When you listen to something like the verses in "Run To The Hills," I think it is absolutely obvious. I guess I always thought this was common knowledge. It wasn't until the "internet" that I realized some folks dispute this and that I am "only one" discussing this only applies to this tiny thread.
Here's 2 minutes on google:
(2002 interview w/ RJD)
You're regarded as one of the finest rock vocalists on the planet and have being a huge influence on the likes of Bruce Dickinson. Who influenced you as a singer?
Paul Rogers (Free) has being an influence, and early on, before he started penning material such as Do Ya Think I1m Sexy?, Rod Stewart. He was a great rock 'n' roll singer early into his career, when he was in the Faces. One of my biggest vocal heroes was Steve Mariott. I used to cover a lot of these artists early in my career. I think you can have vocal tendencies to sound reminiscent of your influences, but the gift is to reach for things that are within your own realm of talent, then find your feet and develop your own style. Obviously that takes time and confidence.
http://www.ronniejamesdiosite.com/Ne...nDragons.html\
(2001 interview w/ Dickinson)
Let’s talk a bit about your influences. I think, you were influenced mostly by Gillan and Dio, or were there others?
A guy called Arthur Brown, who did the song “Fire” from the late Sixties, was a big influence of mine. Peter Hammill from a band called VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR. And also Ian Anderson from JETHRO TULL, particularly, his lyrics. Very different influences. As of Gillan, in the early days it was very much so, but it changed a little bit when I’ve been with MAIDEN, it became much more kind of operatic than the Gillan thing.
http://dmme.net/interviews/dickinson.html
That's two minutes and already two other people who assume the influence of Dio on Dickinson is obvious.
I'm sure there are more ...
IMO, if Dickinson doesn't admit more strongly to how much Dio influenced his phrasing then it could only be because he is a little reluctant to admit just how much he lifted from him. But this is pure speculation, I admit. And frankly I am about out of gas on this topic. I think Bruce Dickinson is a poor man's Dio. If he arrived there more via Gillan, Arthur Brown and Hammill, then fine, but the result is the same. He's a "yeller" and has nowhere near the overall scope of vocal dynamics that the late Ronnie James Dio had, but he does sometimes use similar phrasing in his delivery. One listen to something like "Falling Off The Edge Of The World" and Ronnie's "Never ... no never again" and then Dickinson's phrasing on something like the "Raping the women and wasting the men" on "Run To The Hills" would seem to make this all too apparent, but perhaps it's a coincidence.
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