Ronnie commanded the stage! And he did so without being pretentious, or egotistical. It was that is who he is. I met Ronnie late 1970, when he and the Elves were doing their last set at a WNY venue, one of several we (our band) shared with the Elves. That night we did an early gig ( 8 -11:30) over in nearby Bradford, Pa and after left the equipment with the crew to go see this band we'd heard about. Ronnie also played bass, as I did, so we quickly became friends. It was a friendship wherein I watched as Ronnie go from the band from more toward mid NY to world-wide stardom. Through it all, Ronnie was forever the same intelligent, gracious great friend as I'd met that first night. I last saw him on Rainbow's Long Live r&r tour, backstage at the Winterland in SF. As always, he made me feel like the guest of honor! We sat in the corner and talked of old friends, old venues, good times, and where the rest of the Elves had gone. He was always done to earth, not letting fame change him. He always knew what he wanted in music and in his life, for the two were intertwined. And he really did it all for the fans.
I agree with you ! Every guitarist who played beside Dio gaves his best and powerful self indepented of his name ! There was very powerful music and great vocals while keeping melodic lines !
Dio’s performance is as if he were singing the lead in an opera. All the musicians are characters in this very dramatic show enhanced with the lighting and his incredible voice.
Having a bit of a Dio moment, so trawling through some reactions and you are the only one who has commented on what I always feel. He tells a story every time. Put aside his incredible voice, it's like an opera. Incredible.
I've met Vivian Campbell a few times In Belfast as he started in the local scene here In a band called sweet savage. Dio found him and the rest is history. Shame him and dio had such a spat In public. He fought cancer for a long time. I just wished he never joined def Leppard as he could have done so much with his career rather than play second fiddle in a pop rock band. What a rock player. We had some great guitarists here in Ireland such as Gary moore and Rory Gallagher. I remember hearing the rainbow in the dark solo for the first time from campbell and I was totally blown away back in the day.
Wow! I saw Dio live only twice, the first time on his first tour with Black Sabbath and then on his last tour with Sabbath (as Heaven and Hell). He died about a year after that Heaven and Hell show. He was amazing both times. I never saw him solo but now I'm severely bummed I didn't after watching this. I did see the Dio Disciples about 4 months ago (no Dio hologram at the show I saw) and, with no disrespect to those guys because they are talented and do put on a good enough show) there is just no replacing the real thing. When Dio passed it was such a loss for metal. I'm still sad about it.
He also always made time for fans. I have heard that no matter how late, he would give every single person who was around the tour bus a few minutes. No matter how often his handlers told him it was time to go.
Ive seen Dio between 10 - 15 times. Between Rainbow, Black Sabbath, and solo. My take was he always "brought it" performance wise. His bands were always top notch. And really the most gracious performer. Always thanking us and you could tell it was sincere
I was lucky to see DIo on everyone of his album tours and, on the Black Sabbath Dehumanizer tour! Incredible performer! The best front-man that ever lived!
You know what impressed me the most here? Once he starts with the riff I was floored by hearing *this guitar tone* on the 80s it just sounds so rich with beautiful mids really powerful and I thought "Well this is like a lead tone but for rhythm? Sounds amazing but there's not gonna be any room for vocals now" My mistake: I forgot that this was Dio we're talking about and he commands an even *bigger* sound with just his vocals, it was just unbelievable that he could not only be comfortable with such a big guitar sound but match every bit of it and even outshine it.
Great reaction on this video! Dio is the man! There will never be another one that can even come close to his awesome vocals! I've been listening to Dio since I was twelve years old, and I'm now 61. Yeah, I'm an old female heavy metal rocker, and I listen to Dio everyday. He is strictly the God Of Metal!! He also was the best front man I've ever seen! He owned the stage when he was up there. You could say he was his own conductor. I had the pleasure of meeting Ronnie when they played at The House Of Blues in New Orleans in 1985, and he was the most polite mellow dude I have ever met. Also, I had a photo taken with him and two of my friends. He loved his fans! Yeah, Vivian Campbell kicked ass on here! I love his playing. R.I.P.R. (Rock In Peace Ronnie) \m/
Damn, Ray! That’s pretty awesome! Elf was a different thing, but Ronnie already had The Voice. Nevermore is a particular favorite and in that song, you can hear him evolving into what he became: The King of Metal! Cheers!
Great reaction and i totally agree with your comments. Dio was involved with 3 of rocks/metal greatest albums. Rainbows Stargazer, Black Sabbaths Heaven and Hell and Holy Diver, RIP RJD
Right after learning of Ronnie's passing, I refused to listen to any type of music for almost 6 months. I even stopped playing guitar because I really was in mourning. I was so broken hearted that my wife was beside herself because she didn't know how to help me. Then one day it hit me like I'd ran into a brick wall … Would Ronnie approve of the choices that I'd made ?? Absolutely not !!! For the following 3 straight days during my waking hours I blasted nothing except music that featured my all time favorite singer, Ronnie James Dio ( aka Ronald James Padavona ) … ELF, Rainbow, Black Sabbath, DIO, Heaven & Hell, etc. It was my way of breaking out of my proverbial shell and stepping back into the glorious rays of music.
What a band...! When Ronnie was on stage he owned it! The command and presence he had was totally amazing and his voice was just a level above! Vivian he was the whole package! Truly gifted! One the best of the best, his playing lifted the songs, technique, sound and sheer class! I have their CD in my car and still rockin out to their music! Legendary!! Great analysis Fil!😁😁🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘
Yeah. Tim Ripper Owens. I mean for me RJD is the best heavy rock singer ever (even though Klaus Meine is my fav) but I saw Ripper in Dio Disciples and he blew my fucking mind. So much power.
LOVE Dio. Fan of all Dio (Rainbow, Sabbath, etc) but my favorite is Bible Black off The Devil You Know album. What a great album. Rest easy Dio. You truly are the Man on The Silver Mountain
Thanks Fil for a Viv Campbell video! This guy can shred with the best of them, but he also has great phrasing in his solos. Not just playing fast scales up and down the neck like many do. And what great music him and Dio wrote. First 2 albums together were pure metal classics! Happy to say I got to see the 2 perform together live before creative differences broke them up. Great band, long live rock and roll!
I believe what you were looking to describe in Dio's performance was that he genuinely loved performing... and it showed in his performance. That, alone, would make anyone stand out. Combine that with his vocal acrobatics and theatrics and you are left with the stuff of legends. Wish he were still here making the ground shake. Peace
Old guy here. I saw RJD and Vivian on this tour in Greensboro NC. Your remarks about RJD are dead on. Forget the amazing vocals for a second. He was absolutely mesmerizing on stage. You couldn't take your eyes off him. Viv's solo in Last in Line is my favorite of all his work. Great mix of melody, speed, space and feel. My favorite Dio (the band) song would be Stand Up and Shout. But my favorite RJD performances are probably with Rainbow. Man on the Silver Mountain was my intro to this amazing guy. I still get goosebumps every time I hear Stargazer.
I'll also mention that he had this way of connecting with everyone in the crowd. Seemed like he was looking and singing directly to me through the whole show. And I know I wasn't alone in that feeling. One thing about this video though. He was much more dynamic than in this video when I saw him. He was all over the stage.
I was a teenager when Heaven and Hell came out. I saw Sabbath for The Mob Rules tour in Phoenix, AZ. I also saw Dio open up for Aerosmith again in AZ, promoting his own band and first album, Holy Diver. Dio was an amazing singer/performer. Combine that with Vivian Campbell's amazing guitar playing and you have magic. The guitar lead in the song Holy Diver and again in the song Last in Line takes me to places I've never been before, even to this day. The ability to create and capture "something" special is such a rare and amazing gift.
You hit it perfectly. Dio had that thing. My childhood wouldn't have been the same without him. Vivian was amazing. He had that feel with his solos. He could take you on a ride in the middle of the song. Vary very cool. Perfect person to step into Steve Clark's place because that Phil Colin is such an underrated bad ass player.
Such a great player. I actually learned how to start my licks with an upstroke because of Vivian. It keeps my alternate picking a little more precise. Sidenote - i got to play with both Vinny and Carmine Appice because of my work with School of Rock. Great dudes, and fun to party with!
I do some part time Uber driving and I had Vivian Campbell as a passenger this afternoon. Nice guy and we had a great chat about Ireland and about Def Leppard and Mutt Lang and Dio, etc. I was definitely very glad to meet him. Thanks for this awesome video. I really enjoy your videos and your commentaries, they are always spot on.
Loved your reaction to this, because I find myself watching DIO and smiling in the same way. I saw them on the Sacred Heart tour in '85 in Charlotte, NC, with Viv Campbell on guitar. No other show has rivaled that one in my 52 years. Great channel!!! Subscribing now!
Awe Fil you were just a wee lad when he was rocking the big stage!!! Seen him lots in concert and was always great and met him back in the days and was so very nice!! Vivian was and still is a great guitar 🎸 I’m glad we didn’t lose him when he got sick..and thanks to Ronnie’s wife Wendy she keeps his spirit alive😊
I met Dio on his bus after a concert in Portland, ME at Cumberland Country Civic Center ('88). What I remember most about him was how friendly he was and he (along with the rest of the band) singed the back of my report card (he was initially concerned about signing it because I had good grades, which he warmly praised me for). I owe it to my friend Jeff who got me on the bus.
Those were the days :) Back again for Last in Line. I mentioned sliding 6ths for Steve Cropper;s playing on "Soul Man". Learning these helped me 'figger' out the breakdowns for Johnny Winter's "All Tore Down". Cool thing is, learning The Beatles (Pauls) Blackbird hepled me with the intro to "Last In Line". That's a great track. Also have to mention Ronnie's time in Sabbath. I knew a guy who bought every Sab album beyond my last purchase Vol IV. "Heaven And Hell" blew me completely away!!!
Saw Dio,with Viv,in the 80s,Ronnie was [is] one of my favourite rock vocalists,so expressive vocally ,and also with his body language,magical,with Rainbow,he was just untouchable,real control,and such power,just feel lucky to have seen them both,glad you got to show ,some ,of their abilities ,RJD,never to be forgotten.
Fil, I recently discover Your channel I 'am quite impressed! dig the diversity of musical artists and groups You analysis! You definitely know your stuff and it show in each video! I like how you're able to breakdown each performance or style of the artist witch enhances rather take away! new subscriber here! Keep expressing Yourself as an artist.
Saw RJD ,with Vivian Campbell,in Hanley,in the 80s ,great player,had never seen either live[missed him,with Rainbow] great gig,could sing the power/metal songs,and also the slower quiet ballads,loved him with Rainbow,and on Heaven and Hell,one of my favourite rock vocalists,
30 seconds into the review and I'm flashing back to the 80s, cruising with my buddies in a station wagon! Man-good times, good friends, great music! Fil, spot on! 🤘
Last In Line is one of my favorites from Dio. But I think my favorite solo from Viv is the one in Rainbow In The Dark. It's a bit short, but just blasts you right in the ear-holes.
I need to dig through your videos before making suggestions. Thank you for this!! Incredible band. VC is a favorite guitarist and it was almost a waste for him to join Def Lepard, but I'm sure it's a great paycheck. Ronnie James Dio was just an amazing artist and universally very well liked. Some of the best shows I ever saw had Dio singing. Not only this era, but I also saw Black Sabbath Heaven and Hell tour which was incredible. Few could ever hope to match RJD's artistry. So expressive, so hyper entertaining, I could go on and on about him.
Great commentary.. Saw them in 84. Dio is a killer vocalists and has great stage presence. Vivian just seemed to have endless licks. He had huge tone, etc.
Oh how I miss the days of metal. So melodic, powerful, passionate, theatrical, stories, good times! Seen Dio twice in the eighties. One of my favorite concerts! Feel sorry for a younger generation that doesn’t appreciate or get the importance of this genre on the impact of music today! Vivian was a beast!
I saw this tour; Worcester Centrum with Rough Cutt Sept 85’🤟🏻 incredible stage show, Ronnie was the best RIP. Viv is incredible, love the Holy Diver record🤟🏻
One thing I have learned so much from your channel is the cross over of musicians. For example - I knew Vivian went on to DL after Steve C passed away (rip), but never realized where he played before. That seems to occur alot in the industry.
Oh man, great Vid!!! I loved Holy Diver from Dio, esp Don't Talk To Strangers. Sure, Gary Moore inspired but killer!! man, i used to work up parts before going to work and one was Rainbow In The Dark. Reunion jam threw this tune out just over 10 years ago. Beyond the skittering descending 'bridge' figure, i had it. RIP RJD.
Great review. I was heavily influenced by Vivian Campbell in the 80's as a young player learning guitar. I finally got to see him live with Def Leppard last year.
Saw Dio in 1976, with Rainbow. Ritchie Blackmore and Ronnie James Dio. Cozy Powell, Tony Carey, & Jimmie Baine. Insane show Burbank, CA Wish they had filmed it.
I'll go ahead and suggest one of a guy named Brent Mason. He's was the go-to session guy in Nashville back in the 1990's. He's heard playing on many the big name hits. His trademark is a fast 'aggressive' picking style but he is very versatile. One good example of that would be a live performance he did on youtube of a tune called "Brent Mason - Blowin' Smoke". Lots of good closeups. But he's got several live performances on youtube. I don't know about copyrights on using them though. Love your vids! Keep 'em comin'.
Absolutely! He was a protege of Chet Atkins. Knew him back in the day when my husband Gary was manager & chief engineer at the Sound Emporium. Bret was part of what everyone called "The A Team". Man, he is beyond awesome & played on some great records!
@@roxymanasquan9087Agree! I remember the first time I heard his playing on some Alan Jackson songs, I was like, "who is this guy playing these hot guitar licks?" His playing style is unmistakable on those records! So tight and clean and fast! The best way I can describe Brent's playing is "spring loaded with power!". He has this way of picking with both a thumbpick and using his two other fingers to quickly hook and pull the strings out from the guitar as he's picking. It has a tight, clean 'popping' feel to it. I can't really describe it but you know what I'm talking about when you watch and hear it.
I think I first heard Vivian Campbell doing a BBC session with a band called Sweet Savage. His talent then was obvious. In 1983 he joined Dio, the same year that John Sykes joined Thin Lizzy. They were the two rising stars of UK guitar playing at that time and both leaned heavily on Gary Moore as an influence, which set them apart from the US guitar players of that era. I did see this tour and it was fantastic. I was deaf in my left ear for three days afterwards but that didn't seem to matter.
Dio had such a strong voice and amazing stage presence it's nearly unfair to everyone else on the stage - especially because he was such a small guy. I think that's part of the riddle, though, if you're small you need to fight to get attention because you're easily overlooked otherwise. RJD made it work for him by (over) compensating with voice and theatrics. Vivian Campbell did a great job and it certainly was a tough one. Not only because of RJD himself but because he was following Jake E. Lee who left for Ozzy Osbourne. That's huge footsteps to fill. He had to be on top of his game and it certainly needed a lot of confidence to even try. (Jake's job of following Randy Rhoads wasn't easier, though) Vivian was in a sink or swim kind of situation and managed to shine. Huge props for that!
I actually saw Dio. They played Rainbow In The Dark last which is my favorite Dio song. The concert was with Van Halen,Loverboy,BTO,and Dio. He wasn't the headliner but I went mostly to see him.
I love how you described Dio's vocals and charisma. I'd always assumed he had classical training but apparently he was self-taught. His biggest influence was Mario Lanza, and I think Dio learned a lot about both singing and dramatics from the Italian. Of course, Dio was uniquely himself. I'd forgotten how good Campbell's playing was. His timing and phrasing on the Holy Diver solo are amazing. It sounds to me like that solo is much more difficult to play than it sounds, if you know what I mean... (ie play correctly, with the off-beat notes well-timed).
actually dio was a self taught SINGER but, he was a highly trained musician a graduate of the eastmann school of music one of americans premier conservatories a classically trained virtuoso trumpet player so, he was no primative that school teaches total musicianship theory, composition, arranging, orcastration,solfegio trudst me, the guy was a tip top professional musician
From banjo to the hardest of Rock. You are nothing if not eclectic Fil. Good pick with Ronnie James Dio. I remember seeing him play in a local band called the Electric Elves.
Love Vivian, and I'm definitely not trying to diminish his skill in the slightest, but I think that Craig Goldy is almost criminally underrated, I've seen Dio with Vivian, and Craig, they're both amazing guitarists....
Was just hipped to a great vid here, "Last In Line - Don't Talk To Strangers", 3/17. Its AMAZING!!! I watched it like 5 times! Don't know if its a coincidence that i mentioned this tune earlier and it was recc'd or what but totally made my day!!!
I saw Dio in the eighties , London Lyceum small venue it was the holy diver tour, fantastic he was brilliant !!! I took my cousins who were into soul music funny they've never seen anything like it !! ...saw viv few months back with def leppard at the Albert hall ...gonna see them December can't wait !!!
The Last in Line is such a great song by Dio and fun music video. Sad what happened to Ronnie. I think Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden) was a great front man with great vocals. Klaus Meine (Scorpions lead man) was at the top of his game as well.
Yes to all that and another guy who’s aged well with no diminishing voice is Ian Gillan (Deep Purple). What a great singer and the best screamer ever. Child in Time is almost all screaming and is a classic.
Ronnie commanded the stage! And he did so without being pretentious, or egotistical. It was that is who he is. I met Ronnie late 1970, when he and the Elves were doing their last set at a WNY venue, one of several we (our band) shared with the Elves. That night we did an early gig ( 8 -11:30) over in nearby Bradford, Pa and after left the equipment with the crew to go see this band we'd heard about. Ronnie also played bass, as I did, so we quickly became friends. It was a friendship wherein I watched as Ronnie go from the band from more toward mid NY to world-wide stardom. Through it all, Ronnie was forever the same intelligent, gracious great friend as I'd met that first night. I last saw him on Rainbow's Long Live r&r tour, backstage at the Winterland in SF. As always, he made me feel like the guest of honor! We sat in the corner and talked of old friends, old venues, good times, and where the rest of the Elves had gone. He was always done to earth, not letting fame change him. He always knew what he wanted in music and in his life, for the two were intertwined. And he really did it all for the fans.
RJD was the ultimate metal vocalist. All the guitars, drums, amps--and the most powerful sound is his voice. Great video.
Thanks!
I agree with you ! Every guitarist who played beside Dio gaves his best and powerful self indepented of his name ! There was very powerful music and great vocals while keeping melodic lines !
That man could sing! He didn't need auto tume either! The guitarist kicked ass too!👍😎🎸🎶
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Dio’s performance is as if he were singing the lead in an opera. All the musicians are characters in this very dramatic show enhanced with the lighting and his incredible voice.
Having a bit of a Dio moment, so trawling through some reactions and you are the only one who has commented on what I always feel. He tells a story every time. Put aside his incredible voice, it's like an opera. Incredible.
Love to hear Fil try a Dio track.
Saw Dio a year before he passed. Absolutely unforgettable show! I know wherever you are you're bringing down the house. R.I.P. Ronnie.
Awesome! Amen.
I've met Vivian Campbell a few times In Belfast as he started in the local scene here In a band called sweet savage. Dio found him and the rest is history. Shame him and dio had such a spat In public. He fought cancer for a long time. I just wished he never joined def Leppard as he could have done so much with his career rather than play second fiddle in a pop rock band. What a rock player. We had some great guitarists here in Ireland such as Gary moore and Rory Gallagher.
I remember hearing the rainbow in the dark solo for the first time from campbell and I was totally blown away back in the day.
Cool! Yeah those are some legendary players!
You described Dio perfectly. Thank you, Fil. I still miss him
Wow! I saw Dio live only twice, the first time on his first tour with Black Sabbath and then on his last tour with Sabbath (as Heaven and Hell). He died about a year after that Heaven and Hell show. He was amazing both times. I never saw him solo but now I'm severely bummed I didn't after watching this. I did see the Dio Disciples about 4 months ago (no Dio hologram at the show I saw) and, with no disrespect to those guys because they are talented and do put on a good enough show) there is just no replacing the real thing. When Dio passed it was such a loss for metal. I'm still sad about it.
Cool! Amen to that.
He also always made time for fans. I have heard that no matter how late, he would give every single person who was around the tour bus a few minutes. No matter how often his handlers told him it was time to go.
Ive seen Dio between 10 - 15 times. Between Rainbow, Black Sabbath, and solo. My take was he always "brought it" performance wise. His bands were always top notch. And really the most gracious performer. Always thanking us and you could tell it was sincere
Cool!
I was lucky to see DIo on everyone of his album tours and, on the Black Sabbath Dehumanizer tour! Incredible performer! The best front-man that ever lived!
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You know what impressed me the most here? Once he starts with the riff I was floored by hearing *this guitar tone* on the 80s it just sounds so rich with beautiful mids really powerful and I thought "Well this is like a lead tone but for rhythm? Sounds amazing but there's not gonna be any room for vocals now"
My mistake: I forgot that this was Dio we're talking about and he commands an even *bigger* sound with just his vocals, it was just unbelievable that he could not only be comfortable with such a big guitar sound but match every bit of it and even outshine it.
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Great reaction on this video! Dio is the man! There will never be another one that can even come close to his awesome vocals! I've been listening to Dio since I was twelve years old, and I'm now 61. Yeah, I'm an old female heavy metal rocker, and I listen to Dio everyday. He is strictly the God Of Metal!! He also was the best front man I've ever seen! He owned the stage when he was up there. You could say he was his own conductor. I had the pleasure of meeting Ronnie when they played at The House Of Blues in New Orleans in 1985, and he was the most polite mellow dude I have ever met. Also, I had a photo taken with him and two of my friends. He loved his fans! Yeah, Vivian Campbell kicked ass on here! I love his playing. R.I.P.R. (Rock In Peace Ronnie) \m/
Followed Dio since ELF, saw Elf open for Deep Purple in 74. And many other times, Loved Dio. I've been around. Thanks again....
raymond COTE remember the tour but didn't go to it.
Cool!
Elf is where i first heard of RJD, too but never got to see him.
Damn, Ray! That’s pretty awesome! Elf was a different thing, but Ronnie already had The Voice. Nevermore is a particular favorite and in that song, you can hear him evolving into what he became: The King of Metal! Cheers!
Great reaction and i totally agree with your comments. Dio was involved with 3 of rocks/metal greatest albums. Rainbows Stargazer, Black Sabbaths Heaven and Hell and Holy Diver, RIP RJD
Thanks!
Stargazer is a song on the Rainbow classic album Rainbow Rising
@@robertburke784 Yeah of course your right, i was thinking about the epic track as i was typing
I saw Dio 4 time's 2 time's with Vivian, once with Tony Iommi and once with Rowan Robinson these guys will never be replaced.
Cool!
Right after learning of Ronnie's passing, I refused to listen to any type of music for almost 6 months. I even stopped playing guitar because I really was in mourning. I was so broken hearted that my wife was beside herself because she didn't know how to help me. Then one day it hit me like I'd ran into a brick wall … Would Ronnie approve of the choices that I'd made ?? Absolutely not !!! For the following 3 straight days during my waking hours I blasted nothing except music that featured my all time favorite singer, Ronnie James Dio ( aka Ronald James Padavona ) … ELF, Rainbow, Black Sabbath, DIO, Heaven & Hell, etc. It was my way of breaking out of my proverbial shell and stepping back into the glorious rays of music.
Cool!
I consoled myself with Ronnie’s music when he passed, too. He was The King of Metal!! Long Live The King! R.I.P., RJD.
\m/ … ^ ^ … \m/
Man great video Fil! Love Holy Diver but my favorite is Rainbow in the dark. And yes Dio was a frontman who just had IT! Loved it Fil! ROCK!
Thanks! 🤘
Absolutely love Dio! Fil you’re right he was the total package. May he be resting in peace.
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A Big Amen to that!
What a band...! When Ronnie was on stage he owned it! The command and presence he had was totally amazing and his voice was just a level above! Vivian he was the whole package! Truly gifted! One the best of the best, his playing lifted the songs, technique, sound and sheer class! I have their CD in my car and still rockin out to their music! Legendary!! Great analysis Fil!😁😁🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘
Thanks!🤘🤘🤘
YES!
No one comes close to RJD, not Halford, not Dickinson, no one! Listen to his early 60’s crooning as Ronnie & The Prophets, he was the real deal!
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I've heard the Ripper covering Dio and its incredible.
Richard Wielgosz when you say Ripper, you mean Owens?
Yeah. Tim Ripper Owens.
I mean for me RJD is the best heavy rock singer ever (even though Klaus Meine is my fav) but I saw Ripper in Dio Disciples and he blew my fucking mind. So much power.
Richard Wielgosz I’ll have to check him out, thanks!
LOVE Dio. Fan of all Dio (Rainbow, Sabbath, etc) but my favorite is Bible Black off The Devil You Know album. What a great album. Rest easy Dio. You truly are the Man on The Silver Mountain
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Thanks Fil for a Viv Campbell video! This guy can shred with the best of them, but he also has great phrasing in his solos. Not just playing fast scales up and down the neck like many do. And what great music him and Dio wrote. First 2 albums together were pure metal classics! Happy to say I got to see the 2 perform together live before creative differences broke them up. Great band, long live rock and roll!
No problem!
I believe what you were looking to describe in Dio's performance was that he genuinely loved performing... and it showed in his performance. That, alone, would make anyone stand out. Combine that with his vocal acrobatics and theatrics and you are left with the stuff of legends.
Wish he were still here making the ground shake.
Peace
Amen.
Old guy here. I saw RJD and Vivian on this tour in Greensboro NC. Your remarks about RJD are dead on. Forget the amazing vocals for a second. He was absolutely mesmerizing on stage. You couldn't take your eyes off him. Viv's solo in Last in Line is my favorite of all his work. Great mix of melody, speed, space and feel. My favorite Dio (the band) song would be Stand Up and Shout. But my favorite RJD performances are probably with Rainbow. Man on the Silver Mountain was my intro to this amazing guy. I still get goosebumps every time I hear Stargazer.
I'll also mention that he had this way of connecting with everyone in the crowd. Seemed like he was looking and singing directly to me through the whole show. And I know I wasn't alone in that feeling. One thing about this video though. He was much more dynamic than in this video when I saw him. He was all over the stage.
Yeah he was one hell of a frontman!
RJD was amazing. I was able to see him in Houston, Texas in 2008. His voice was 100%, and the stage performance was just incredible.
Cool!
Bud.glad you saw him.should have seen him in the day.pure magic
@@JoeJoe-uy6ck that would have been awesome to see him in his prime.
I saw Ronnie a few times. Your description is very accurate, he was a force, amazing!
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What a great video, one of the best singers and one of the most underrated guitar heros
Great video, superb analysis!❤😎✌
Thanks Kathy!
I was a teenager when Heaven and Hell came out. I saw Sabbath for The Mob Rules tour in Phoenix, AZ. I also saw Dio open up for Aerosmith again in AZ, promoting his own band and first album, Holy Diver. Dio was an amazing singer/performer. Combine that with Vivian Campbell's amazing guitar playing and you have magic. The guitar lead in the song Holy Diver and again in the song Last in Line takes me to places I've never been before, even to this day. The ability to create and capture "something" special is such a rare and amazing gift.
I luv your technical critiques... eye opening to a learning guitar player
Thanks Ariel!
You hit it perfectly. Dio had that thing. My childhood wouldn't have been the same without him. Vivian was amazing. He had that feel with his solos. He could take you on a ride in the middle of the song. Vary very cool. Perfect person to step into Steve Clark's place because that Phil Colin is such an underrated bad ass player.
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Really like how you use your technical knowledge of music and express your review with passion.
Thanks!
Don't know a lick about guitar, but love your videos. Never knew the absolute dedication it took to play. Thanks for the breakdown!
No problem!
Such a great player. I actually learned how to start my licks with an upstroke because of Vivian. It keeps my alternate picking a little more precise. Sidenote - i got to play with both Vinny and Carmine Appice because of my work with School of Rock. Great dudes, and fun to party with!
Cool!
Great content, TC. Just heard about Last In Line, Viv with Vinny and a great line up today.
g mat yeah I loved that stuff as a kid!
Just a bit of trivia, Dio sang on some religious songs on Kerry Livgrin (of Kansas) first solo album. Top notch Fil, thanks.
I wasn't aware of that , thanks !
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The songs, “Mask Of The Great Deceiver” and “To Live For The King”, appeared on Livgren’s Seeds of Change LP in 1980.
Damn, did not know that!
Going to go score that record now. Hopefully it’s on cd, but I’ll get whatever’s available.
My 1st concert was New Year's Eve of 1984 in El Paso Texas. Last In Line tour. Hell yeah!!
I do some part time Uber driving and I had Vivian Campbell as a passenger this afternoon. Nice guy and we had a great chat about Ireland and about Def Leppard and Mutt Lang and Dio, etc. I was definitely very glad to meet him. Thanks for this awesome video. I really enjoy your videos and your commentaries, they are always spot on.
Loved your reaction to this, because I find myself watching DIO and smiling in the same way. I saw them on the Sacred Heart tour in '85 in Charlotte, NC, with Viv Campbell on guitar. No other show has rivaled that one in my 52 years. Great channel!!! Subscribing now!
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Awe Fil you were just a wee lad when he was rocking the big stage!!! Seen him lots in concert and was always great and met him back in the days and was so very nice!! Vivian was and still is a great guitar 🎸 I’m glad we didn’t lose him when he got sick..and thanks to Ronnie’s wife Wendy she keeps his spirit alive😊
Yeah I didn't catch him the first time around!
I met Dio on his bus after a concert in Portland, ME at Cumberland Country Civic Center ('88).
What I remember most about him was how friendly he was and he (along with the rest of the band) singed the back of my report card (he was initially concerned about signing it because I had good grades, which he warmly praised me for). I owe it to my friend Jeff who got me on the bus.
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one of the best descriptions of dio ive ever heard. very well said
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Those were the days :) Back again for Last in Line. I mentioned sliding 6ths for Steve Cropper;s playing on "Soul Man". Learning these helped me 'figger' out the breakdowns for Johnny Winter's "All Tore Down". Cool thing is, learning The Beatles (Pauls) Blackbird hepled me with the intro to "Last In Line". That's a great track. Also have to mention Ronnie's time in Sabbath. I knew a guy who bought every Sab album beyond my last purchase Vol IV. "Heaven And Hell" blew me completely away!!!
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RJD was just so expressive,and ,such imagination,and one of the great frontmen of any rock band ,small guy ,huge voice and talent.
This is your best reaction video yet!
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And Fil, you know this is friggin awesome!!
Saw Dio,with Viv,in the 80s,Ronnie was [is] one of my favourite rock vocalists,so expressive vocally ,and also with his body language,magical,with Rainbow,he was just untouchable,real control,and such power,just feel lucky to have seen them both,glad you got to show ,some ,of their abilities ,RJD,never to be forgotten.
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Abso-freakin'-lutely!
Fil, I recently discover Your channel I 'am quite impressed! dig the diversity of musical artists and groups You analysis! You definitely know your stuff and it show in each video! I like how you're able to breakdown each performance or style of the artist witch enhances rather take away! new subscriber here! Keep expressing Yourself as an artist.
Thanks Drew!
Saw RJD ,with Vivian Campbell,in Hanley,in the 80s ,great player,had never seen either live[missed him,with Rainbow] great gig,could sing the power/metal songs,and also the slower quiet ballads,loved him with Rainbow,and on Heaven and Hell,one of my favourite rock vocalists,
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30 seconds into the review and I'm flashing back to the 80s, cruising with my buddies in a station wagon! Man-good times, good friends, great music! Fil, spot on! 🤘
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Last In Line is one of my favorites from Dio. But I think my favorite solo from Viv is the one in Rainbow In The Dark. It's a bit short, but just blasts you right in the ear-holes.
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I need to dig through your videos before making suggestions. Thank you for this!! Incredible band. VC is a favorite guitarist and it was almost a waste for him to join Def Lepard, but I'm sure it's a great paycheck. Ronnie James Dio was just an amazing artist and universally very well liked. Some of the best shows I ever saw had Dio singing. Not only this era, but I also saw Black Sabbath Heaven and Hell tour which was incredible. Few could ever hope to match RJD's artistry. So expressive, so hyper entertaining, I could go on and on about him.
Saw Dio perform live about 14 years ago, it was so awesome and unforgettable!
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Fil, I really like how you analyze and critique the music in your videos to pitch perfection. Being handsome doesn't hurt either 😉
Great commentary.. Saw them in 84. Dio is a killer vocalists and has great stage presence.
Vivian just seemed to have endless licks. He had huge tone, etc.
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We have lost so many great artists.
Heaven has one Helluva band!
Oh how I miss the days of metal. So melodic, powerful, passionate, theatrical, stories, good times! Seen Dio twice in the eighties. One of my favorite concerts! Feel sorry for a younger generation that doesn’t appreciate or get the importance of this genre on the impact of music today! Vivian was a beast!
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Wow 1985 17 years old brought me back to a great time big cag great fun Awsome job....rock on brother
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Thanks for this. I did not know about him, but he was awesome!
No problem!
Saw him in Houston music hall 83’ and many times since. Thanks
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The whole band.....was magic. Less we not forget the iconic, hard hitting Vinny Appice! & ever solid Mr. Bain. Cheers
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I love Dio,the small man with the spectacular voice.Vivian Campbell is great too.🎤🎸
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Vivian never gets mentioned alongside other Irish guitarist like Rory and Gary but damn he should. Fantastic player.
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I saw this tour; Worcester Centrum with Rough Cutt Sept 85’🤟🏻 incredible stage show, Ronnie was the best RIP. Viv is incredible, love the Holy Diver record🤟🏻
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30,000 subscribers ! Great analysis !
Thanks Sandra!
One thing I have learned so much from your channel is the cross over of musicians. For example - I knew Vivian went on to DL after Steve C passed away (rip), but never realized where he played before. That seems to occur alot in the industry.
Yeah there are a lot of regular offenders that swap places!
saw this band in 1984 :) They were great. Gary Moore was on the same bill Two great Irish guitar heroes...Thanks.
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Oh man, great Vid!!! I loved Holy Diver from Dio, esp Don't Talk To Strangers. Sure, Gary Moore inspired but killer!! man, i used to work up parts before going to work and one was Rainbow In The Dark. Reunion jam threw this tune out just over 10 years ago. Beyond the skittering descending 'bridge' figure, i had it. RIP RJD.
Amen.
Great review. I was heavily influenced by Vivian Campbell in the 80's as a young player learning guitar. I finally got to see him live with Def Leppard last year.
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i saw Dio w Campbell in Long Beach Ca just before Vivian left. immediately was a fan of Campbell from the hearing of Holy Diver album.
Saw Dio in 1976, with Rainbow. Ritchie Blackmore and Ronnie James Dio. Cozy Powell, Tony Carey, & Jimmie Baine.
Insane show Burbank, CA
Wish they had filmed it.
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I'll go ahead and suggest one of a guy named Brent Mason. He's was the go-to session guy in Nashville back in the 1990's. He's heard playing on many the big name hits. His trademark is a fast 'aggressive' picking style but he is very versatile. One good example of that would be a live performance he did on youtube of a tune called "Brent Mason - Blowin' Smoke". Lots of good closeups. But he's got several live performances on youtube. I don't know about copyrights on using them though. Love your vids! Keep 'em comin'.
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Absolutely! He was a protege of Chet Atkins. Knew him back in the day when my husband Gary was manager & chief engineer at the Sound Emporium. Bret was part of what everyone called "The A Team". Man, he is beyond awesome & played on some great records!
@@roxymanasquan9087Agree! I remember the first time I heard his playing on some Alan Jackson songs, I was like, "who is this guy playing these hot guitar licks?" His playing style is unmistakable on those records! So tight and clean and fast! The best way I can describe Brent's playing is "spring loaded with power!". He has this way of picking with both a thumbpick and using his two other fingers to quickly hook and pull the strings out from the guitar as he's picking. It has a tight, clean 'popping' feel to it. I can't really describe it but you know what I'm talking about when you watch and hear it.
@@39thala Yes- you totally nailed it!
I think I first heard Vivian Campbell doing a BBC session with a band called Sweet Savage. His talent then was obvious. In 1983 he joined Dio, the same year that John Sykes joined Thin Lizzy. They were the two rising stars of UK guitar playing at that time and both leaned heavily on Gary Moore as an influence, which set them apart from the US guitar players of that era. I did see this tour and it was fantastic. I was deaf in my left ear for three days afterwards but that didn't seem to matter.
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Dio had such a strong voice and amazing stage presence it's nearly unfair to everyone else on the stage - especially because he was such a small guy. I think that's part of the riddle, though, if you're small you need to fight to get attention because you're easily overlooked otherwise. RJD made it work for him by (over) compensating with voice and theatrics.
Vivian Campbell did a great job and it certainly was a tough one. Not only because of RJD himself but because he was following Jake E. Lee who left for Ozzy Osbourne. That's huge footsteps to fill. He had to be on top of his game and it certainly needed a lot of confidence to even try. (Jake's job of following Randy Rhoads wasn't easier, though) Vivian was in a sink or swim kind of situation and managed to shine. Huge props for that!
Yeah it's true!
I actually saw Dio. They played Rainbow In The Dark last which is my favorite Dio song. The concert was with Van Halen,Loverboy,BTO,and Dio. He wasn't the headliner but I went mostly to see him.
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Viv is another great talent from Northern Ireland!
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can't forget rainbow with richie
vivian plays guitar and dio sings like its the end of the world. awesome
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I’d love to hear you discuss “Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner” from Live After Death. A great track from when Maiden was on top of their game.
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🎸🎼🤘 great video 🤘🎼🎸
talented artist 🤘
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Hope you check out Helloween’s “Keeper of the 7 Keys” from their “Live on 3 Continents”, Michael Weikath & Sascha Gerstner are amazing!
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I love how you described Dio's vocals and charisma. I'd always assumed he had classical training but apparently he was self-taught. His biggest influence was Mario Lanza, and I think Dio learned a lot about both singing and dramatics from the Italian. Of course, Dio was uniquely himself.
I'd forgotten how good Campbell's playing was. His timing and phrasing on the Holy Diver solo are amazing. It sounds to me like that solo is much more difficult to play than it sounds, if you know what I mean... (ie play correctly, with the off-beat notes well-timed).
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actually dio was a self taught SINGER
but, he was a highly trained musician
a graduate of the eastmann school of music
one of americans premier conservatories
a classically trained virtuoso trumpet player
so, he was no primative
that school teaches total musicianship
theory, composition, arranging, orcastration,solfegio
trudst me, the guy was a tip top professional musician
From banjo to the hardest of Rock. You are nothing if not eclectic Fil.
Good pick with Ronnie James Dio.
I remember seeing him play in a local band called the Electric Elves.
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Love Vivian, and I'm definitely not trying to diminish his skill in the slightest, but I think that Craig Goldy is almost criminally underrated, I've seen Dio with Vivian, and Craig, they're both amazing guitarists....
Seen RJD with Sabbath, he said he was sick but still did his set. Was amazing! May he RIP.
What a strong combo, very 80's sounding.Rock 🎸🎸🎸🎸on!
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Was just hipped to a great vid here, "Last In Line - Don't Talk To Strangers", 3/17. Its AMAZING!!! I watched it like 5 times! Don't know if its a coincidence that i mentioned this tune earlier and it was recc'd or what but totally made my day!!!
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You nailed the magic that was Dio.
I saw Dio in the eighties , London Lyceum small venue it was the holy diver tour, fantastic he was brilliant !!! I took my cousins who were into soul music funny they've never seen anything like it !! ...saw viv few months back with def leppard at the Albert hall ...gonna see them December can't wait !!!
Awesome!
Glad I caught ya.. need an lift ☮️👊🏻
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Ronnie ! The other Little Giant Man ! Thanx Boy ! Keep on Rockin' !
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This song struts! God, that base.
Managed to see Ronnie with Black Sabbath, probably around 1981(?). Wasnt a big Sabbath fan, but the performance was captivating.
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How can you possibly get better than this???
First thing that got my attention about this video is Dio.Great video.
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Dio baby!! Phenoms forever....
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I really liked the Last In Line album. It is a classic to me. I'm glad the Vivian ended up with Def Leppard. It is a good match for him.
The Last in Line is such a great song by Dio and fun music video. Sad what happened to Ronnie. I think Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden) was a great front man with great vocals. Klaus Meine (Scorpions lead man) was at the top of his game as well.
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You, Sir, have great taste! Three of the absolute best right there!!
Yes to all that and another guy who’s aged well with no diminishing voice is Ian Gillan (Deep Purple). What a great singer and the best screamer ever. Child in Time is almost all screaming and is a classic.
Dio was such an amazing live show.
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