It’s been 10 years since Ronnie James Dio passed away and it’s still such a loss to the metal community. May 16^thwas the anniversary and brothers Vinnie and Carmine Appice made a special video during the quarantine for it. Empire Extreme got to talk to Vinnie Appice on the phone about the project and working with the icon Dio. 

EE: How was it like making that killer tribute video for Dio?

VA: That was cool, we picked a song off of an album that Carmine and I did together a few years ago, and we had about Dio. Being that it was his anniversary of his passing and thought it would be cool to make a quarantine video. It came out really good. 

EE: Was it different making a video and being separated?

VA: Yeah I’ve never done anything lie that before. We had the parts sorted out. Carmine and I have played it live before so we knew the parts that we needed to do. 

EE: Hows it like working with your brother, since your boy drummers do you get into any sibling spat’s about stuff like that?

VA: we get along really well and when we play together we go for it but it’s all in fun. 

EE: How was it like meeting Dio for the first time?

VA: it was like in 1980. I got a call that Sabbath was looking for a drummer. I went down to meet Tony Iommi and then when down and met the rest of the band. That’s when I met Ronnie and we hit it off right away. We both Italian and from NY. We became really good friends from there. 

EE: How was it like going into Sabbath when already have been a big band?

VA: it was quite a trip going into this big band. I had fun I had to learn a lot in the beginning to learn the songs. The first gig was in Hawaii and only had 4 days to rehearse and Everyone had down time but I stayed in my room to keep learning the songs. 

EE: Then you go to doing the Sabbath stuff to doing the Dio Solo albums, how’s was doing and being on those iconic albums?

VA: Dio wanted to leave Sabbath and do his own band and wanted to know if I joined him. We didn’t think we were making a great classic album, we just thought we were doing a good album. 

EE: Yeah a lot of younger fans are getting into the bands of that era and wearing Dio Patches. I was fortunate enough to seen Dio play Live.

VA: Yeah he was amazing person and an amazing singer I’m glad that you got to see him. 

EE: I interviewed a little back the Band Liliac who do two amazing covers of Dio. 

VA: I love those guys, she’s an amazing singer. She sounds like Ronnie. When they came out with that, everybody was sending me that link and I was blown away. It’s the best version I heard anyone do before. Ronnie would have loved her. I got to meet them at NAMM last year. 

EE: I seen you in Maryland at the MONSTER-MANIA horror convention, how was that like doing stuff like that?

VA: I love doing those. It’s so much fun and different from what I’m doing. I got to meet Elvira and Freddy Krueger. The best one is I got to meet Leave it to Beaver Jerry Mathers and Eddie Munster. I’m suppose to do one in August I hope that we still can. 

EE: Since it’s the anniversary of Dio. Is there a funny story you like to tell about Ronnie?

VA: There’s so many good ones. This one time in the studio Ronnie would change the lyrics and we filmed it. The song was called Breathless but he changed it to Breakfast, scrambled eggs and cheese and change the lyrics about it. 

It was great being able to talk to a rock icon like Vinnie Appice, who for years everyone has said that he’s such a great person to talk to and really enjoys the fans. When this quarantine is over I hope to get to see Vinnie behind the kit once again.  

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Ron

Ron has keen eye for new talent, a love for the underground, and a tremendous passion for music of any genera. You’ll probably bump into him at a horror convention or some seedy club checking out the next need-to-know band.

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