Stand Up And Shout!

Dio

Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre

Laguna Hills, CA

July 26, 1986

Besides battling wizards and dragons, Ronnie James Dio has gone head to head with such heavy-weights as Ozzy Osbourne, Gene Simmons, and even his former and now current band-mates Tony Iommi and Bill Ward. Ronnie is currently involved in the biggest and most fierce battle he has ever had, and we need to send him our prayers.

Just before Thanksgiving of 2009, Ronnie James Dio was diagnosed with the early stages of stomach cancer.  He jumped right into his cancer treatments, and despite canceling his European Tour, Dio and Heaven & Hell will perform in July at the High Voltage Festival in London.

I have had the honor to have met and worked with Ronnie a handful of times, and I can honestly say that Dio is one of, if not THE, nicest and most down to earth people in heavy music that I have ever, ever met.  For a man who has helped to bring Heavy Music to the masses as well as spearheading numerous charities and community fundraisers, he is genuinely grounded and modest.

The first time I met him, I thought I was going to crush his bones when we shook hands…and I am not much bigger than he is.  Besides, if it weren’t for Dio, who knows what two fingers we would be sticking in the air!

You can send cards, letters, well-wishes, etc. to Ronnie at:

Dio Fan Club

12400 Ventura Blvd.

Suite 624

Studio City, CA  91604

“Kevin…you have come so far!”

Ozzy Osbourne
Us Festival
San Bernardino, CA
May 29, 1983

Ozzy Osbourne
Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre
Laguna Hills, CA
August 3, 1989

I am blessed.  Ever since I was a kid all I wanted to do was take photos of my favorite rock bands and artists.  I am living proof that if you want something bad enough; if you have the talent; and if you never give up – no matter how tough things may get – you can achieve your dream.  I am often told, “Kevin, you have come so far.”

Take a look at that Ozzy photo from the Us Festival in 1983.  I was just a kid shooting from the crowd back then with a smuggled-in-camera.  Sometimes I could make my way right up front and sometimes I was stuck in the boonies.  Now look at the Ozzy photo I shot at Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre, I was living my dream shooting Ozzy for my first time up front inside his photo pit.

So yes, I have come pretty far…about 150 ft. closer to the stage to be exact.

Ozzy at the Us Festival shot on my brothers Pentax K-1000 camera with a Pentax 80mm lens.  Shot on Kodak Negative Film.

Ozzy at Irvine Meadows Amp. shot with my Canon AE1 Program and a no name 80-200mm f 5.6 lens.  Shot on Kodak Ektachrome film.