Vivian Campbell on Dio’s ‘Holy Diver,’ “I was coerced to sign over my publishing” – VIDEO

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Vivian Campbell (Dio, Whitesnake, Def Leppard) on Getting Ripped Off by Ronnie James Dio, “I wrote some of the songs off the ‘Holy Diver’ record, but I was coerced to sign over my publishing.”

Vivian Campbell’s time in Dio was the definition of a dream gig that turned complicated fast. As a young guitarist from Belfast, he suddenly found himself cutting era-defining solos on Holy Diver and The Last in Line, standing next to one of metal’s greatest singers while the band exploded worldwide. Through the years, Campbell has talked about the shock of going from clubs to arenas almost overnight, the pressure of keeping up with Ronnie James Dio’s standards, and how it often felt like playing in a band with your stepfather rather than being an equal partner.

Over time, the business side and personal tension started to overshadow the music. Vivian describes how proud Ronnie was of him onstage, but also how the relationship cooled, the money never matched the promises, and how getting fired from a band he never wanted to leave left a scar that lasted for decades. He eventually shut that whole part of his life out, only to circle back years later with Last in Line and rediscover what those songs meant to him.

For the full clip, play the video below.