Backstaged: The Devil in Metal

Ronnie James Dio is metal music royalty. From his early days in New York playing the trumpet and singing in small bands to becoming a metal vocal powerhouse with Rainbow, the resurrected Black Sabbath and his own band, Dio experienced it all, riding the highs and enduring the lows in every band he played in. Then, an unexpected musical reunion with his ex-Black Sabbath band mates Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler brought him the kind of happiness and career stability he always longed for. Tragically, the group abruptly ended when Dio contracted stomach cancer. Though he fought bravely and tried to continue doing what he did best, the disease was incurable. Friends and family rallied by his side, some forming a tighter bond with Dio than ever, as he inched towards his final days. In this episode, host Jon Wiederhorn addresses Dio’s spectacular life and tragic death through interviews with Dio’s widow Wendy, and members of Black Sabbath, Heaven and Hell and Dio. Alice Cooper and members of Anthrax, Twisted Sister, and Slayer provide additional commentary.

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Pointless. Spontaneous. Hazardous. Deadly. That’s what mayhem can be like for some metal musicians. Host Jon Wiederhorn dives into the daredevils of metal music’s outrageous pranks, destructive binges, violent outbursts and near-death experiences. And, sometimes, these antics are so outlandish, they couldn’t be true. From trashed hotel rooms and sunken boats to out-of-control tour buses, find out the truth behind the over-the-top exploits from Alice Cooper, Baroness, Quiet Riot, Black Sabbath, Anthrax, Pantera, Suicide Silence and more.

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Ever since Black Sabbath named themselves after a horror movie and started writing dark, foreboding songs that buzzed with menace and defiance, fans and creators of hair-raising films and metal made a run into the darkness. In this episode, we dare to peer into the darkest parts of human nature through the lens of metal music and horror. Alice Cooper explains how he invented horror rock and Rob Zombie and Dee Snider talk about their entry into the world of horror moviemaking. Members of Pantera, Metallica, Anthrax, Cannibal Corpse and more describe the inextricable link between metal and horror.

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The bottle has called to many metal musicians since the genre’s early days. Some artists found it as a way to push the boundaries of excess, and in some cases, numb out physical and psychological pain. The late Eddie Van Halen drank to write and perform. Other artists got caught up in the partying lifestyle. Either way, whether a happy drunk or crappy drunk, going sober for many was an uphill battle. In this episode, hear scary, and sometimes dramatic, tales of blackout drinking and stories of rehabilitation from host Jon Wiederhorn and members of Van Halen, Pantera, Black Label Society, Lamb of God, Megadeth and more.

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Judas Priest’s success skyrocketed in the early 1980’s. Along with their boom in fame, came a decline in Rob Halford’s emotional and physical health. In the second episode of the two episode arc, host Jon Wiederhorn delves into Halford’s inability to be himself in the public eye. Eventually Halford would temporarily split from the band, enabling him to explore his music and come out publicly. Hear members of Judas Priest, At the Gates, and Pantera talk about the band and Rob Halford’s journey to becoming a metal music icon.

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As one of the most eclectic and popular British metal bands and pioneers of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, Judas Priest and their vocal powerhouse frontman Rob Halford will forever be one of the greats. In this episode, the first of a two episode arc, host Jon Wiederhorn discusses the beginnings of Judas Priest with a strong focus on Rob Halford. As a closeted gay man in a heterosexual music world, Halford spent a good portion of his days with the band feeling isolated. Even still, his lyrics and piercing vocals paved the way for future musicians to lean into the aggressive nature of metal music. With exclusive interviews with members of Judas Priest, Diamond Head, Life of Agony, and more, listen to them talk about their experiences with Halford and his many influences on metal.

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This episode further explores the impact heroin, a drug some called the angel of death, had on some metal musicians in the 80’s, 90’s and beyond. Host Jon Wiederhorn and many of metal’s biggest names share outrageous stories that include Ministry's drug-fueled visit with William S. Burroughs, Jane’s Addiction’s adventure through New York City’s Alphabet City to score dope, and Guns N’ Roses’ failed attempt to smuggle heroin onto a flight to Tokyo. Included are interviews with Ratt, as the episode also examines the tragic downfall and AIDS and heroin-related death of their guitarist Robbin Crosby. Members of Eyehategod, Pantera, and many more reveal stories of survival and the pains of addiction. This is the second episode of a two episode arc.

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In the 80’s and 90’s metal scene, musicians used heroin to push the limits of excess and chase away their demons. The drug took its toll on some of metal’s greatest artists. Many ended up spiraling into the hellish chaos of addiction, some not making it out alive. It was during this period of time that heroin truly became the devil in metal. In this episode, host Jon Wiederhorn interviews members of Alice in Chains, Black Sabbath, Mötley Crüe, Jane’s Addiction, Megadeth, Pentagram, and Motörhead who share their horror stories and near-death experiences. This is Episode 1 of a 2-Episode arc. FROM THE EPISODE: Alice in Chains lead singer Layne Staley laments on the fact his drug use had come to define him in the public eye. Author and former Black Sabbath publicist Mick Wall shares how drug use incapacitated Black Sabbath drummer Bill Ward for three months. Listen as Mötley Crüe bassist Nikki Sixx tells how writing in his diary helped him cope during the height of his drug addiction. Jane’s Addiction guitarist Dave Navarro talks about his near death experience due to a heroin overdose Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine recalls how the band relied on drugs as an escape from their dire financial situation. Hear former Megadeth Bassist David Ellefson describe his downward spiral into a life of addiction. Pentagram lead singer Bobby Liebling recalls when he suffered a near-fatal overdose during a gig in Washington, DC. Backstaged: The Devil in Metal is a production of Diversion Podcasts in association with iHeartRadio. Written and hosted by Jon Wiederhorn. Produced and directed by Mark Francis and Scott Waxman. Consulting Producer: Andrew Kalb. Production Assistant: Anita Okoye. Social Media Manager: Stephen Tompkins. Instrumental guitar music by Scott Waxman. Editing by Chris Schreiner. Technical Producer: Clem Fandango. Director of Marketing and Business Development: Jacob Bronstein. Executive Producers: Scott Waxman and Mark Francis. Special thanks to Oren Rosenbaum at UTA. Learn more about Backstaged at DiversionPodcasts.com.

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Sex, drugs, and rock ‘n roll...and girls. All part of metal music’s culture. In the five decades of metal, there have been groupies and partying around the clock. The 1980's saw an avalanche of a culture of partying, sex, and overall debauchery. Host Jon Wiederhorn tells how metal profited off that spirit, creating an aesthetic of peak hedonism within its music. Members of KISS, Van Halen, Def Leppard, Ratt, Skid Row, Biohazard along with Lita Ford, Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne, and many more share stories of the wild, and sometimes lonely sexual exploits of metal musicians. FROM THE EPISODE: KISS vocalist and guitarist Paul Stanley explains the meaning of partying in the 1980s. Van Halen lead singer David Lee Roth describes the sexual energy Van Halen brought to rock and roll. Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony talks about his first encounter with infamous groupie “Sweet” Connie Hamzy. Eddie Van Halen admits he grew tired of the partying scene and was ready for something more stable. Biohazard vocalist Evan Seinfeld shocks Kiss’ Gene Simmons with his photo album of sexual exploits. Sharon and Ozzy Obsourne share the foundation of their love, respect, and devotion to each other. Tom Beaujour and Richard Bienstock, the co-authors of the New York Times bestseller “Nothin’ but a Good Time,” describe how 80s metal bands tapped into the decade’s cultural spirit. Learn the meaning of metal music’s code of conduct from Ratt singer Stephen Pearcy. Skid Row frontman Sebastian Bach recalls the making of the “Eighteen and Life” music video. The Runaways lead guitarist Lita Ford goes into detail on why she became fed up with the record business. Rapper, rocker and actor Ice-T reminisces about when he wandered into a trailer full of groupies. Hear Godsmack vocalist Sully Erna go into detail about the addictive nature of partying and groupies. Backstaged: The Devil in Metal is a production of Diversion Podcasts in association with iHeartRadio. Written and hosted by Jon Wiederhorn. Produced and directed by Mark Francis and Scott Waxman. Consulting Producer: Andrew Kalb. Production Assistant: Anita Okoye. Social Media Manager: Stephen Tompkins. Instrumental guitar music by Scott Waxman. Editing by Chris Schreiner. Technical Producer: Clem Fandango. Director of Marketing and Business Development: Jacob Bronstein. Executive Producers: Scott Waxman and Mark Francis. Special thanks to Oren Rosenbaum at UTA. Learn more about Backstaged at DiversionPodcasts.com.

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It’s hard to argue that Black Sabbath and Tony Iommi didn’t lay the foundation of what metal music is today. In this episode, hear from Tony personally, in incredible detail, about the highs and lows of his journey to becoming a metal legend, including the story of an almost career-ending hand injury, which most likely added to the band's dark and demonic sound. Jon Wiederhorn, along with members of Black Sabbath, Anthrax, Pantera, Type O Negative and others share tales and take a deep plunge into the cauldron of molten metal.

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