Last In Line drummer Vinny Appice has revealed the band’s frustration that news of Jimmy Bain’s death was leaked online before they had time to tell his family. Also, he suggested that some people only spread the word because they wanted to “attach themselves to a tragedy.”
Bain passed away on the weekend of Def Leppard’s cruising festival, while Last In Line geared up for the launch of debut album Heavy Crown. He was 68.
Close friends of the veteran bassist began posting online tributes to him soon after he’d died – but that was before his relatives had been informed.
Appice said, “We are very sad about the news, and in shock. The band are also saddened that the news leaked out before we were able to contact Jimmy’s family. Within an hour and a half it was all over the internet, confirmed by people that have no business confirming anything about this, and not knowing the facts of the situation. We apologize to Jimmy’s family, and Jimmy’s memory.”
He goes on to regret “nonsense that seems to prevail” regarding some people’s desire to be ”first to post something and attach themselves to a tragedy like the loss of our brother Jimmy.”
Erik Norlander, Last In Line’s live keyboardist, expressed support for Appice’s words, saying, “Vinny and Andrew Freeman did an admirable job of looking after Jimmy during his recent illness, checking up on him constantly.
I know that they, along with Vivian Campbell, did everything they could to manage the news of his passing in as respectful and dignified a way as possible. But it quickly got out of their control, despite their sincere efforts.”
Norlander added, “Yes, Jimmy was ill, but he wanted to carry on with the gigs.”
The band released two music clips, one a lyric video, in honor of Bain’s passing, they can be streamed, here.
Areosmith frontman Steven Tyler reportedly told Howard Stern that he was one, of several people, who convinced Guns N’ Roses frontman, Axl Rose, to reunite with his original bandmates.
“I did meet Axl in a couple of clubs, a year ago, two years ago, three years ago, and I’d bump into him and I’d have that talk,” Tyler said on Stern’s SiriusXM show. “I said, ‘You need to get the f–k back together again soon, because we all miss you.’ Same thing someone said to me when [Aerosmith guitarist] Joe [Perry] and I were fighting.”
That someone, Tyler explained, was Jon Bon Jovi, who reportedly called the Aerosmith singer while he was in rehab and urged him to reform Aerosmith. Tyler said Bon Jovi told him, “People in the world need you,” a message he would eventually relay to Rose.
“There’s a place and time, where if you don’t [reunite], you’re gonna miss it,” Tyler said. “And in another four or five years, no one’s even gonna know who they were or care if they were on tour.” He added, “I have such a huge ego about keeping the fire and the music together, because if people come up to me and say, ‘Dude, I got laid to your music,’ or a woman comes up and says, ‘We got married to your songs’ — you had something to do with the fabric of people. Guns N’ Roses had something to do with the fabric of humans on this planet.”
Tyler said he had also brought up the issue with Slash, and agreed with Stern that the guitarist had been more open to a reunion than the frontman. As to what caused one of the deepest rifts in rock history, Tyler wouldn’t divulge any details. “I get the whole thing,” he said, noting the feud went much deeper than brotherly betrayal or a clash of egos.
“I can only hope that Axl sees that the greater picture is to not be angry at Duff or Slash, and for Axl to understand that he’s the lead singer of a great band,” Tyler said. “And the world wants to see Axl with the original band.”
“I must respond once again to inaccurate statements made by Geezer. I never received an offer to play the final show of The End tour with Black Sabbath. When the tour was confirmed, my management reached out to the Black Sabbath management to inquire as to whether or not they would like to discuss my participation in the tour. We were told there was no interest. That is last conversation we had with them regarding the tour.
I will say that I wouldn’t want to play only one gig when I am completely capable of touring. I would not validate their untrue statements about my health by playing only one gig. Also, I wouldn’t want to show up for only some of our fans and not for all our fans when I could have played multiple shows.
— Bill”
Geezer Butler reportedly told Radio.com, “It’s been mentioned to him [to play at the final show], But he doesn’t want to do it. He wants to do the whole tour or nothing. We’d love him to come on at the very last gig and be part of the whole thing, but he didn’t want to do that. And I understand: I wouldn’t want to be asked to come out just for the last gig. It’s a shame, but that’s the way it is.”
[Singer] Ozzy [Osbourne] adds, “If he’s there, he’s welcome [to play]. But I don’t really want to talk too much about Bill Ward! Because every time I do, he starts getting pissed off at me! Things are quiet between us right now, you know?”
Butler continues, “It’s a shame that Bill won’t be a part of it, but whatever happened, happened. It’s great that at least the three of us can end it on a high note and be friends together.” But he adds, “I still get on with Bill, I saw him last year at some award show. We got on great, we had a laugh together. It’s not personal, as Bill would say, it’s business.”
Black Sabbath’s The End tour began on January 20th in Omaha, Nebraska. See the remaining dates below.
January:
25 Minneapolis, MN Target Center
27 Winnipeg MN MTS Centre
30 Edmonton, AB Rexall Centre
February:
1 Calgary, AB Scotiabank Saddledome
3 Vancouver, BC Rogers Arena
6 Tacoma, WA Tacoma Dome
9 San Jose, CA SAP Pavilion
11 Los Angeles, CA The Forum
13 Las Vegas, NV Mandalay Bay
15 Denver, CO Pepsi Center
17 Kansas City, MO Sprint Center
19 Detroit, MI The Palace of Auburn Hills
21 Hamilton, ON First Ontario Centre
23 Montreal, QC Bell Centre
25 New York, NY Madison Square Garden
27 New York, NY Madison Square Garden
Australia/New Zealand:
April:
15 Perth, AU Perth Arena
17 Adelaide, AU Entertainment Centre
19 Melbourne, AU Rod Laver Arena
23 Sydney, AU Allphones Arena
25 Brisbane, AU Entertainment Centre
28 Auckland, NZ Vector Arena
30 Dunedin, NZ Forsyth Barr Stadium
Europe:
June:
1 Budapest,Hungary Groupama Arena
8 Berlin, Germany Waldebuhne
11 Donington, UK Download**
13 Verona, IT Arena Di Verona
15 Zurich, Switzerland Hallenstadon
17 Dessel, Belgium Grasspop**
23 Halden, Norway Tons of Rock**
25 Copenhagen, DE Copenhell**
28 Vienna, Austria Stadthalle
30 Prague, Czech Rep. 02 Arena
July:
2 Krakow, Poland Tauron Arena
5 Riga, Latvia Riga Arena
7 Helsinki, Finland Monsters of Rock**
9 Stockholm, Sweden Monsters of Rock**
12 Moscow, Russia Olympisky Arena
**Denotes festival appearance
North America:
August:
17 Wantagh, NY Nikon at Jones Beach Theater
19 Philadelphia, PA Susquehanna Bank Center
21 Washington DC Jiffy Lube Live
23 Holmdel, NJ PNC Bank Arts Center
25 Boston, MA Xfinity Center
27 Uncasville, CT Mohegan Sun Arena
29 Toronto, ON Molson Canadian Amphitheatre
31 Detroit, MI DTE Energy Music Theater
September:
2 Indianapolis, IN Klipsch Music Center
4 Chicago, IL Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
7 Dallas, TX Gexa Energy Pavilion
9 Albuquerque, NM Isleta Ampitheater
11 Salt Lake City, UT USANA Ampitheater
13 Portland, OR Sunlight Supply Arena
15 Oakland, CA Oracle Arena
17 Las Vegas, NV MGM Grand Garden Arena
19 Hollywood, CA Hollywood Bowl
21 Phoenix, AZ AK-Chin Pavilion
Last In Line — the band featuring former Dio, and current Def Leppard guitarist, Vivian Campbell alongside fellow Dio members Vinny Appice and Jimmy Bain, plus singer Andrew Freeman (Hurricane and Lynch Mob) — has released two videos today, a lyric video for Blame It On Me and a music video for Starmaker, as a tribute to Bain, reportedly who passed away this weekend at the age of 68. Watch the clips below.
Campbell released a statement on his Facebook page that reads:
“It’s with the heaviest of hearts that I must confirm the news of the passing of our dear friend and Last In Line band-mate, Jimmy Bain. It was Jimmy who gave me my first big break in the music industry and for that I am forever indebted.
Jimmy’s struggles with his demons were well documented through the years, but over the last 18 months he had finally won that battle and he was bright and lucid and motivated throughout the writing and recording of the new record. He leaves behind him a rich legacy of work from Rainbow, through Wild Horses, Dio, and finally, Last In Line. Jimmy was immensely proud of our new album and his input to it was immeasurable.
He was a very kind and gentle and generous soul and our lives were greatly enriched for having known him. We will continue to celebrate his life through his music.
On behalf of Vinny and Andrew, our thoughts and condolences are with his family at this most difficult of times.
Rest in peace, dear friend.”
Last In Line’s debut album, Heavy Crown, is set for release on Friday February 19th. To view a video for the song, Devil In Me, please click click here.
Heavy Crown track listing:
1. Devil In Me
2. Martyr
3. Starmaker
4. Burn This House Down
5. I Am Revolution
6. Blame It On Me
7. In Flames (Bonus Track Deluxe Edition)
8. Already Dead
9. Curse The Day
10. Orange Glow
11. Heavy Crown
12. The Sickness
DVD track listing:
1. Devil In Me (Videoclip)
2. Starmaker (Videoclip)
3. Making of Heavy Crown
Guns N’ Roses are offering a “Signature VIP Experience” at their upcoming Las Vegas shows for $2,500.
According to The Pulse Of Radio, via Blabbermouth.net, the package does not include a meet-and-greet opportunity with Axl Rose, Slash and Duff McKagan. However, it does include one ticket in the first ten rows, a signed, numbered, limited-edition tour poster, a photo on the stage before the show, a backstage tour, pre-show cocktails, access to a VIP hospitality lounge, a dinner buffet and drinks, prizes, private merchandise shopping and other “perks.”
Customers will also get the “Essential Guns N’ Roses VIP Gift Bag,” including special merchandise and a commemorative VIP laminate and matching lanyard.
Guns N’ Roses will play on April 8th and April 9th at the new T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas before headlining California’s Coachella Music And Arts Festival on April 16th and April 23rd. A summer tour is also rumored for the reunited group.
Jimmy Bain, best known for his work as the bassist for Dio, Rainbow and more recently with Last in Line, has reportedly passed away at the age of 68.
Though an official cause of death has not been revealed, a number of industry sources have reported on Bain’s death. Diana Deville, a member of Wendy Dio’s Niji Management, posted on Instagram that Bain had passed. In addition, drummer Simon Wright, Bain’s Dio bandmate, also tweeted an RIP referencing Bain’s death.
Bain’s music career started in 1974 with the band Harlot. A couple of years later he was asked to join Ritchie Blackmore and Ronnie James Dio in Rainbow and he recorded on the group’s 1976 album Rising and appeared on the 1977 double live album On Stage before being let go.
He also toured with John Cale, formed a band called Wild Horses, and co-wrote with Thin Lizzy‘s Phil Lynott for the singer’s solo albums before joining Dio. During his time with Dio, Bain appeared on seven studio albums, including the metal staples Holy Diver and Last in Line.
In 2013, Bain joined Last In Line, which features his Dio bandmates Vivian Campbell and Vinny Appice from the Dio Last in Line album with vocalist Andrew Freeman. Though the group initially sought to pay tribute to the Dio era with Bain, Campbell and Appice, the band actually wrote an album of original music called Heavy Crown that will be released on February 20th. Last in Line performed just this past week as part of Def Leppard‘s Hysteria on the High Seas cruise. Stay tuned as we’ll add more details as they become available.
See some of the tributes to Bain posted by fellow rockers and industry friends below:
Jimmy Bain has passed away. I’m saddened by the loss of my friend. David & I were very close with Jimmy. Godspeed! pic.twitter.com/dDO9M7nvcg
— Dave Mustaine (@DaveMustaine) January 24, 2016
Its weird when the friends you know and the people you listened to growing up start dying, #RIPJimmyBain https://t.co/9kuXZSzSjv
— Dave Mustaine (@DaveMustaine) January 24, 2016
Ah bollocks, I just woke up to find my dear mate Jimmy Bain has passed away. Rip Jimmy
— Phil Campbell (@MotorheadPhil) January 24, 2016
Jimmy Bain was a true musician and songwriter. He was involved and wrote more than u probably imagine.
— Phil Campbell (@MotorheadPhil) January 24, 2016
RIP Jimmy Bain – another bass legend gone. #DIO #Rainbow
— Paolo Gregoletto (@TriviumPaolo) January 24, 2016
We’ve lost another great Rock N Roller #rip #jimmybain #dio #rainbow pic.twitter.com/CcFyqUxnDd
— matt sorum (@mattsorum) January 24, 2016
Jimmy Bain…don’t go…We love you!
— James Kottak (@JKottak) January 24, 2016
Jimmy Bain was a sweet soul. God Bless him… Rest now Brother.
— DOUG ALDRICH (@Douglas_Aldrich) January 24, 2016
Rest in peace Jimmy Bain #DIO pic.twitter.com/Ld4xwEOwGw
— Jay Ruston (@jayruston) January 24, 2016
[Dana’s note: Thank you to Todd, for passing this along]
