The brainchild of Dio and Def Leppard guitarist Vivian Campbell, Last In Line was formed in 2012 to celebrate the life of metal legend Ronnie James Dio. Reuniting some of Dio’s former bandmates to perform as a tribute act, Campbell handed vocalist Andrew Freeman the unenviable task of stepping into the great man’s elven boots, the former Great White and Lynch Mob frontman handling the job with confidence and authority ever since.
Photo credit: Mark Weiss with permission
When Ronnie James Dio joined metal legends Black Sabbath in 1980 the former Rainbow frontman’s appointment couldn’t have come at a better time. Sabbath were a sinking ship. A drowning vessel from which enigmatic frontman Ozzy Osbourne had been trying to escape for some time. However, even though it was painfully clear that new blood had to be added to halt the band’s alarming deterioration the hostility that greeted Dio from some corners was quite shocking.
While Black Sabbath fans tend to agree on most things, the argument over singers Ozzy Osbourne and Ronnie James Dio still rages on. Just who was the better frontman? Most will obviously side with the former but there are still those who insist Dio will always be number one. Ozzy was responsible for six of the finest albums in the annals of heavy metal but Dio rescued that same band (at least temporarily) from total collapse with two hugely important albums of his own.
Stars from across Rock and Metal will join together on a livestream to raise money tonight on the David Z Foundation Livestream. David Z (David Zablidowsky) was the brilliant metal and progressive rock musician best known for his work in bands such as Adrenaline Mob, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, and ZO2, died three years ago on July 17th, 2017 when a tractor-trailer collided with Adrenaline Mob’s tour bus. Check out the updated poster from Mike Portnoy’s tweet below. You can donate at the GoFundM link below and watch the live stream including artists ranging from Mike Portnoy, Dee Snider, Chris Jericho, Ray Luzier (Korn), John Moyer (Disturbed) Rikki Rockett, Don Dokken, Richie Kotzen, Billy Sheehan, Jeff Scott Soto, Carmine Appice, Eddie Trunk, Marco Mendoza, Joel Hoekstra, Tiffany, John Pooper, Alex Skolnik, Charlie Benante, Dug Pinnick, Ra Diaz and more! Continue reading
The Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund (https://www.diocancerfund.org), founded in memory of the late rock legend, will commemorate what would have been Dio’s 78th birthday on July 10 with a video in which rock music celebrities talk about what Ronnie and his music has meant to them. Dio lost his months-long battle with gastric cancer 10 years ago, and the charity founded after his passing has raised more than $2 million to fight the disease that took his life. Largely compiled from red carpet interviews with celebrity guests at various Dio Cancer Fund events, including the 10th Anniversary Awards Gala held at the Avalon in Hollywood in February (see our coverage here) just before the pandemic shutdown, the video contains special video messages from Rob Halford and Geezer Butler, who were close friends of Dio’s. Among those also expressing their thoughts are Dave Grohl, Jack Black, Rudy Sarzo, Craig Goldy, Scott Warren, Simon Wright and Vinny Appice of the Dio band, Fred Coury, Robbie Crane and Ricky Warwick of Black Star Riders, Ahmet Zappa, Joey Vera, Glenn Hughes, Jeff Pilson, Doug Aldrich, Terry Ilous and Eddie Trunk, who hosts most of the Dio Cancer Fund events.Continue reading
Ghost Cult caught up with Last In Line frontman Andrew Freeman a few months back to discuss the goings-on with the group, and all the ways the band made up mostly of former Ronnie James Dio’s DIO band work hard to preserve his legacy. The band also makes their own music, which is totally killer, and in their classic Heavy Metal style. We spoke to Andrew about how the group formed, the depth and songwriting of their 2019 album II (Frontiers Records SRL), opening for UFO, his approach to singing, and the band’s plans for their third album, already underway. Catch the band on their upcoming tour dates and purchase tickets at this link!
Mar 20 The Beacon Theatre Hopewell
Hopewell, VA
Mar 21 BLE Ballroom Blitz
La Fontaine Bleue, Glen Burnie, MD
Mar 22 at Penn’s Peak, with Special Guest Lynch Mob
Jim Thorpe, PA
Mar 26 at Ramona Mainstage
Ramona, CA
Mar 27 Last In Line, The Hard Way, Angeles, Love Razer, Da Vang, Royal Rebels, Kodiak
Whisky A Go-Go, West Hollywood, CA
Mar 28 at Count’s Vamp’d!
Las Vegas, NV
May 29 at Buffalo Rose
Golden, COContinue reading
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: RSS
As we celebrate fifty years of Black Sabbath, including the forty-ninth anniversary of their debut album, we are seeing a lot of outpouring of love and respect across music. One really interesting tribute is from mega fan Michael Suilleabhain. Hailing from West Cork, Ireland. By day he is Irish Nuclear Construction Safety Inspector, but by night Michael is a music producer and singer with big dreams. One dream he willed into reality was an all-star tribute to his favorite band, Ninth Star (PHD). Amassing ten former members across every lineup of the band, Emerald Sabbath features Adam Wakeman (Black Sabbath/Ozzy Osbourne), Bev Bevan (Black Sabbath/ELO), Neil Murray (Black Sabbath/Whitesnake), Terry Chimes (Black Sabbath/The Clash), Laurence Cottle (Black Sabbath/The Alan Parsons Project), Ron Keel (Black Sabbath/Ron Keel Band), Vinny Appice (Black Sabbath/Heaven & Hell), Dave Walker (Black Sabbath/Fleetwood Mac), Bobby Rondinelli (Black Sabbath/Rainbow), Tony Martin (Black Sabbath/Headless Cross), Rudy Sarzo (Ozzy Osbourne/Whitesnake) and The English Chamber Choir. Other Emerald Sabbath contributors include Will Malone and Mike Lewis (Sabotage/Technical Ecstasy) Mike Exeter (Black Sabbath/Judas Priest), Jeremy J. Lewis (Headless Cross), Mike Lewis (‘She’s Gone’) Skaila Kang (Royal Academy Of Music) as well as Sabbath album graphic designers Richard Manning and Colin Elgie (Technical Ecstasy) and Hugh Gilmour (Born Again). It’s an impressive feat to have united these forces for this album, but do they pass muster. Continue reading
The 2017 Edition of Rock And Roll Fantasy Camp has been announced for Presidents Day Weekend, February 16-19, 2017 In Los Angeles with Jerry Cantrell And Mike Inez of Alice In Chains, and Dean Deleo and Robert Deleo on Stone Temple Pilots among the talent appearing. Continue reading
The Immortal Randy Rhoads – The Ultimate Tribute, a tribute album of cover tracks recorded to memorialize Randy Rhoads, the one time lead guitarist for Ozzy Osbourne and Quiet Riot, is out now via UDR Music, and is streaming the record in full here.
Full track listing with performers:
1. Crazy Train
Vocals: Serj Tankian
Gtrs: Tom Morello
Bass: Rudy Sarzo
Drums: Vinny Appice
2. Over the Mountain
Vocals: Tim “Ripper” Owens
Gtrs: Jon Donais
Bass: Rudy Sarzo
Drums: Frankie Banali
3. Mr Crowley
Vocals: Chuck Billy
Gtrs: Alexi Laiho
Keyboards: Kelle Rhoads
Bass Rudy: Rudy Sarzo
Drums: Brett Chassen
4. Believer
Vocals: Tim “Ripper” Owens
Gtrs: Doug Aldrich
Bass: Rudy Sarzo
Drums: Vinny Appice
5. Back To The Coast (Quiet Riot)
Vocals: Kelle Rhoads
Gtrs: Bruce Kulick
Bass: Rudy Sarzo
Drums: Frankie Banali
6. I Don’t Know
Vocals: Tim “Ripper” Owens
Gtrs: George Lynch
Bass: Rudy Sarzo
Drums: Brett Chassen
7. S A T 0
Vocals: Tim “Ripper” Owens
Rhythm guitars: Bob Kulick
Lead guitar: Dweezil Zappa
Bass: Rudy Sarzo
Drums: Vinny Appice
8. Killer Girls (Quiet Riot)
Vocals: Tim “Ripper” Owens
Gtrs: Joel Hoekstra
Bass: Rudy Sarzo
Drums: Brett Chassen
9. Goodbye to Romance
Vocals: Tim “Ripper” Owens
Gtrs: Gus G.
Bass: Rudy Sarzo
Drums: Brett Chassen
10. Suicide Solution
Vocals: Tim “Ripper” Owens
Gtrs: Brad Gillis
Bass: Rudy Sarzo
Drums: Brett Chassen
11. Flying High Again
Vocals: Tim “Ripper” Owens
Gtrs: Bernie Torme
Rhythm Gtr: Bob Kulick
Bass: Rudy Sarzo
Drums: Brett Chassen
A lover of classical music, Rhoads had taken initial steps into rock’n’roll as a 16 year old when he formed a band, that soon became Quiet Riot. Rhoads was vaulted to the limelight in 1979 when Ozzy Osbourne chose the relatively unknown guitarist to help shape a new future for him via his band, Blizzard of Oz. The result saw Rhoads co-script two of the most famous albums in hard rock history, Blizzard Of Oz and Diary of A Madman, and rapidly ascended the stairway of fame and recognition for his virtuoso playing and writing. Famed for the way he fused classical flavors with technically-excellent hard rock, Rhoads became one of the most influential lead guitarists in rock.
When he tragically passed away on March 19, 1982 in a plane accident, Rhoads was only 25 years old, but thankfully, the legend of his work, ethos and their continuing influence on a whole new generation of guitarists, has never dimmed.
Celebrate the life and legend of Randy Rhoads with Immortal Randy Rhoads – The Ultimate Tribute.
UDR Music will release Immortal Randy Rhoads – The Ultimate Tribute and its accompanying bonus DVD (with digipack edition) on March 3, 2015. This highly-anticipated compilation of cover tracks – which feature an incredible gathering of renowned heavy metal and hard rock musicians – honors Randy Rhoads, who will forever be revered as the legendary lead guitarist for Ozzy Osbourne and Quiet Riot.
Immortal Randy Rhoads – The Ultimate Tribute includes a searing cover of the heavy-hitting Ozzy Osbourne track “Mr. Crowley”, which features a line-up of all-star performers: Chuck Billy (Testament), Alexi Laiho (Children of Bodom), Kelle Rhoads (brother of Randy Rhoads), Rudy Sarzo (Quiet Riot/Ozzy Osbourne) and Vinny Appice (Black Sabbath/Dio). Stream “Mr. Crowley”, featuring Chuck Billy of Testament on vocals here.
Immortal Randy Rhoads – The Ultimate Tribute will be available in double vinyl gatefold, digipack and digital formats. In the digipack version, Immortal Randy Rhoads – The Ultimate Tribute will contain a bonus DVD along with the album, including interesting interviews with some of the involved artists, hosted by Bob Kulick and a feature on the Musonia School of Music, a teaching school on North Hollywood, CA, set up by the Rhoads family.
Full track listing with performers:
1. Crazy Train
Vocals: Serj Tankian
Gtrs: Tom Morello
Bass: Rudy Sarzo
Drums: Vinny Appice
2. Over the Mountain
Vocals: Tim “Ripper” Owens
Gtrs: Jon Donais
Bass: Rudy Sarzo
Drums: Frankie Banali
3. Mr Crowley
Vocals: Chuck Billy
Gtrs: Alexi Laiho
Keyboards: Kelle Rhoads
Bass Rudy: Rudy Sarzo
Drums: Vinny Appice
4. Believer
Vocals: Tim “Ripper” Owens
Gtrs: Doug Aldrich
Bass: Rudy Sarzo
Drums: Vinny Appice
5. Back To The Coast (Quiet Riot)
Vocals: Kelle Rhoads
Gtrs: Bruce Kulick
Bass: Rudy Sarzo
Drums: Frankie Banali
6. I Don’t Know
Vocals: Tim “Ripper” Owens
Gtrs: George Lynch
Bass: Rudy Sarzo
Drums: Brett Chassen
7. S A T 0
Vocals: Tim “Ripper” Owens
Rhythm guitars: Bob Kulick
Lead guitar: Dweezil Zappa
Bass: Rudy Sarzo
Drums: Vinny Appice
8. Killer Girls (Quiet Riot)
Vocals: Tim “Ripper” Owens
Gtrs: Joel Hoekstra
Bass: Rudy Sarzo
Drums: Brett Chassen
9. Goodbye to Romance
Vocals: Tim “Ripper” Owens
Gtrs: Gus G.
Bass: Rudy Sarzo
Drums: Brett Chassen
10. Suicide Solution
Vocals: Tim “Ripper” Owens
Gtrs: Brad Gillis
Bass: Rudy Sarzo
Drums: Brett Chassen
11. Flying High Again
Vocals: Tim “Ripper” Owens
Gtrs: Bernie Torme
Bass: Rudy Sarzo
Drums: Brett Chassen