The Ronnie James DIO album-by-album thread

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Javimulder, May 19, 2010.

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  1. Javimulder

    Javimulder New Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Spain
    DIO - Live In Concert (1984)

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    - Stand Up And Shout
    - Straight Through The Heart
    - Shame On The Night
    - Children Of The Sea
    - Holy Diver
    - Heaven And Hell
    - Rainbow In The Dark
    - Don't Talk To Strangers

    Recorded live at Vredenburg Muziekcentrum, Utrecht
    December 4th 1983


    Live In Concert captures Dio promoting their debut album Holy Diver, and presents most of the show played on the night of the recording. This live film is a treat for Dio maniacs as the band is full of raw power and tears through the set with relentless energy, aided by the simple but effective stage production.

    The versions of Holy Diver material featured here like Stand Up And Shout, Straight Through The Heart or the title track are flawless; the opening number almost frenetic, presenting the band at their explosive best. Rainbow In The Dark gets an extra-heavy reading, with an amazing guitar solo and an equally impressive vocal from the main man, who seems to enjoy himself jumping about the stage and twirling his mike stand. Actually, Ronnie is in particular great form and voice throughout this concert, reaching for the highest notes with jaw-dropping ease even by the end of the show, and seemingly comfortable with his audience, often addressing them or shaking their hands; his overall performance is amazing in every way and worth the price of admission alone (even if he sometimes growls a bit too much for my liking).

    A pair of definite highlights are Shame On The Night, with Ronnie at his dynamic and dramatic best (and which features a nice little guitar and vocal ending), and the furious set closer Don't Talk To Strangers, featuring again one of the very best vocal performances of the concert, as well as a tremendous amount of power from the rest of the band. Bassist Jimmy Bain is especially animated on that last song, but puts in an equally solid performance throughout, pounding along with gusto and providing the sound with a meaty bottom end that must have been great to hear (or should I say 'feel'?) live on the night.

    The concert also includes a look back to Ronnie's past with a pair of Black Sabbath songs, namely Heaven And Hell and Children Of The Sea, both performed much like on the recent Sabbath album Live Evil. Unfortunately, Campbell's solo on the former is not very interesting or entertaining, but the main body of the songs are done justice, as is Vinny Appice, whose drum solo sounds much better here than on the aforementioned live album, and is more enjoyable thanks to the visuals.

    To sum up, a really enjoyable concert film that will prove a neat souvenir for all Holy Diver fans, especially as it features the singer in such great form and spirits.
     
  2. antonkk

    antonkk Senior Member

    Location:
    moscow
    I think Dee started with Twisted Sister around 1972 or so an judging by the fact that Dio sang a lead track on the solo album by Twisted Sister guitarist Eddie Ojeda there was some obvious connection. As for the age difference - well Ronnie was obviously older than Manowar's Joey De Maio as well but they were friends from the Elf days. Plus Ronnie's cousin David Feinstein hanged out with all the NY area metal crowd as well.
     
  3. JA Fant

    JA Fant Well-Known Member

  4. antonkk

    antonkk Senior Member

    Location:
    moscow
    Just found this cool and hilarious interview with Dio, Lemmy and Joey De Maio from swedish TV 1999. Posted it on Manowar threead, but it belongs here as well. The TV host doesn't have a clue about metal and even calls the band DIOS yet Ronnie shows all the class and hidden irony possible! Enjoy!

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OA3uR1fB5KI&feature=related
     
  5. JA Fant

    JA Fant Well-Known Member

  6. Javimulder

    Javimulder New Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Spain
    Only two days after the Live In Concert filming in Utrecht, the European leg of the Holy Diver tour finished with a show at the famed Espace Balard venue in Paris on December 6th 1983, after which the band hardly got time to catch their breath before a second American leg began on December 10th in Upper Darby (Pennsylvania). After a show in Pittsburgh the following night they went right on to their first headlining Canadian dates as they played Toronto and Montreal on consecutive nights (December 12th and 13th) before returning for an additional date in Upper Darby and then proceeding from there to play Atlanta, New Orleans, Oklahoma and Albuquerque, until the tour reached the city of Mesa (Arizona) on December 21st. There was no fixed supporting act for the duration of this second US leg, and so bands like Twisted Sister, Humble Pie or Helix (plus Anvil in Canada) opened for Dio on various different dates at this point.

    Attendance for these shows still ranged between two and four thousand, but these numbers were soon to double when, after a short break over Christmas, the tour continued with an additional six dates in California which proved to be their biggest yet as headliners. With both Dokken and Y & T as support, the last two shows of the year at Long Beach Arena and San Francisco's Cow Palace (December 30th and 31st) were the icing on the cake of a very successful year for Dio, playing to crowds of eight and fifteen thousand fans, respectively. After the debacle of the Aerosmith tour the previous summer, Ronnie had tried to make sure that their profile as a live act was an increasingly respectable one, and his efforts were clearly bearing fruit. Jimmy Bain remembers how things changed for them: "For the last thing we did with Aerosmith we went with William Morris [talent agency], and the agent there said, 'If you sign with me, you'll be in the Long Beach Arena by the end of the year.' And that was in August, I think. Then we just went out ourselves and did sort of two thousand seat theatres and stuff like that. But sure enough, the 30th of December we were playing Long Beach Arena. So we went from the Santa Monica Civic Center to Long Beach Arena in four months. It became big very quick."

    [​IMG]
    (Poster for the concert at Long Beach Arena, December 30th 1983)
     
  7. JA Fant

    JA Fant Well-Known Member

    Great concert poster.
     
  8. Javimulder

    Javimulder New Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Spain
    After the New Year's Eve show in San Francisco (where the crowd was treated to an additional encore of The Mob Rules), the Holy Diver tour finally came to an end with two concerts in Santa Cruz (January 6th 1984) and Santa Barbara (January 7th), with Black 'N Blue supporting.

    Their last performance promoting the Holy Diver album, however, took place one week later when they made a live appearance on the late night TV show "The Rock Palace" on January 14th 1984, playing a much condensed set of only four songs: Stand Up And Shout, Straight Through The Heart, Rainbow In The Dark and Man On The Silver Mountain.

    With all commitments fulfilled, it was now time to take a well deserved break and take stock of the situation. It had been an eventful and much successful year, in which Ronnie managed to rise from the proverbial ashes and re-establish himself once again within a band that was his own this time, and all in spite of the insecurities he felt prior to the release of Holy Diver: "I was very concerned that it was not going to be successful because a lot of the onus was on me. After all, I did put my name on it. I remember the first Rainbow album I did with Ritchie Blackmore, and he was the same as I was for the release of the Dio album; he thought, 'Gee, I hope this works,' whereas all the rest of us in the band said, 'This is a great album.' He had some misgivings, just as I did." However, after so many years in the business the situation of being in a great band with a successful album under his belt wasn't new for him, so he wasn't as bowled over as one might expect, as he later confessed: "That was a great time. But I'd been doing it for a long time by then, I wasn't going through a whole lot of new learning experiences at that point, so... it was what it was."

    Nevertheless, he was well aware that he owed this good fortune to his bandmates and to the fans, and even twenty years later, looking back and reflecting on the events of 1983, the factors behind the success of Holy Diver were as clear as ever and he was still grateful, giving credit where it was due: "The push we had was a push from the fans, not a push from the record company. The record company didn't have a clue what we were doing. They called three weeks into the recording and said, 'What are you doing?' and I said, 'The album I owe ya,' because I had a solo deal with Warner Brothers. (pause) People are stupid. Record company people are really stupid, especially in those days they were. So the push was because the kids liked what we did. Holy Diver was a great album with great players, and it just sold itself the same as Heaven And Hell did. It was a people's record. And at the end of the day, when an album's successful, the record company always says they did it; but they didn't, we did it ourselves. This was a total package that we put together, this was four of us, Jimmy, Vinny, Vivian and me. And the guys did such a great job. Kudos to them forever and ever [...] Who knew that it was going to be that much of a classic album?"
     
  9. Javimulder

    Javimulder New Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Spain
    Ronnie and the boys enjoyed a month's break to recharge batteries before they set about writing and recording a new album. They wanted to get away from the California scene this time around, and looking for a more peaceful atmosphere in which to work, in February 1984 the band departed for the Rocky Mountains, their specific destination being the small town of Nederland in Colorado, home of the Caribou Ranch recording studio. Built in 1972 by Jim Guercio (producer for Blood, Sweat & Tears and Chicago) in a converted barn on a ranch property, the Caribou Ranch studio had previously been used by Joe Walsh (first artist to record there, for his Barnstorm album), Chicago, Elton John and Earth, Wind & Fire among others, and was thus named as it was located on the road to the deserted town of Caribou. It was the perfect place for some peace and quiet, something Dio certainly got as they arrived in terrible weather conditions, as Ronnie recalls: "We hit right at the beginning of the very worst storm they'd had in about 30 years. It dumped about eight or nine feet of snow."

    It was in this secluded place and cold climate that Dio began work on their first album as a five-piece. As with the recordings for Holy Diver the previous year, Ronnie sat on the producer's chair again with his studio right-hand Angelo Arcuri engineering.

    [​IMG]
    (Dio mk2 promo photograph, l to r: Bain, Schnell, Dio, Appice, Campbell)
     
  10. Javimulder

    Javimulder New Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Spain
    DIO - The Last In Line (1984)

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    - We Rock
    - The Last In Line
    - Breathless
    - I Speed At Night
    - One Night In the City
    - Evil Eyes
    - Mystery
    - Eat Your Heart Out
    - Egypt


    RONNIE JAMES DIO - vocals
    VIVIAN CAMPBELL - guitar
    JIMMY BAIN - bass
    CLAUDE SCHNELL - keyboards
    VINNY APPICE - drums


    Appearing almighty and god-like, the towering Murray that so ominously graces the cover of The Last In Line is strangely alluring. But the truth is I don't need much enticing to want to delve into the follow-up to Holy Diver, especially after the promise that debut album showed. Dio's sophomore effort follows very much in Holy Diver's footsteps both in terms of style and sound, although the overall product feels a tad less raw or urgent than its predecessor. The band's line-up was augmented for touring purposes with keyboardist Claude Schnell, and he appears here as a full-time member, adding a slight gloss to some of the songs which I find works most of the time, but not always.

    If you are familiar with Holy Diver you'll find no surprises here, no new ground is trodden; but I find The Last In Line a step up in terms of the band's actual performances, with more interesting drumming from Vinny Appice than last time around and an abundance of enjoyable guitar solos. Jimmy Bain's bass is prominent in the mix and his bold, meaty tone is simply perfect, tempting one to keep turning the volume up until the walls are shaking; one of the strong points of this record. As for the main man, he's written melodic vocal lines in spades for this album and delivers them with the accustomed conviction, putting his trademark impassioned singing to good use.

    Regarding the songs themselves, they're for the most part strong (VERY strong in some cases) but I have to put my finger on one serious misfire: Mystery, a poor attempt at recreating the radio-friendliness of Rainbow In The Dark with more keyboards and less guitar that turns out hollow, bland and forgettable, which is precisely everything that Rainbow In The Dark wasn't.

    Leaving that aside and concentrating on the good stuff, there's the hard-rocking Breathless, a personal favourite with delicious crunchy riffing and a very nice guitar solo; the heavy stomper One Night In the City (although it has some quirky keyboard sounds on it that I find detract from an otherwise fine track); and the aggressive Eat Your Heart Out, one grower of a song that could continue with another guitar solo on the outro and I wouldn't complain.
    Special mention awarded to Evil Eyes (great little song featuring yet another fine guitar solo) and the frenetic I Speed At Night, with Dio's softer singing in the verses contrasting with the mad pace (nice touch, Ronnie), and featuring a wonderful little progression over which Campbell delivers the appropriately manic guitar break for superb effect (it's a short passage, but a gem nevertheless).

    But let's get to the meat of the album, the true highlights and the songs for which alone The Last In Line is more than worth owning.

    We Rock kicks off screaming 'classic', a definite winner from the off. A VERY melodic song in spite of its fast pace and so engaging I find it anthemic. Wonderful vocal harmonies and great drum work. I can't get enough of it!

    Title track The Last In Line follows gently, but it soon explodes in BIG fashion with guitar and keys in unison, turning into one demon of a track, rough and mean. Turn it up and it's powerful as all hell. Ronnie belts it out with full force, Bain hits the spot with his bassline over Appice's pounding (excellent drums on this one) and Vivian Campbell provides the icing on the metal cake with a perfect guitar solo. This one shoots straight up into my personal top-five Dio songs.

    And last but certainly not least, Egypt, an old-fashioned epic complete with doomy guitar riffing and classic dramatic vocals over a mighty foundation of thick bass and drums, with just the right amount of atmosphere from the keyboards. The main body of the song is great, but then the middle section is even greater: a very gentle bridge leading into a variation of the main theme guitar figure serves as the basis over which Campbell tears into a brilliant solo, with even a sprinkling of appropriate oriental flavour; I wish that was longer! The song then reprises and the singing turns sorrowful as the end approaches all too quickly, its seven minutes duration going by in a flash. Okay, it doesn't quite scale the magic heights of true monsters like Gates Of Babylon or Stargazer (what does?), but it's really great stuff anyway.

    Taken as a whole, The Last In Line is a very good album on which the band's playing seems to have become even better than it was first time around, but I have to say I find it somewhat lacking in the writing department. Don't get me wrong, the songs (bar one) range from good to excellent, but it's just that only those that fall in the latter category are really able to grab you when you're listening all the way through; the rest kind of pass by and you don't miss them when they're over. Not a good sign, especially when the quality of the album is marred right out of the gate by the inclusion of that clunker, Mystery.
    So yes, the album is overall very good but slightly uneven. I guess it can't help suffering from comparison to Holy Diver, which was similar but solid top to bottom; I for one would've liked to see some progression for this second offering.

    Summing up, I'd say there are some strong and enjoyable songs here, and a wealth of melody and great performances by all; plus, the weight and presence of Jimmy Bain's bass tone is to die for. But it's the really powerful stuff like the title track, Egypt and the catchy We Rock that do make this album a must.
     
  11. bare trees

    bare trees Senior Member

    Even though it's not quite on par with its predecessor, The Last in Line is a strong follow up. I even love "Mystery" as t was my introdcution to Dio. (I didn't get into Sabbath or Rainbow for another couple of years.)
     
  12. JA Fant

    JA Fant Well-Known Member

    Finally....
     
  13. JA Fant

    JA Fant Well-Known Member

    Second,

    the song 'Egypt'. Another great album from RJD.
     
  14. antonkk

    antonkk Senior Member

    Location:
    moscow
    I love Mystery! Great melody on this one and somehow it sounds better than Rainbow in the Dark. Maybe more organic since there is no such contrast between the cheesy synths and the rocking melody as on Rainbow in the Dark. Overall the album is what Mob Rules was to H&H - a weaker more formulaic twin brother with inferior production and songwriting. Egypt is incredible and magical of course but this is the record where Dio started to get REALLY formulaic and predictable. The formula was found and established and music got more and more generic. While Heaven and Hell and Holy Diver belonged at the top of best metal albums of 1980 and 1983 this one barely makes the Top 10 of 1984 for me. The sound is another thing I don't like about the album - it all sounds thin and lifeless to me. Vivian's guitar lack metallic punch of Holy Diver. Of course the good news is that Ronnie as a heavy metal singer was at his peak in the 80's and this record gives a lot to enjoy vocal-wise.
     
  15. Javimulder

    Javimulder New Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Spain
    I can only stand Mystery if I have the album playing on the background, when I'm not really listening... otherwise, it just makes me mad :laugh:
    It's the token radio track, even placed in the tracklist more or less like Rainbow In The Dark... It sounds more like a Pepsi tv commercial to me, whereas RITD still had some "heaviness" to it...

    Still, :cheers:

    I agree with you pretty much on the rest... It sounds more polished than Diver, although I still maintain the bass is great and it doesn't sound that thin to me, especially when turned up... I have a soft spot for this album...

    Ronnie is indeed in great form, and I love how he makes everything so melodic... :thumbsup:
     
  16. BluesOvertookMe

    BluesOvertookMe Forum Resident

    Location:
    Houston, TX, USA
    I was listening to Rainbow and Black Sabbath as a child, so when Last in Line and Holy Diver came out, I was in high school, and already very familiar with Ronnie.

    When Bark at the Moon came out later that year, me and my friends were far more impressed with Last in Line.
     
  17. curbach

    curbach Some guy on the internet

    Location:
    The ATX
    A reasonable follow up to Holy Diver, but noticeably less fresh sounding. I'm with Javimulder on "Mystery". It just sounds weak and calculated. "Evil Eyes" and "Egypt" are my favorites here with an honorable mention for the title track which successfully recycles the "Children of the Sea"/"Sign of the Southern Cross" epic formula.

    On a side note I recently spun the U.S. WB vinyl for the first time in 20+ years and I have to say I did not really care for the sound at all. Cut by George Marino IIRC.
     
  18. antonkk

    antonkk Senior Member

    Location:
    moscow
    One of the problems with Last in Line is not only the obvious formula and the cliches that settled in (Dio just stopped developing and hit a plateau) plus boring guitar sound but also the fact that I'm yet to hear a decent sounding version on CD or LP. To me this record is the worst produced of all 4 Dio 80's LPs (yes, I prefer the more AOR but way more crunchy sound of Sacred Heart not to mention the Rainbow-sounding Dream Evil) and I'd rather see a remix of this one than Born Again believe it or not! There's something hollow about Viv's guitar sound, the midrange is sucked out which is a kiss of death for classic metal.
     
  19. curbach

    curbach Some guy on the internet

    Location:
    The ATX
    I agree Sacred Heart is a much better sounding record, but that's where I really felt rigor mortis had begun to set in to Dio's approach. But we're getting ahead of ourselves :shh:
     
  20. BluesOvertookMe

    BluesOvertookMe Forum Resident

    Location:
    Houston, TX, USA
    I must agree that We Rock, the Last in Line, and Egypt are the best songs on the album. The title cut is actually my favorite - powerful and melodic.

    I don't have the issue with Mystery that some do - yes it's made for radio and formulaic, and I usually call those things out as a sellout. But I like the song.
     
  21. four sticks

    four sticks Senior Member

    Location:
    Pennsylvania
    As much as I loved it at the time The Last In Line just hasn't aged well for me. Aside from the big three tunes - We Rock, The Last In Line and Egypt - I don't really like any of the songs much. I totally agree with everyone tagging Mystery as a very weak retread of Rainbow In The Dark. I also feel the same way about I Speed At Night compared to Stand Up And Shout.
     
  22. ACK!

    ACK! Senior Member

    Location:
    New Hampshire
    Holy Diver is a better sounding album, but The Last In Line is one I've always liked better. The band was really gelling on this album.
     
  23. JA Fant

    JA Fant Well-Known Member

    A great band on both of these albums, IMO.
     
  24. Javimulder

    Javimulder New Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Spain
    Not surprisingly, since Bark At The Moon is very weak... I listened to it recently to refresh my memory and almost regret having purchased it...
    The Last In Line trounces it in every respect, as far as I'm concerned...
     
  25. antonkk

    antonkk Senior Member

    Location:
    moscow
    I prefer Bark at the Moon to Last in Line but didn't it come out in 1983 so better be compared to Holy Diver to which it looses of course?
     
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