That’s why you get it in writing. I walked away from several opportunities like this because when it comes time to commit, the guy making the promises always develops amnesia.
I'm surprised at least some of the band members didnt have agents. Jimmy Bain had been around the business for a while, and Vinnie Appice should have had his brother screaming in his ear to get an agent or renegotiate the terms. It just boggles the mind that they had nothing in writing.
They probably did. They probably signed away their royalties believing that ronnie would renegotiate. You never hear anything from the other band members about this and they never filed a lawsuit.
Unfortunately, Dio had all the leverage because he was established. Sometimes, you have to play for almost nothing just to build a resume. Once you are established, you can make decent $
Sharon talked Ozzy into going so far as to actually re-record the bass and drums on both of his 'Randy' albums, which effectively eliminated any royalties in future album sales for the original artists! What a BITCH!!!!
So true, who's says a vicious, forked tongue, philanderer CEO-CFO can't be a Woman? I wonder if we could make an entire 1 hr documentary on women who are the lead singers wives & psuedo or official-band managers?
@@muleblues71yes millions Def Leppard has bin an arena headlining band for like 40+ years , viv over 30 years in the band , hell they even jumped from arenas to stadiums , you think Def Leppard is playing for peanuts ? This summer it’s stadiums for Def Leppard playing with journey and Steve miller band
I'm just happy to see Vivian and Vinny still jamming together with Last in Line. I spoke with Vinny two weeks ago, and they're working on their fourth album.
I met Vivian when he was touring with the Riverdogs. He treated me like I was his long lost brother. He spent 30 minutes of his time hanging out with me, and I'll never forget his kindness. I believe him. There's a video on the web where Dio slams Vivian and talks trash about him. It saddens me, because Dio was such a talented guy. I hate hearing stories like these, because it hurts the experience of listening to the music.
Did you come down in the last shower? What makes you think that if something's in writing it makes it secure? I wish you luck in this world, my friend!
When the drummer and bass player take the guitarists side on this issue, that's the nail in the coffin for me. Always loved Dio as a singer and writer, but that dosen't mean he couldn't possibly be a greedy man with a greedy woman behind him. Looks like Vivian and Jake both got shafted by some sneaky witches.
Looked at who Ronnie worked with: Rainbow, Black Sabbath and the Heaven and Hell. Blackmore is notoriouisly difficult to work with, yet Dio made three studio albums andn a live album with Rainbow before leaving when Blackmore wanted to write love songs. Apparently Tony Iommi didn't have any problem with RJD being "greedy" since he took him back two more times after his original run with Sabbath and worked with Ronnie James until his death.
@@russellspear6188 Black Sabbath and Dio needed each other. They were all down on their luck every time they got together, and they certainly elevated each other every time. RJD said in 1992 he was ready to finish his career with Tony, Geezer and Vinnie. Of course they didn’t make it to 1993. 😂 But I would argue that they did some of their best work together. I certainly could have used a couple more albums … but I wouldn’t call any of those guys impressive business men.
It was the same thing with jake e lee ,the poured there heart and soul into it and the get the shaft.vivian did not quit he got fired just for bringing up what was promised
@@MikeWatson-qj8ew That's about as classy as it gets for you to allege that Ronnie James was lying when he lived until 2010 and you had 24 years between when Campbell and Dio parted ways to allege that, but chose to do it now when he can't defend himself. Campbell had 24 years to take Dio to court. After all, we have a judicial system made for things just like that. When you don't get paid what your contract states, you sue. Maybe Campbell didn't want to commit perjury, since that means jail and that would have gotten in the way of his lifestyle as a multi-millionaire thanks to RJD making him a star.
I can fully understand the band not being paid what they were worth early on, but they should not have waited until the 3rd album to renegotiate. They should have tried to renegotiate after the 1st album when it was obvious that the band would be a successful, long term act, and changing the lineup would hurt that success. The guys in the band really did have the upper hand, they just didn't realize it at the time.
Yep that first album should have been enough to show that the Dio project was definitely gonna be a big success they all should have been paid for there contribution for making it that way Wendy made money off their talents and she didn't really appreciate 100 dollars a week is robbery if they only were forever getting the dangling carrot in front of them that's why it fell apart just like a rainbow in the dark
Could have been more than it was shot themselves in the foot having Wendy involved with the choices for the band of men ones with the talent needed to succeed she was most replaceable person of them all nobody's listening to her playing or singing any music
I remember Dio gave a concert in Düsseldorf 1986 and I was looking forward to seeing Vivian Campbell live. But when the concert started there was Goldy who I didn't know. I was extremely disappointed and was annoyed the whole concert. At that time there was no internet to find out about this band change in a timely manner. I believe Vivian's version of the story. Sharon and Wendy are cut from the same bad cloth.
I remember they were booked to play Belfast in 1985 but cancelled because they weren't sure what the reaction would be after Vivian being fired....It took Dio to 2005 to play Belfast again and that was in a tiny club.
Vivian was a big part of DIO's success. No one really knows what happens behind closed doors. Anytime a band starts together. EVERYTHING should be split equally after expenses. DIO may have been the star but your taken a risk on these musicians to make you a bigger star. AND these musicians did just that !
Show business doesn't work that way. The biggest draw gets paid the most. Vivian Campbell as the only name on the marquee would never have filled a 12,000 seat arena. Ever. Ronnie was the draw; it was his name on the marquee, he was the guy putting people in the seats in the arenas. What he did is gave an unknown Campbell exposure, making him a star in the process as well as a 22 year old with a Ferrari. That exposure in Dio made it possible for Campbell to play in Whitesnake and Def Leppard and become a multi-millionaire.
@@russellspear6188you both are right but you both are missing the most important part. What really matters is what is agreed upon. If you agree to a salary and are paid that's that. Same if you agree to royalties then that's what you should get. That's what matters the most.
The Wendy quotes sound suspicious… I’m sure that there’s truth on both sides and the love of money is the root of all evil. I lean towards Vivian’s account as being a bit closer to the truth and the others seem to confirm it!
LOL so... her argument about Ferrari is basically like "if he only earned a few bucks, why wasn't he begging on the streets?" I just think Vivian and Jake should record a cover album. Vivian playing songs from Jake's Ozzy era, and Jake from Vivian's Dio era. And the name of the album should be "The Mammon Witches"
Worst carrer move of his life. That lineup was magical. He should have been honest about it. The costs of production at that level were astronomical. If I remember correctly it was around 12 semi trailers full of stage gear. I saw Dio right after Viv left. It was never the same. Dio was in way over his big head. From everything I've ever heard, Ronnie could be very difficult. I'd have left too.
I think Ronnie being "hard to work with" was actually a good thing in retrospect, he always wanted to make music he could stand behind, and that he and his fans could be proud of in the future. I think it's paid off. Even Ronnie's least favorite albums are great because he had musical integrity.
@@lasjok3r97 Certainly not questioning the direction he chose, or the material. But at that time there was a shift in hard rock, where hair metal was becoming increasingly popular. Keyboards were being used by VH and others, to great effect. Ronnie even admitted they swayed too far in that direction, and had to "regroup" so to speak,(pun intended). And get back to fundamental oldschool methods. I'm a Craig Goldy fan, but let's face it. Viv had the hard-core vibe, and that's just not Craig's thing. Dio was a genius basically. But just a man. Life is a peculiar thing, and we're here to at least try'n get along. I think a decision had been made by Wendy and Ronnie, long before the eventual departure of Viv, and then Jimmy. They were broke, period. Why Ronnie couldn't just admit he failed? We'll never know? Alls I CAN tell you, is that Sacred Heart tour was incredible! One of the biggest stage productions of all time at that point! Rumor was, only Iron Maiden's Power Slave stage filled more trailers. Dio went all in, and it didn't pay off. That's certainly nothing to be ashamed of.
@andrewbecker3700 Lock Up The Wolves is great for that reason, being a return to form (although I still love dream evil) But I think grunge threw everything out of whack for everyone haha. So it was the perfect time to go back to basics. I love 90s Dio, especially Dehumanizer with Sabbath, but Magica was the album that was the true "return to form" while also pushing forward with a novel sound.
@@lasjok3r97 Heaven and Hell were doing some Dehuminizer tracks right up till the end. "I" is probably my favorite track. Just punishing riffs by iommi. Another favorite of mine is "Lonely Is The Word" off the first album. Crushing lines with the bluesiest solos ever. "It's got to be, the saddest sound I've ever heard" so the lyrics say. Epic!
I think Ronnie was a man without balls in this story. His wife wanted the money to herself and Ronnie included and she knew Ronnie was a yes man and so the band got screwed. It's like Ozzy and Sharon, same shit. All decisions on Dio where not made by Ronnie but his wife....
It was a common practice. Jake, a good example. the band would write the music,record the tracks, be promised 50% publishing... Then told put up or shut up. Mrs D, probably learnt the management technique from Mrs oz 🤔. But that was the way, back in the day. In a world where brilliant musicians where like (quote) 'pebbles on feckin beach' 🤔
I really think DIO had it in his mind that this was really how the music business worked (rotten as it was/is). It happened to him in Rainbow and then Black Sabbath (at least, I don't think they paid him enough money). You work for nothing in a band, you get name recognition in return and then you make big bucks as a solo act while screwing over your band mates.
I think there may be something to this. Don't know exactly what kind of deal e had with Blackmore or Iommi/Butler but DIO was the first time he was the boss. I think I've always heard bottom line advice - keep your writing credits/publishing. Vivian can at least credit Dio for bringing him into the big leagues. He doesn't get the Def Leppard gig without the Dio gig
And the biggest difference is that Dio didn't cry about it like Vivian, he knows what he signed up for and it was his turn to make some money, also never believe a person when they don't say shit until the other person dies, total fucken coward
Firing Vivian Campbell was a huge mistake, while all those Dio guitarists were amazing, Vivian was the most influential and arguably the best player. But it's not just his ability on the guitar, it's what he played that made Dio so iconic.
This is an example of the gray area of a band member being a "hired gun" but actually is integral to product itself on every level. In reality after Holy Diver's success established the group every single one of those guys should have been sitting down with Dio and negotiating a contract where they had more of a stake in the band and more income. If they were making 400 each and Dio was making 50k per show that's obviously a massive inequity even if Dio was paying out the expenses for the group. Obviously Dio had control of everything and Wendy and himself did not want the band to have any power or equal footing in the project because that would mean they would have to give up some profit and control and they were never going to do that. All these dudes stayed faithful to Dio for several records and tours and deserved better. All I know is Vivian's solo on "Rainbow In The Dark" is one of the greatest in metal history and Dio's sound was Vivian Campbell on so many levels...and it appears as though Wendy never has acknowledged that.
I would like to hear more details about Jake E Lee's time rehearsing with the Dio band. I prefer Jake over Vivian as a player and that could have been an epic band if it worked out. I think Jake said something about Dio thinking his rhythm playing was too busy and wasn't leaving the open space he wanted for his vocals. Someone needs to dig into this and get more details.
Cozy Powell said in an interview he was not fond of Ronnie Dio . It’s easy to believe Vivian his guitar work proves it.. Great work Kar , Keep Rocking !! ✌️
Damn $100 back on the day! You could eat and pay your bills. Vivian has a point but when you become a leader like Dio did, it was natural that he would get the biggest lion share. Oh well
Bands are small business ventures. They were paid $X to play a show. From that everything else was paid. Those Hotel rooms that got wrecked from boredom would be paid out of band expenses. After tour a lot of musicians were shocked to find little to no money or debt. That's Rock and Roll.
Vivian's playing is what sets the Early Dio albums apart. I still remember hearing Stand Up And Shout for the first time and being blown away. It's sad that Vivian took Dio at his word and didn't get in writing. Glad to seem him doing well and getting paid in Def Leppard.
It was Wendy, not Ronnie. Ronnie was the most generous guy i’ve ever met. During the move from his house he paid me 400 bucks to move a keyboard to Chris Squires place.
That Holy Diver album was definitely driven by Vivian, his gunslinger style and a killer sound, saw him twice against the barricade right in front of Viv, he was amazing as was the band, one of the best guitarists in heavy rock that I've ever seen...on fire.
For around $15 bucks per ticket I saw DIO twice in the 1980's with Vivian Cambell, both times sold out at Providence Civic Center. Do the math at 15,000 seats. Shirts, records...
I first met Ronnie and Vivian in Lakeland, Florida backstage in the dressing room. Not sure who I was shooting for, but I got some great shots, so I sent them to Kevin Kennedy with Jensen Communications who handle PR for Dio and who I got my pass from. Kevin showed my shots to Ronnie and Wendy, they asked Kevin (they loved my shots) why I was not in all the major mags (Circus, Creem, Hit Parader, Faces, etc.). Kevin then called me and asked. I laughed and said' Dude it is not like they run an ad say "Rock Photographer wanted..get paid to get laid and hangout with rockstars". He laughed and said "Chris, besides Dio I handle Manhattan Transfer, Ozzy Osbourne and the biggest band in the world at the moment Van Halen!. Here are the names and numbers of the editors and publishers of the biggest. You call them and say I said look at your work, and if they don't Chris I will cutoff all interviews with Van Halen!". Take a wild guess what happened...lol My work is world wide thanks to Ronnie and Wendy. Sucks what happened to Vivian, I have met and shot him many times through the yrs and he is a real nice guy. We have even as he would say "tossed a few pints together"
Ronnie paid his dues and without him, the band never would've gotten so big, so fast. Now that he's not with us anymore, it's easy to complain and remember, hind sight is always 20/20, even if it's not. Ronnie always struck me as a stand up guy, an educated guy. He was running a business that he started and was successful. All this "he said, she said" is probably bull. Vivian went on to be a hired guitarist for lots of bands. I'll bet he complains about them too, ie - Whitesnake. Truth is, his solo career went nowhere, he was a good guitar player, but just not good enough.
9:00 This sounds like the band Ghost's story. The lawsuit, the "hired guns". If you don't know it. I recommend checking it out. Very similar. HOWEVER, I stand with Tobias of Ghost and most likely Ronnie because, if you enter a band and don't have a contract, it's your own fault. The same thing happened with Ghost. Simon Söderberg and some "band" members sued Tobias Forge, lead singer, songwriter on all the albums up to that point except for a few songs WAS the band. In the studio, Tobias was writing everything and using a sessions band to record the album then taking his friends from Sweden out to play the concerts. There's a ton of info on this so I don't want to go too deep. I've been a musician and toured. GET A CONTRACT!
Ronnie treated the band as though they were expendable and paid the price in sales and popularity. Sacred Heart was his last big tour, but the album only went gold. Dream Evil did not do as well as previous efforts and Lock Up the Wolves sold so poorly, they had to mostly play auditoriums and fairgrounds on that tour.
@@angusorvid8840well actually he did get back on the horse , he went and did sabbath again , but now named heaven & hell and started playing nice size venues again
Sad story. I remember when that first album came out. Right when i started really playing guitar a lot as a kid. I thought it was genius and Vivian was like a God to me.
Vivian had to be getting his songwriting royalties too, and while his writing share isn’t has big as one would think, it is not what they were unhappy about. They were promised that upon success, possibly by the time RJD’s deal was up for renegotiation, they would go from employees to partners. That meant a % off the advance, % of merchandise, concert fees, … everything. That’s why Sambora left BonJovi; why the Blizzard of Ozz collapsed upon launch, why Whitesnake can’t hold a line-up, or (reversely) why Don Dokken hates the other Dokken guys.
Where the changes in band members created great music, my honest opinion. The first three albums had that something the band was locked in, and Vivian Campbell's solos were just incredible. They will never get that magic again. Shame. I do like Vivian's last in line group.
"Ronnie had been in black sabbath and paid his dues" So, there you have it. They expected Viv to "pay his dues". They obviously didn't pay him what he earned - and you NEVER take a songwriter off the songwriting credits, unless you are a Iiar.
Saw them first tour in Dallas. I've never seen a frontman admonish his players on stage in front of a live audience. But evidently Dio thought Cambbell and the Bass player were showboating and called them out- made them get behind him. When I think of Dio, it's that, and him telling the audience he wanted to go to Hell with all of them.. Hope he got his wish.
I understand that they put up the money to get it all started and took all the risk, but once those have been resolved and your making $$ you should always give a bit to the people who help you get there. It sucks when you have a handshake agreement and they then backflip (It has happened to myself and others since the dawn of time to be suckered) on the deal, as I was told after my last handshake agreement, if it is not in writing, it does not exist!
Wendy talks about buses, hotels and shows but if it wasnt for Vivian…there wouldnt of been any show at all. I personally love Dio but what is fair is fair. The most important thing a man may have is his word. If you dont have it and let ur woman do what she wants…then dont be making deals if you dont have any word. Worst part is after last in line there wasnt an album worth remembering. Craig Goldie was the perfect fit….but the Campbell groove was lost which to me was a pillar of such a great band.
Everyone will have their opinion on this, but the entire band has said the deal was never fulfilled. Vivian was the sound of the band and did some of the best guitar work ever recorded in the 80’s.
Ronnie said the equal sharing was going to be discussed "By" the 3rd album. Which means they would have had more money on the 4th album. Vivian obviously didn't wait long enough and is the blame for what happened. I read this from a CZcams comment made by Craig Goldy.
The truth is somewhere in the middle. I'm sure the band was or felt they where getting the shaft as multiple members take vivs side but over the years memories fade and numbers get mixed up and emotions are involved so we get what we have here he says she says.
it was one of the biggest disappointments of my life looking at the tour program in melbourne, australia to see that vivian was no longer playing the solo from hungry for heaven went from one of the most brilliant pieces of music to just another hair metal band type solo . . . very disappointed while no one was evh, vivian's solos were in a similar vein, as in, all of his solos were songs within songs, not just mindlessly running the fingers up and down the fretboard
Ronnie is just another solo artist who doesn’t understand that it’s the sound of the band that makes the music work. Just cause it says Dio at the top of the record doesn’t mean you can put just anyone in there regardless of how talented they are, and expect people to love it. Viv was the sound of that band. I’ll never forget watching MTV I think it was head bangers ball like two in the morning knowing who was but never really seeing his picture and of course before the Internet. So somehow I just didn’t realize who it was probably was just a brain cell or two loose that night. I remember I was half asleep watching something really quiet on another channel and I flipped to headbangers ball and there’s just on a roof shaking his fist at the sky attracting lightning to himself I’m like what the hell is this that’s what I thought it was battle of the bands it was kind of just hokey I’m laughing hysterically and then all of a sudden BAM! I don’t know if he kicked the door in or did something like that but all of a sudden there’s Viv in your face playing the sickest and this is still one of the best heavy metal guitar solos of all time on rainbow in the dark. I mean especially at that time it really blew me away still does. But you could probably pick just about any solo on that album as your favorite solo and I wouldn’t disagree with you.. But at the end of the day, DL kind of gets the last laugh because all that shits water under the bridge. Geo did give him his big break and now that it’s so far in the past and is unsuccess he does owe a debt to Ronnie James Dio. yeah he does you just have to say at the end of the day I mean sure Wendy could write him a check, but he don’t need one anymore. And at the end of the day he’ll be remembered for holy diver. And rightly so as it is one of the 10 best heavy metal albums of all time
Vivisn was one of the absolute best players of the 80s..Those albums are mindblowing.. I remember buying a ticket for the Sacred Heart tour at the Philadelphia Spectrum and when Craig Goldy walked on stage.. I was so depressed..I couldnt enjoy the show.. I thought I was going to see one of my heroes play.. Ronnie is also the best..hands down..nobody touches him..but the guy has a hair trigger temper.. I know a guy who saw him in a restaurant in Los Angeles in the eighties and said he was berating the waiter relentlessly..Calling him stupid and worthless.. Those are vicious words..
Vivian Was Ronnie's as Randy Was Ozzys. Having said that all of these records would have never been the masterpieces that they are had it not been for the Vivian's and Randy's and the so many more killer guitarists that straight up gave away their hard earned riffs that made this era one of the beat eras for metal guitar!!
Ronnie James Dio is one of the few real legends of Heavy Metal history!!! He is a real God for thousands of fans around the world!!! We still don't know all the details from this story. 400$ a week, means 1600$ the month. According to what you could buy with 1600$ in 1985, it's like someone gets 4000$ today.. The other side had to pay for everything. Studio recordings, hotels, trucks, buses, technicians and road crew at the tours, and many others. But still I believe, they could talk and find a solution.. Equal shares was not normal. It's never normal, because the people who goes to a show, who buys an album, gives his money for someone most. Does anyone believe that if James leaves from Metallica , they can earn all these money from their shows?? Anyway I think that they could find a solution, to give him more money. But from the other side, we don't know all the truth, because Ronnie never said details about this. I forgot to tell that Dream Evil is a masterpiece!! Music is always what matters most. Also we have to think that Ronnie was always doing a lot of work for songwriting. Lyrics, melodies, riffs. He was not just the singer. If Ronnie was so bad, why Jimmy Bain did more albums with him?? Still we don't know all the truth..
I've read some interesting Craig Goldy comments here on CZcams. He did say that Vivian's wife back then was the one that made Vivian chase after the money from Dio. I believe he said he knows more but plans to maybe talk about it in the future. If you scroll through some of the comments you will see Craigs replys (TCraigGoldy) czcams.com/video/v6_EwOuRqtA/video.html
I thought along those lines as well. But he still should have been making more money in the end. The numbers that were put out as to how much he made weren't reflective of his contribution to the band. Have a good day
Vivian had to also get his songwriting royalties and his performance rights, and the first two Dio albums went Platinum, so it could have been OK money. That would have been crumbs next to what RJD was getting.
Wendy was & is a piece of shit for robbing the band & a criminal for letting Ronnie die of stomach cancer. Something that could have been treated...now she has the money & Ronnie is gone
@@ThemFuzzyMonsters If he had been entitled to them, he would have had a slam dunk lawsuit. My guess is they signed away their rights in exchange for the salary they got. This what almost all actors do.
Even if things didn't go according to plan, Viv needed to remember something: Dio was in Rainbow and Sabbath and he was VERY LUCKY to contribute to R.J.D.'s body of work. If anything, everybody should have had a "sit down" with Ronnie "Two Horns" Padavona and his consigliere and gotten the "Third Album Contract" in writing.
Dio did 84 gigs in 1983. If Vivian was getting $400 per gig (rather than per week) as stated in the video, then he would have over $33k that year. And if Ronnie got $50k per gig as also stated, then he would have made 4.2 million that year. I imagine that cutting in all the band members equally would have significantly altered Dio's income. Even with the reduced popularity from firing Vivian, it would still be worth it, from a purely monetary point of view. But is still not right. In regards to Vivian, I feel like he got sort of psychologically messed up from this experience and ended up trading in his creativity for financial stability. I saw him live with Def Leppard and he barely played any lead whatsoever, I think even less than Steve Clarke ever did. It's not like him and Phil Collen are trading blazing leads or anything. Such a waste.
It just shows you how much the record labels were making on the back end. They made TENS of MILLIONS while the bands made squat. That's why the record industry is no longer what it was, and that's a good thing.
Very interesting commentary. I can understand most of it until the last part where Dio didn't like where Vivian ended up in 87? Maybe I have to rewind. Why would Dio be unhappy with Vivian in 87?
Vivian could have saved the money from per-Diems and salary. He didn’t get mechanical or performance royalties or a split on tickets or merch but he still got publishing money for the songs he wrote or co-wrote. Wendy isn’t being honest because as Dio‘s manager she knows who got a piece of the publishing.
I believe Viv. Funny how once bands get big.....greed reins supreme. Wendy and Sharon have a lot in common. And look what happened to Dio once Viv left. Karma. Viv was getting per diem, the 100 bucks was taxable pay. Plus interest rates were sky high in the 80s, that savings added up quick.
I met Dio's wife at Miramar in the early 80s. She was the mgr for Rough Cut who played the base's E-club. She was a weird chick. All this time I thought rock stars were wealthy. Ha! It's the record company owners that are.
$400/week sounds low, but Ronnie was also paying for Vivian’s room and board, and travel expenses. It would be very difficult to save $35,000 on an ordinary salary minus living expenses. You might be able to do it when you are 40+ years old if you are single and frugal 😅
It was Dio's house put up so they could record Holy Diver and tour. Instead of listening to Vivian interview, Craig. Strange how these big-name dudes (other than Vivian) worked for peanuts. Bullshit. They all had huge houses. Vivian parents were rich. Dio spent boat loads on the tour stage,equipment, food, hotel transportion, etc .If a venue wouldn't hold the stage, then they'd cancel the show. Strange how Vinny played with Dio multiple times. Dio, Sabbath, Heaven and Hell.
Paying dues, does not justify being p***y whooped, & not being loyal to the band that is behind you. Vivian Campbell obviously played a major role in why the first & second records were so good. He ended up having the last laugh anyway, getting the Def Leppard gig & actually being involved in a band that is still, HUGE.
This whole thing doesn't add up at all . 100 Per Week is 400 Per Month 400 per Month Times 12 is 4800 per Year 4800 Times 3 Years is 14,400 Gross Paying ZER0 Taxes . Can't Buy a 30,000 Dollar Ferrari with that amount There's no way a Musician In a Band would work for that amount even in the 80s . So Viv Clearly is lying . He had to have been making at least 500 Per Week Which is 2000 Per Month . That's 24,000 Per Year untaxed . 24,000 times 3 is 72,000 . Taxed that by like 20 Percent back in the 80s ? That's like 58,000 Dollars net in 3 Years . So he bought the Ferrari and had some cash left over . The only thing I believe is Viv was eating the Crew Food and was getting Free Lodging to save all of his Wage money for 3 Years . But he said he had no Home and no bills which is plausible . I do believe Dio and his Wife were like Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne . They screwed Viv out of All of the Dio Royalties , Concert Tickets , and Merch for 3 Years for Sure .
That’s why you get it in writing. I walked away from several opportunities like this because when it comes time to commit, the guy making the promises always develops amnesia.
I'm surprised at least some of the band members didnt have agents. Jimmy Bain had been around the business for a while, and Vinnie Appice should have had his brother screaming in his ear to get an agent or renegotiate the terms. It just boggles the mind that they had nothing in writing.
You'd think that "bigger" names would do stuff like King Diamond does...if Andy adds the word, "boo" he automatically gets a writing credit...
Nothing personal, but all agreements get confirmed in writing. Friend, family, wife, kids...doesn't matter😆
They probably did. They probably signed away their royalties believing that ronnie would renegotiate. You never hear anything from the other band members about this and they never filed a lawsuit.
Unfortunately, Dio had all the leverage because he was established. Sometimes, you have to play for almost nothing just to build a resume. Once you are established, you can make decent $
The less that you give, you're a taker.
The world is full of kings & queens - who blind your eyes and steal your dreams.
🤘🏻😂 That was great bro! Like Dio sings in the song!
Wow what a great statement really just smacks it right upside the head
And when you walk in golden halls you get to keep the gold that falls
@@blaineb4432 🤘🏻
I love ronnie one of the best singers ever,but I'm with vivian 100% those albums would've never been the same without him
Where did cambel go after dio? Did he even make it big??
I believe Wendy has Sharon Osbourne syndrome and that she did the same thing
🌟
I’m tired of hearing about these women getting most of the blame. They’re grown men!!!!
it was exactly what i thought about that , they want songriter /guitar player for nothing and have all the money ....
Ain't that the troof?!!
Sharon talked Ozzy into going so far as to actually re-record the bass and drums on both of his 'Randy' albums, which effectively eliminated any royalties in future album sales for the original artists!
What a BITCH!!!!
I believe Vivian. In the end, Viv made millions w/ Def Leppard. Wendy is Sharon Jr . That is NOT a compliment.
So true, who's says a vicious, forked tongue, philanderer CEO-CFO can't be a Woman?
I wonder if we could make an entire 1 hr documentary on women who are the lead singers wives & psuedo or official-band managers?
Millions? 😂
@@muleblues71yes millions Def Leppard has bin an arena headlining band for like 40+ years , viv over 30 years in the band , hell they even jumped from arenas to stadiums , you think Def Leppard is playing for peanuts ? This summer it’s stadiums for Def Leppard playing with journey and Steve miller band
@@alexvigil29damn, Vivian has been with Def Leppard for more than 30 years?
Time flies like a motherfucker.
Haha. Being compared to Sharon is never a compliment. Hahaha.
I'm just happy to see Vivian and Vinny still jamming together with Last in Line. I spoke with Vinny two weeks ago, and they're working on their fourth album.
I met Vivian when he was touring with the Riverdogs. He treated me like I was his long lost brother. He spent 30 minutes of his time hanging out with me, and I'll never forget his kindness. I believe him. There's a video on the web where Dio slams Vivian and talks trash about him. It saddens me, because Dio was such a talented guy. I hate hearing stories like these, because it hurts the experience of listening to the music.
?...but that was Dio's rebuttal to the s#¡t Vivian was talking about him.
@@paulpaid Like I said, I chatted with him for 30 minutes, including about Dio. I don't remember Vivian saying anything negative about him.
@@jimrussellmusic It's no secret. It's on video.
@@paulpaid I'm sure it is. Even if half of this story is true, he had every reason to be pissed off.
It really does seem most of these types of people are just complete narcissistic asshats.
Always get it in writing.
Did you come down in the last shower? What makes you think that if something's in writing it makes it secure? I wish you luck in this world, my friend!
@@michaelstephen819 lol
@@michaelstephen819 wow... lol
Something tells me that Wendy made sure they weren't estranged prior to his death.
She probably used his failing health as an excuse to get back in his life "because she cares".
We’re off to the witch, we may never never ever come home
When the drummer and bass player take the guitarists side on this issue, that's the nail in the coffin for me.
Always loved Dio as a singer and writer, but that dosen't mean he couldn't possibly be a greedy man with a greedy woman behind him.
Looks like Vivian and Jake both got shafted by some sneaky witches.
Looked at who Ronnie worked with: Rainbow, Black Sabbath and the Heaven and Hell. Blackmore is notoriouisly difficult to work with, yet Dio made three studio albums andn a live album with Rainbow before leaving when Blackmore wanted to write love songs. Apparently Tony Iommi didn't have any problem with RJD being "greedy" since he took him back two more times after his original run with Sabbath and worked with Ronnie James until his death.
yet they kept playing with him throughout his career
@@russellspear6188
Black Sabbath and Dio needed each other. They were all down on their luck every time they got together, and they certainly elevated each other every time. RJD said in 1992 he was ready to finish his career with Tony, Geezer and Vinnie.
Of course they didn’t make it to 1993. 😂
But I would argue that they did some of their best work together. I certainly could have used a couple more albums … but I wouldn’t call any of those guys impressive business men.
It was the same thing with jake e lee ,the poured there heart and soul into it and the get the shaft.vivian did not quit he got fired just for bringing up what was promised
@@MikeWatson-qj8ew That's about as classy as it gets for you to allege that Ronnie James was lying when he lived until 2010 and you had 24 years between when Campbell and Dio parted ways to allege that, but chose to do it now when he can't defend himself. Campbell had 24 years to take Dio to court. After all, we have a judicial system made for things just like that. When you don't get paid what your contract states, you sue. Maybe Campbell didn't want to commit perjury, since that means jail and that would have gotten in the way of his lifestyle as a multi-millionaire thanks to RJD making him a star.
I can fully understand the band not being paid what they were worth early on, but they should not have waited until the 3rd album to renegotiate. They should have tried to renegotiate after the 1st album when it was obvious that the band would be a successful, long term act, and changing the lineup would hurt that success. The guys in the band really did have the upper hand, they just didn't realize it at the time.
Sounds to me like Ronnie made his promises with good intent then his wife got in his ear
Yep that first album should have been enough to show that the Dio project was definitely gonna be a big success they all should have been paid for there contribution for making it that way Wendy made money off their talents and she didn't really appreciate 100 dollars a week is robbery if they only were forever getting the dangling carrot in front of them that's why it fell apart just like a rainbow in the dark
Could have been more than it was shot themselves in the foot having Wendy involved with the choices for the band of men ones with the talent needed to succeed she was most replaceable person of them all nobody's listening to her playing or singing any music
I remember Dio gave a concert in Düsseldorf 1986 and I was looking forward to seeing Vivian Campbell live. But when the concert started there was Goldy who I didn't know. I was extremely disappointed and was annoyed the whole concert. At that time there was no internet to find out about this band change in a timely manner. I believe Vivian's version of the story. Sharon and Wendy are cut from the same bad cloth.
Goldy is very good, but he's no Vivian Campbell...💚🎸
I remember they were booked to play Belfast in 1985 but cancelled because they weren't sure what the reaction would be after Vivian being fired....It took Dio to 2005 to play Belfast again and that was in a tiny club.
Vivian was a big part of DIO's success. No one really knows what happens behind closed doors. Anytime a band starts together. EVERYTHING should be split equally after expenses. DIO may have been the star but your taken a risk on these musicians to make you a bigger star. AND these musicians did just that !
Show business doesn't work that way. The biggest draw gets paid the most. Vivian Campbell as the only name on the marquee would never have filled a 12,000 seat arena. Ever. Ronnie was the draw; it was his name on the marquee, he was the guy putting people in the seats in the arenas. What he did is gave an unknown Campbell exposure, making him a star in the process as well as a 22 year old with a Ferrari. That exposure in Dio made it possible for Campbell to play in Whitesnake and Def Leppard and become a multi-millionaire.
@@russellspear6188 Very True.
@@russellspear6188you both are right but you both are missing the most important part.
What really matters is what is agreed upon.
If you agree to a salary and are paid that's that. Same if you agree to royalties then that's what you should get.
That's what matters the most.
@@russellspear6188 Seems like White Snake and Def divided the lions share fairly well then...
@@russellspear6188 So why did he lie when he promised to pay them?
The Wendy quotes sound suspicious… I’m sure that there’s truth on both sides and the love of money is the root of all evil. I lean towards Vivian’s account as being a bit closer to the truth and the others seem to confirm it!
H0LY DIVER IS FIRE!! THAT GUITAR W0RK! SHEEESH!!!
ALL of vivians solos and guitar work are legendary
Wendy is like Sharon Osbourne… controls everything!
witchy woman
People may say I'm flaky, but I was never going to be used by these takers. Now my time on the guitar has passed, and I'm okay with that.
Same here brother!!
That's right! ✊🫵
LOL so... her argument about Ferrari is basically like "if he only earned a few bucks, why wasn't he begging on the streets?"
I just think Vivian and Jake should record a cover album. Vivian playing songs from Jake's Ozzy era, and Jake from Vivian's Dio era. And the name of the album should be "The Mammon Witches"
Brilliant 👍
Vivian also made a reasonable amount from endorsements and guitar clinics to offset the limited income from playing in Dio.
Thats fxxkin brilliant
Awesome! Lmfao! Awesome!!!
That's a great idea
Hi Karre!!We always learn things on your channel!!Excellent story , I did not know all this ! This is mad !!! Happy Sunday evening !
Many thanks Christophe, glad to see you!! Have an awesome Sunday evening, you too
Worst carrer move of his life. That lineup was magical. He should have been honest about it. The costs of production at that level were astronomical. If I remember correctly it was around 12 semi trailers full of stage gear. I saw Dio right after Viv left. It was never the same. Dio was in way over his big head. From everything I've ever heard, Ronnie could be very difficult. I'd have left too.
I think Ronnie being "hard to work with" was actually a good thing in retrospect, he always wanted to make music he could stand behind, and that he and his fans could be proud of in the future. I think it's paid off. Even Ronnie's least favorite albums are great because he had musical integrity.
@@lasjok3r97 Certainly not questioning the direction he chose, or the material. But at that time there was a shift in hard rock, where hair metal was becoming increasingly popular. Keyboards were being used by VH and others, to great effect. Ronnie even admitted they swayed too far in that direction, and had to "regroup" so to speak,(pun intended). And get back to fundamental oldschool methods. I'm a Craig Goldy fan, but let's face it. Viv had the hard-core vibe, and that's just not Craig's thing.
Dio was a genius basically. But just a man. Life is a peculiar thing, and we're here to at least try'n get along. I think a decision had been made by Wendy and Ronnie, long before the eventual departure of Viv, and then Jimmy. They were broke, period. Why Ronnie couldn't just admit he failed? We'll never know? Alls I CAN tell you, is that Sacred Heart tour was incredible! One of the biggest stage productions of all time at that point! Rumor was, only Iron Maiden's Power Slave stage filled more trailers. Dio went all in, and it didn't pay off. That's certainly nothing to be ashamed of.
@@andrewbecker3700 I definitely hear what you're saying. I almost entirely agree. Especially on being a Goldy fan and Dio being a genius!!
@andrewbecker3700 Lock Up The Wolves is great for that reason, being a return to form (although I still love dream evil)
But I think grunge threw everything out of whack for everyone haha. So it was the perfect time to go back to basics. I love 90s Dio, especially Dehumanizer with Sabbath, but Magica was the album that was the true "return to form" while also pushing forward with a novel sound.
@@lasjok3r97 Heaven and Hell were doing some Dehuminizer tracks right up till the end. "I" is probably my favorite track. Just punishing riffs by iommi. Another favorite of mine is "Lonely Is The Word" off the first album. Crushing lines with the bluesiest solos ever. "It's got to be, the saddest sound I've ever heard" so the lyrics say. Epic!
When the other band members take Vivian's side it's hard to ignore but still....it's SO hard to believe Ronnie would do that.
I think Ronnie was a man without balls in this story. His wife wanted the money to herself and Ronnie included and she knew Ronnie was a yes man and so the band got screwed. It's like Ozzy and Sharon, same shit. All decisions on Dio where not made by Ronnie but his wife....
When Dio recorded Lock up the Wolves, Rowan Robertson was 17...You KNOW he didn't get paid right.
It was a common practice. Jake, a good example. the band would write the music,record the tracks, be promised 50% publishing... Then told put up or shut up. Mrs D, probably learnt the management technique from Mrs oz 🤔. But that was the way, back in the day. In a world where brilliant musicians where like (quote) 'pebbles on feckin beach' 🤔
Jake reported that Ozzy once told him it was his turn to get screwed over, that he’d get his turn at screwing people over later in his career. 🙄
I NEVER BOUGHT ANOTHER ALBUM AFTER SACRED HEART
Never heard of sacred heart was it a band Dio was in After Dio?
I only bought Holy Diver and The last in line.
I didn't really like anything that they put out after those two.
@@rocknroll7400 Sacred Heart was Dio's third album and the last one with Vivian.
Sacred Heart was the last good Dio album. Can't stand Craig Goldy.
Same
Vivian in those years was an Olympic style guitarist..
Wow, awesome stuff! Great upload, thnx Kar
Many thanks Callahan, great pleasure!!
People remember events differently. People remember events how they want to remember them.
I really think DIO had it in his mind that this was really how the music business worked (rotten as it was/is). It happened to him in Rainbow and then Black Sabbath (at least, I don't think they paid him enough money). You work for nothing in a band, you get name recognition in return and then you make big bucks as a solo act while screwing over your band mates.
I think there may be something to this. Don't know exactly what kind of deal e had with Blackmore or Iommi/Butler but DIO was the first time he was the boss. I think I've always heard bottom line advice - keep your writing credits/publishing. Vivian can at least credit Dio for bringing him into the big leagues. He doesn't get the Def Leppard gig without the Dio gig
And the biggest difference is that Dio didn't cry about it like Vivian, he knows what he signed up for and it was his turn to make some money, also never believe a person when they don't say shit until the other person dies, total fucken coward
Like that dude from Filter, he pays his band crumbs. He intentionally finds young, naive players and when they want more he replaces them
Firing Vivian Campbell was a huge mistake, while all those Dio guitarists were amazing, Vivian was the most influential and arguably the best player. But it's not just his ability on the guitar, it's what he played that made Dio so iconic.
Great stuff, thanks Kar!
Thank you very much Jimmy, great pleasure!
This is an example of the gray area of a band member being a "hired gun" but actually is integral to product itself on every level. In reality after Holy Diver's success established the group every single one of those guys should have been sitting down with Dio and negotiating a contract where they had more of a stake in the band and more income. If they were making 400 each and Dio was making 50k per show that's obviously a massive inequity even if Dio was paying out the expenses for the group. Obviously Dio had control of everything and Wendy and himself did not want the band to have any power or equal footing in the project because that would mean they would have to give up some profit and control and they were never going to do that. All these dudes stayed faithful to Dio for several records and tours and deserved better. All I know is Vivian's solo on "Rainbow In The Dark" is one of the greatest in metal history and Dio's sound was Vivian Campbell on so many levels...and it appears as though Wendy never has acknowledged that.
Ronnie said when they would show up to do new music Vivian would have nothing. He didn’t write anything on their off time.
I would like to hear more details about Jake E Lee's time rehearsing with the Dio band. I prefer Jake over Vivian as a player and that could have been an epic band if it worked out. I think Jake said something about Dio thinking his rhythm playing was too busy and wasn't leaving the open space he wanted for his vocals. Someone needs to dig into this and get more details.
Cozy Powell said in an interview he was not fond of Ronnie Dio . It’s easy to believe Vivian his guitar work proves it.. Great work Kar , Keep Rocking !! ✌️
Many thanks Scott!! Rock on
Dio post/Vivian Campbell is really weak to be very honest. Not a one song that even comes close.
Lol all these losers shitting on Dio’s legacy. Y’all are lame😂
Dio noted as being one of the nicest guys in metal! He did have issues with Vivian, yea there’s two sides to every story
Damn $100 back on the day! You could eat and pay your bills. Vivian has a point but when you become a leader like Dio did, it was natural that he would get the biggest lion share. Oh well
#1. Ronnie got delt like this in Rainbow.
#2 Vivian's parents were rich and probably helped him buy the Ferrari.
#3 ur a mouth breather
Did the guy work for free? Only in entitlement right wing Christian land do people NOT pay
Bands are small business ventures. They were paid $X to play a show. From that everything else was paid. Those Hotel rooms that got wrecked from boredom would be paid out of band expenses. After tour a lot of musicians were shocked to find little to no money or debt. That's Rock and Roll.
very enjoyable, great work!!
Thanks a lot, great pleasure to hear this!
@@karsguitarchannel6088 i'll be honesty M8, I was rivited .. I thought you were some other dude, looking forward to watching more of your expos!!
Last sentence says it all!
Vivian's playing is what sets the Early Dio albums apart. I still remember hearing Stand Up And Shout for the first time and being blown away. It's sad that Vivian took Dio at his word and didn't get in writing. Glad to seem him doing well and getting paid in Def Leppard.
My first concert was in Anchorage Alaska. Last in line tour Dio with Dokken opening up.
It was Wendy, not Ronnie. Ronnie was the most generous guy i’ve ever met. During the move from his house he paid me 400 bucks to move a keyboard to Chris Squires place.
Get to see them live in early 1980 many times. Love Dio Vivian are guitar god on stage. Sad thing bookend down behind the scenes
Holy Diver was Vivian Campbell to me.That lead was the part i always waited for.
Agreed
That Holy Diver album was definitely driven by Vivian, his gunslinger style and a killer sound, saw him twice against the barricade right in front of Viv, he was amazing as was the band, one of the best guitarists in heavy rock that I've ever seen...on fire.
For around $15 bucks per ticket I saw DIO twice in the 1980's with Vivian Cambell, both times sold out at Providence Civic Center. Do the math at 15,000 seats. Shirts, records...
I first met Ronnie and Vivian in Lakeland, Florida backstage in the dressing room. Not sure who I was shooting for, but I got some great shots, so I sent them to Kevin Kennedy with Jensen Communications who handle PR for Dio and who I got my pass from. Kevin showed my shots to Ronnie and Wendy, they asked Kevin (they loved my shots) why I was not in all the major mags (Circus, Creem, Hit Parader, Faces, etc.). Kevin then called me and asked. I laughed and said' Dude it is not like they run an ad say "Rock Photographer wanted..get paid to get laid and hangout with rockstars". He laughed and said "Chris, besides Dio I handle Manhattan Transfer, Ozzy Osbourne and the biggest band in the world at the moment Van Halen!. Here are the names and numbers of the editors and publishers of the biggest. You call them and say I said look at your work, and if they don't Chris I will cutoff all interviews with Van Halen!". Take a wild guess what happened...lol My work is world wide thanks to Ronnie and Wendy. Sucks what happened to Vivian, I have met and shot him many times through the yrs and he is a real nice guy. We have even as he would say "tossed a few pints together"
Awesome!
Vivian Campbell's guitar work Defined that distinctive DIO sound!!
Ronnie paid his dues and without him, the band never would've gotten so big, so fast. Now that he's not with us anymore, it's easy to complain and remember, hind sight is always 20/20, even if it's not. Ronnie always struck me as a stand up guy, an educated guy. He was running a business that he started and was successful. All this "he said, she said" is probably bull. Vivian went on to be a hired guitarist for lots of bands. I'll bet he complains about them too, ie - Whitesnake. Truth is, his solo career went nowhere, he was a good guitar player, but just not good enough.
9:00 This sounds like the band Ghost's story. The lawsuit, the "hired guns". If you don't know it. I recommend checking it out. Very similar. HOWEVER, I stand with Tobias of Ghost and most likely Ronnie because, if you enter a band and don't have a contract, it's your own fault. The same thing happened with Ghost. Simon Söderberg and some "band" members sued Tobias Forge, lead singer, songwriter on all the albums up to that point except for a few songs WAS the band. In the studio, Tobias was writing everything and using a sessions band to record the album then taking his friends from Sweden out to play the concerts. There's a ton of info on this so I don't want to go too deep. I've been a musician and toured. GET A CONTRACT!
Craig Goldy is the Zakk Wylde of Dio.
it’s all water under the bridge
Its a shame Jimmy and Vinny didn't back Vivian up at the time.They were gone after the next album.
Ronnie treated the band as though they were expendable and paid the price in sales and popularity. Sacred Heart was his last big tour, but the album only went gold. Dream Evil did not do as well as previous efforts and Lock Up the Wolves sold so poorly, they had to mostly play auditoriums and fairgrounds on that tour.
and after dehumanizer he was playing bars
@@mikeb2611 His career took the biggest nosedive I've ever seen. I never got back on the horse.
@@angusorvid8840well actually he did get back on the horse , he went and did sabbath again , but now named heaven & hell and started playing nice size venues again
@@angusorvid8840 I was a big fan ujntil the very end
Sad story. I remember when that first album came out. Right when i started really playing guitar a lot as a kid.
I thought it was genius and Vivian was like a God to me.
Vivian had to be getting his songwriting royalties too, and while his writing share isn’t has big as one would think, it is not what they were unhappy about. They were promised that upon success, possibly by the time RJD’s deal was up for renegotiation, they would go from employees to partners. That meant a % off the advance, % of merchandise, concert fees, … everything.
That’s why Sambora left BonJovi; why the Blizzard of Ozz collapsed upon launch, why Whitesnake can’t hold a line-up, or (reversely) why Don Dokken hates the other Dokken guys.
LMAO Sambora is a drunk.
100 a week was the standard pay then for a hired gun. That's what randy rhoads was making.
The story I heard is that Randy was paid 100 bucks a day whether he played or not.
No it wasn't. Standard was about $500 a week at that time
Where the changes in band members created great music, my honest opinion. The first three albums had that something the band was locked in, and Vivian Campbell's solos were just incredible. They will never get that magic again. Shame. I do like Vivian's last in line group.
"Ronnie had been in black sabbath and paid his dues" So, there you have it. They expected Viv to "pay his dues". They obviously didn't pay him what he earned - and you NEVER take a songwriter off the songwriting credits, unless you are a Iiar.
He sucked in Black sabbath
Saw them first tour in Dallas. I've never seen a frontman admonish his players on stage in front of a live audience. But evidently Dio thought Cambbell and the Bass player were showboating and called them out- made them get behind him. When I think of Dio, it's that, and him telling the audience he wanted to go to Hell with all of them.. Hope he got his wish.
I understand that they put up the money to get it all started and took all the risk, but once those have been resolved and your making $$ you should always give a bit to the people who help you get there. It sucks when you have a handshake agreement and they then backflip (It has happened to myself and others since the dawn of time to be suckered) on the deal, as I was told after my last handshake agreement, if it is not in writing, it does not exist!
Dio never saw any Rainbow money until after his death.
Wendy talks about buses, hotels and shows but if it wasnt for Vivian…there wouldnt of been any show at all.
I personally love Dio but what is fair is fair.
The most important thing a man may have is his word. If you dont have it and let ur woman do what she wants…then dont be making deals if you dont have any word.
Worst part is after last in line there wasnt an album worth remembering. Craig Goldie was the perfect fit….but the Campbell groove was lost which to me was a pillar of such a great band.
Never have your woman have control in your band it never ends good
Well Ronnie got the absolute best out of Vivian and Viv got the best out of Dio, and I loved it!!!! Forever grateful
Everyone will have their opinion on this, but the entire band has said the deal was never fulfilled. Vivian was the sound of the band and did some of the best guitar work ever recorded in the 80’s.
Ronnie said the equal sharing was going to be discussed "By" the 3rd album. Which means they would have had more money on the 4th album. Vivian obviously didn't wait long enough and is the blame for what happened. I read this from a CZcams comment made by Craig Goldy.
The truth is somewhere in the middle. I'm sure the band was or felt they where getting the shaft as multiple members take vivs side but over the years memories fade and numbers get mixed up and emotions are involved so we get what we have here he says she says.
it was one of the biggest disappointments of my life looking at the tour program in melbourne, australia to see that vivian was no longer playing
the solo from hungry for heaven went from one of the most brilliant pieces of music to just another hair metal band type solo . . . very disappointed
while no one was evh, vivian's solos were in a similar vein, as in, all of his solos were songs within songs, not just mindlessly running the fingers up and down the fretboard
Ronnie is just another solo artist who doesn’t understand that it’s the sound of the band that makes the music work. Just cause it says Dio at the top of the record doesn’t mean you can put just anyone in there regardless of how talented they are, and expect people to love it. Viv was the sound of that band. I’ll never forget watching MTV I think it was head bangers ball like two in the morning knowing who was but never really seeing his picture and of course before the Internet. So somehow I just didn’t realize who it was probably was just a brain cell or two loose that night. I remember I was half asleep watching something really quiet on another channel and I flipped to headbangers ball and there’s just on a roof shaking his fist at the sky attracting lightning to himself I’m like what the hell is this that’s what I thought it was battle of the bands it was kind of just hokey I’m laughing hysterically and then all of a sudden BAM! I don’t know if he kicked the door in or did something like that but all of a sudden there’s Viv in your face playing the sickest and this is still one of the best heavy metal guitar solos of all time on rainbow in the dark. I mean especially at that time it really blew me away still does. But you could probably pick just about any solo on that album as your favorite solo and I wouldn’t disagree with you.. But at the end of the day, DL kind of gets the last laugh because all that shits water under the bridge. Geo did give him his big break and now that it’s so far in the past and is unsuccess he does owe a debt to Ronnie James Dio. yeah he does you just have to say at the end of the day I mean sure Wendy could write him a check, but he don’t need one anymore. And at the end of the day he’ll be remembered for holy diver. And rightly so as it is one of the 10 best heavy metal albums of all time
Vivisn was one of the absolute best players of the 80s..Those albums are mindblowing.. I remember buying a ticket for the Sacred Heart tour at the Philadelphia Spectrum and when Craig Goldy walked on stage.. I was so depressed..I couldnt enjoy the show.. I thought I was going to see one of my heroes play.. Ronnie is also the best..hands down..nobody touches him..but the guy has a hair trigger temper.. I know a guy who saw him in a restaurant in Los Angeles in the eighties and said he was berating the waiter relentlessly..Calling him stupid and worthless.. Those are vicious words..
Vivian Was Ronnie's as Randy Was Ozzys. Having said that all of these records would have never been the masterpieces that they are had it not been for the Vivian's and Randy's and the so many more killer guitarists that straight up gave away their hard earned riffs that made this era one of the beat eras for metal guitar!!
Ronnie James Dio is one of the few real legends of Heavy Metal history!!! He is a real God for thousands of fans around the world!!!
We still don't know all the details from this story. 400$ a week, means 1600$ the month. According to what you could buy with 1600$ in 1985, it's like someone gets 4000$ today.. The other side had to pay for everything. Studio recordings, hotels, trucks, buses, technicians and road crew at the tours, and many others. But still I believe, they could talk and find a solution.. Equal shares was not normal. It's never normal, because the people who goes to a show, who buys an album, gives his money for someone most. Does anyone believe that if James leaves from Metallica , they can earn all these money from their shows?? Anyway I think that they could find a solution, to give him more money.
But from the other side, we don't know all the truth, because Ronnie never said details about this.
I forgot to tell that Dream Evil is a masterpiece!! Music is always what matters most. Also we have to think that Ronnie was always doing a lot of work for songwriting. Lyrics, melodies, riffs. He was not just the singer. If Ronnie was so bad, why Jimmy Bain did more albums with him?? Still we don't know all the truth..
I've read some interesting Craig Goldy comments here on CZcams. He did say that Vivian's wife back then was the one that made Vivian chase after the money from Dio. I believe he said he knows more but plans to maybe talk about it in the future.
If you scroll through some of the comments you will see Craigs replys (TCraigGoldy) czcams.com/video/v6_EwOuRqtA/video.html
Never join a band, where a member’s family member is the manager.
Greed is greed… and it brings out the worst in man which is why it’s a sin. Make since?
I hate when this shit comes out after the person is gone.
Vivians explanation of how he could afford a Ferrari is similar to a toddler explaining where the last cookie went.
I thought along those lines as well.
But he still should have been making more money in the end.
The numbers that were put out as to how much he made weren't reflective of his contribution to the band.
Have a good day
I thought that too, if you have to pinch pennies and need a car a Ferrari doesn't come to mind
Vivian had to also get his songwriting royalties and his performance rights, and the first two Dio albums went Platinum, so it could have been OK money. That would have been crumbs next to what RJD was getting.
Wendy was & is a piece of shit for robbing the band & a criminal for letting Ronnie die of stomach cancer. Something that could have been treated...now she has the money & Ronnie is gone
@@ThemFuzzyMonsters If he had been entitled to them, he would have had a slam dunk lawsuit. My guess is they signed away their rights in exchange for the salary they got. This what almost all actors do.
Even if things didn't go according to plan, Viv needed to remember something: Dio was in Rainbow and Sabbath and he was VERY LUCKY to contribute to R.J.D.'s body of work. If anything, everybody should have had a "sit down" with Ronnie "Two Horns" Padavona and his consigliere and gotten the "Third Album Contract" in writing.
Dio did 84 gigs in 1983. If Vivian was getting $400 per gig (rather than per week) as stated in the video, then he would have over $33k that year. And if Ronnie got $50k per gig as also stated, then he would have made 4.2 million that year.
I imagine that cutting in all the band members equally would have significantly altered Dio's income. Even with the reduced popularity from firing Vivian, it would still be worth it, from a purely monetary point of view. But is still not right.
In regards to Vivian, I feel like he got sort of psychologically messed up from this experience and ended up trading in his creativity for financial stability. I saw him live with Def Leppard and he barely played any lead whatsoever, I think even less than Steve Clarke ever did. It's not like him and Phil Collen are trading blazing leads or anything. Such a waste.
It just shows you how much the record labels were making on the back end. They made TENS of MILLIONS while the bands made squat. That's why the record industry is no longer what it was, and that's a good thing.
Ever see Dio's interior decorating disaster? His dining room table looks like the one on the inner gatefold of Kiss' Elder album. Tacky tacky tacky
No one lives on the road with a hundred bucks.. Calling bullshit.
Very interesting commentary. I can understand most of it until the last part where Dio didn't like where Vivian ended up in 87? Maybe I have to rewind. Why would Dio be unhappy with Vivian in 87?
Dio is hanging out with Murray these days and it's very painful.
Vivian could have saved the money from per-Diems and salary. He didn’t get mechanical or performance royalties or a split on tickets or merch but he still got publishing money for the songs he wrote or co-wrote. Wendy isn’t being honest because as Dio‘s manager she knows who got a piece of the publishing.
Vivian got the last laugh, for sure.
The music business has always been full of rip-offs.
The smart thing to do was to take the salary...plus the publishing rights to the songs he helped write...
Would love to see some Judas Priest backstory "behind the scenes" - how much Scott Travis, Tim Ripper Owens, Richie Faulkner got paid for example
"I got a garden variety Ferrari"... ha ha, ok.
I believe Viv. Funny how once bands get big.....greed reins supreme. Wendy and Sharon have a lot in common. And look what happened to Dio once Viv left. Karma. Viv was getting per diem, the 100 bucks was taxable pay. Plus interest rates were sky high in the 80s, that savings added up quick.
Yeah man, just ask Vinny!
I met Dio's wife at Miramar in the early 80s. She was the mgr for Rough Cut who played the base's E-club. She was a weird chick. All this time I thought rock stars were wealthy. Ha! It's the record company owners that are.
How was she weird?
Man! I could have bought a GTB Farrari in 1984 when I were a teen working at a movie theater as a teen?
$400/week sounds low, but Ronnie was also paying for Vivian’s room and board, and travel expenses.
It would be very difficult to save $35,000 on an ordinary salary minus living expenses.
You might be able to do it when you are 40+ years old if you are single and frugal 😅
It was Dio's house put up so they could record Holy Diver and tour. Instead of listening to Vivian interview, Craig. Strange how these big-name dudes (other than Vivian) worked for peanuts. Bullshit. They all had huge houses. Vivian parents were rich. Dio spent boat loads on the tour stage,equipment, food, hotel transportion, etc .If a venue wouldn't hold the stage, then they'd cancel the show. Strange how Vinny played with Dio multiple times. Dio, Sabbath, Heaven and Hell.
Paying dues, does not justify being p***y whooped, & not being loyal to the band that is behind you. Vivian Campbell obviously played a major role in why the first & second records were so good. He ended up having the last laugh anyway, getting the Def Leppard gig & actually being involved in a band that is still, HUGE.
I'm with you all the way brother
I always wondered if Ronnie was evil.Now I know.
I saw both Viv and Goldy Sacred Heart shows. It just wasn't the same w/o Viv's gritty visceral sound. Goldy seemed too polished for Dio.
It's sad that this happened to such a great guitarist!!
This whole thing doesn't add up at all .
100 Per Week is 400 Per Month
400 per Month Times 12 is 4800 per Year
4800 Times 3 Years is 14,400 Gross Paying ZER0 Taxes . Can't Buy a 30,000 Dollar Ferrari with that amount
There's no way a Musician In a Band would work for that amount even in the 80s . So Viv Clearly is lying . He had to have been making at least 500 Per Week Which is 2000 Per Month . That's 24,000 Per Year untaxed . 24,000 times 3 is 72,000 . Taxed that by like 20 Percent back in the 80s ? That's like 58,000 Dollars net in 3 Years . So he bought the Ferrari and had some cash left over . The only thing I believe is Viv was eating the Crew Food and was getting Free Lodging to save all of his Wage money for 3 Years . But he said he had no Home and no bills which is plausible . I do believe Dio and his Wife were like Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne . They screwed Viv out of All of the Dio Royalties , Concert Tickets , and Merch for 3 Years for Sure .
62,700 annual salary adjusted for inflation. Not rock star money but a great income in the early 80s
He guested at a gig i went to at Hammersmith odeon, he ran across the stage and fell over, it looked so funny, this tiny little bloke