According to U.K.'s Classic Rock magazine, legendary heavy metal vocalist Ronnie James Dio (HEAVEN & HELL, BLACK SABBATH, RAINBOW, DIO) has begun writing his autobiography. It will "not be centered around myself so much as me telling my life story through the stories of those around me," he is quoted as saying.

Dio explained that he's fitting the writing around a hectic schedule with HEAVEN & HELL, which is scheduled to release its debut album, "The Devil You Know", later this month.

"Every time I feel I'm getting halfway there, another halfway comes along," he said. "But yes, I'm writing it and it's certainly going to be very, very interesting for people interested in the bands I've been in and the people I've played with.

"You have to have a focal point, and I guess that had to be me. It's an autobiography, but within it, I tell the stories that somehow explain a little bit what [former RAINBOW mastermind] Ritchie [Blackmore]'s like or [BLACK SABBATH's] Tony [Iommi]'s like or Geezer [Butler]'s like. I don't analyze them, but just in telling the tales I paint everyone in as good a light as possible. It's not a tell-all book."

According to Dio, anyone expecting to read about on-the-road debauchery and excesses will be disappointed. "I've tried to live my life on a very straight path,' he told Classic Rock. "I'm not Nikki Sixx [MÖTLEY CRÜE] or people who go over the edge. That's alluring to a lot of people, but I'm sure being a little bit different is alluring to some other people, too."

The as-yet-untitled book is tentatively due next year.