Dio Disciples star insists Ronnie James Dio hologram tour ‘isn’t for the money’

After Ronnie’s hologram likeness made its debut with Dio Disciples at Wacken Open Air in August 2016, the Dio Returns: The World Tour was launched last year and the European leg took in a show at London’s O2 Academy Islington shortly before Christmas.

With dates in Scandinavia, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, France, Germany, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, United States and Venezuela planned throughout 2018, the concept is proving a success, however, one of the many critiques that has been fired at it from fans is that it’s cashing in on Dio’s legacy.

In an interview with IndeOnline, Dio Disciples singer Tim ‘Ripper’ Owens has denied such claims saying they’re only doing it to “celebrate” the rock legend’s “music and life.”

Explaining how he became involved, Owens said: "Wendy (Dio, Ronnie's wife and manager) and the hologram people both asked if I would be interested in singing. I love doing the Dio Disciples stuff, and this is definitely done for the love.

"I'll hear people say, 'Oh, someone's making money.' No, someone - Wendy Dio - is spending tons of money to try to make fans happy.

"We don't do it for the money. I get paid more doing solo stuff, but I love it. I love Wendy and Ronnie was a friend, so we just love doing it and celebrating Ronnie's life and music."

Asked if he was initially hesitant to get involved with the hologram tour, Owens said: "At first, I wasn't sure about the hologram. But I thought, 'I would love to at least see a David Bowie/Ziggy Stardust hologram or a Bon Scott hologram.'

“Maybe I wouldn't like it; I don't know. But with us, it's a live band playing to Ronnie's vocals. I think it would be really cool to see those other artists in the same way, so that's the way I kind of looked at it. I thought, 'Let me try this.'

“I get some people might not want to see it, but the strangest thing is that a lot of those people would go watch a movie with a digitally created person that has passed away and be fine with it. Not liking it is one thing, but to attack Wendy Dio, who is doing it to try to make fans happy, that's the problem."

You can watch footage of the hologram in action here: