Gary Graff of Billboard reports:
The recent death of bassist Jimmy Bain has made this week’s release of Last In Line’s debut album Heavy Crown decidedly bittersweet — and has left the group wondering how to proceed in the future.
“We are all immensely proud of the record — as was Jimmy,” says guitarist Vivian Campbell, who convened with fellow Dio alumni Bain and drummer Vinny Appice in 2011, later adding vocalist Andrew Freeman. Bain died January 23rd at the age of 68 from lung cancer during Def Leppard’s Hysteria on the High Seas cruise, where Last In Line was booked to play.
“It was a great record to make. It was a joyous experience to reconnect with Jimmy and Vinny again after all these years and Andrew was a perfect fit with us and it was an easy record to make. It was very effortless, very joyous and very organic and it just kind of fell out of us, yet it came out great.”
The project was particularly important to Bain, who was in court-ordered rehab during the sessions with a curfew that dictated he return before 10 p.m., about the time many bands are just getting warmed up. “I used to pick him up to go to rehearsal and bring him back, and it was the most dismal place,” Campbell, who does double duty with Def Leppard, recalls. “So for Jimmy this record wasn’t just an album; it was a real point of focus for him. He was dealing with his sobriety and I think what really helped him get through all of that bullshit was focusing on this band and this record.”
Last In Line was planning a full-scale tour during April and May to promote the 11-track Heavy Crown, but for now the group — which has not yet named a replacement bassist — is planning only to honor bookings at the Frontiers Festival during April in Milan, Italy, and at Rocklahoma during Memorial Day weekend. All other plans are on hold, although the group hasn’t ruled out touring in the future. “We owe it to ourselves and to Jimmy’s memory to do something with it,” says Campbell, who himself is taking experimental treatments for Hodgkin’s lymphoma. “We’re all really, really proud of this record — Jimmy was, too. We all really believed in it. We knew it was gonna be good and we were super thrilled that it came out even better than our expectations. It would be sad to just let it go, so we’ll see what the future holds.”
Read more at Billboard.
source: billboard.com
4 Responses
What’s Rudy Sarzo doing? Is he still in Geoff Tate’s band? He’d be perfect!
Heavy Crown is a great record, maybe the best new effort from a new band that I’ve heard in a few years. Unfortunately I can’t see this line up continuing with a new bassist. Jimmy was a strong creative force and more than a bass player. Its too bad for obvious reasons. This would’ve been really cool to see live. I’ve always loved Viv’s playing and hated the fact he’s second fiddle to the shirtless wonder in that pop band that pays his bills.
I love Def Leppard but this made me laugh out loud!
Sarzo would be great even though he only briefly played with Dio, or Jeff Pilson who played on a couple of records, if he’s available.