DEF LEPPARD guitarist Vivian Campbell talked about his bandmate Ronnie James Dio & the impact he made in his life. He said:
“Time changes everything and allows you to have a very different perspective. I must admit it’s irksome that all these years later, people still think I left the band. I never wanted to leave DIO. I was fired during the middle of the tour. It left a bad taste in my mouth and turned me away from the music. Then in later years, Ronnie and I made the mistake of airing our dirty laundry. We should’ve never allowed things to get to that point. It was only after my stint with THIN LIZZY that my passion to play angry, aggressive rock guitar was reignited.
He further added:
Ronnie’s passing allowed me to look at things differently and reassess. That was the whole reason I started LAST IN LINE. I got into playing that stuff again and thought, ‘F*ck, not only was this great fun to play but I helped create it.’ It’s my heritage as much as it was Ronnie, Jimmy [Bain] and Vinny’s [Appice]. For many years, I allowed myself to believe it wasn’t, because I kept it at arm’s length. Now I embrace it.”
Back in 2007, Dio had shared a video calling Campbell “a f*c*ing a*sh*le” and saying that “I hope he f*c*ing dies”.
“He’s a piece of sh*t. You ever heard the things he ever said about me? He called me the most despicable human being that ever lived. I went, ‘I thought I gave you a chance and made you somebody. And now you’re playing with who? DEF f*c*ing who?’ There’s a f*c*ing rock band for you to f*c*ing have diarrhea with.”