bit of a sham. But I know that Mickey Dolenz sang. And Davy Jones sang. And Mike Nesmith sang. And Peter Tork did something.

God and the devil are inherent in each of us. It's our choice to make: you can take the road to good, you can take the road to bad. Well, we have a choice.

I never agreed with the message of the Catholic Church - and still don't to this day.

I liked 'Last Train to Clarksville.'

I think that he was a prophet. I've had a difficult time coming to terms with Jesus Christ as the Son of God.

No, I will never do another Rainbow album. I'll never ever do that again. I want no part in doing it; I want no part in doing anything with Ritchie at all. I respect him. He's a genius. He was a great part of my life, but I don't need to go through that hell.

After it was sewn back on, they did a proper job of it, and now it's OK. It looks a little distorted, and the nail has not grown fully back yet, but I'm thankful I still have my thumb, and I can still do my horn sign.

I had no problem with Ritchie. Ritchie and I never argued. We never had a problem. I think I was always able to write the things that he wanted - until he decided he wanted to be a pop star. And then he started doing pop music. And once he did that, that was the end for me.

I never planned to join Black Sabbath - it just happened. It was back in 1979 when they were celebrating their 10th anniversary.

I don't really hear much music these days that grabs me. I think there are a lot of reasons for this but the overriding one is that there aren't as many opportunities for a band to get good or experiment or start the next wave of something.