Vinny Appice says that Ronnie James Dio would be “pissed off” if he was alive to see Gene Simmons attempt to trademark the so-called “devil’s horns” hand gesture.
The late BLACK SABBATH and RAINBOW singer is widely credited with popularizing the symbol — a staple at rock concerts for decades — which the KISS bassist/vocalist filed an application to trademark on June 9, only to abandon it less than two weeks later.
Dio ― who said his Italian grandmother often invoked the horns to ward off the malocchio (the evil eye), bad luck or malevolent spirits ― also took issue with Simmons.
Most music fans have slammed Simmons for the trademark request, saying the symbol has become ubiquitous and means different things to different people.