"People are talking about something they've never seen."
Nowadays, hologram tours featuring deceased artists are becoming quite common, but there are still disagreements about the subject. Perhaps the most controversial of all is that of the legendary Ronnie James Dio , which premiered in 2016 and still causes some discomfort among some fans.
Dio passed away at age 67 in 2010 after battling stomach cancer. Six years later, the company Eyeillusion joined forces with his widow, Wendy Dio, to "celebrate the musician's legacy and offer a new experience to young fans who didn't have the opportunity to see Dio live."
The production features original audio from the musician's live performances, with the band consisting of Craig Goldy on guitar, Simon Wright on drums, Scott Warren on keyboards, and Bjorn Englen on bass. The team also includes Tim “Ripper” Owens and Oni Logan to provide backing vocals for Dio.
Amidst the various controversies, Eyeillusion CEO Jeff Pezzuti participated in an episode of the Talking Metal , discussing the project's latest developments and defending it against those who still criticize it.
“We are very proud of what we did,” he says, “But having said that, we know we can do better and that has always been our intention – to do the best we can. So yes, we are making some changes like adding two tracks to the setlist [“Neon Knights” and “We Rock”] for the new tour in 2019.”.
Pezzuti also reveals that for the addition of "We Rock," they are preparing something different: "One and Ripper will play alongside Ronnie, each singing a part, and then they sing the chorus together. It will be incredible."
Regarding the fans' response, the CEO confessed to having received some letters and emails from dissatisfied people. "But in reality, they're talking about something they've never seen. And I think that's a selfish attitude because there are many people who have never seen Ronnie live and want to have that opportunity." He further added that the company and Wendy Dio invested "a fortune" in the hologram just to "please the fans.".
In addition to the Dio project, Eyeillusion is also responsible for Bizarre World Of Frank Zappa , a show based on never-before-seen footage from the 1970s of the legendary Zappa .
