Clarence Ewing: The Million Year Trip writesFriday MP3 Shuffle: Happy Birthday Ronnie James Dio Edition

[photo credit: facebook.com/OfficialRonnieJamesDio]

Metal is fun. That’s one of the unspoken messages from Ronnie James Dio whenever he flashed the Sign of the Horns gesture he made standard issue in head-banger circles in the ‘70s and ‘80s. That gesture gave generations of fans their own shorthand for community and good times. A gifted vocalist whose neoclassical leanings added a new dimension to Metal’s sound and fury, Dio is best known for fronting Rainbow, Black Sabbath (following Ozzy Osbourne’s departure), and the band that was named after him. By the time of his untimely death in 2010, Dio’s reputation not just as a great singer but a representative of the genre was more than secure.

It’s only fitting that we throw horns in his honor on the occasion of his birthday. You can also play the MP3 Shuffle by sharing the first 10 songs you hear when you press the shuffle button on your MP3 player…

1. "Ruby, My Dear" by Thelonious Monk: A Jazz classic that's been recorded on several occasions by Monk, collaborating with several other Jazz greats like Coleman Hawkins and John coltrane

2. "Samson" by VV Brown (Samson & Delilah) - A bold, dramatic "Annie Lenox meets Nico" kind of sound. Would make a good soundtrack for cruising down a Soho avenue in your expensive drop-top on your way to the club most people aren't getting into

3. "Angry Angel" by Imogen Heap (iMegaphone) - Recorded when she was 20 years old, it's an album with a lot of energy and pop; It's in the same area code as Jagged Little Pill

4. "Kagemusha" by Afro Vintage Latin Orchestra (Pulsion) – Smooth, hypnotic Afro-Space-Psych-Jazz. Spiritually, they're kind of picking up where Miles Davis left off with his Fusion erffors

5. "My Only Friend" by Phantogram (Voices) – A quietly intense beginning opens up to a passionately restrained haze of beats wrapped in static

6. "Modern Boys" by London Suede (Dog Man Star) – For some reason the track doesn't start until :28 in – why do people do that? When there is sound, it makes for a wonderful Summer romance Pop song with a big finish – followed by ANOTHER :21 seconds of dead air…!

7. "Two Hearts Beat as One" by U2 (War) – There was a good article on Salon.com this week about why U2 seems to be everyone's favorite band to hate. It's certainly not because of their early albums

8. "It's Just the Beginning" by Smegma (PDX Pop Now! 2012) – Some quality modern Jazz from a group with an unfortunate name. Some definite aspects of Post-Rock in there, too

9. "I Feel You" by Depeche Mode (Songs of Faith and Devotion) – The difference between Depeche Mode with and without Vince Clarke is really pronounced on songs like this, namely the bigger beat and a lot more guitars

10. "Tell Me" by Soft Metals – Four on the floor electronica with haunted vocals over the top. They're from Portland, and they love their vintage analog machines

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