Ronnie James Dio had a career spanning more than five decades, during which he became an icon to countless other artists in rock music and different genres. Hence, the singer received numerous awards and praise from music critics and fans. Several musicians referred to Dio as their most significant influence, and Obituary drummer Donald Tardy recently spoke to Loudwire about the late legend’s impact on him.
“How do I begin to explain what this album did for me and to me?” Tardy said before praising Vinny Appice’s drumming in Dio’s debut album ‘Holy Diver.’ “I’ve been interested in drums my entire life, from my very first memories as a child. I started playing drums in 1977. At that time, I found a lot of bands, and I always have been a music fan, but drums were always what my brain absorbed.”
“So, when I heard ‘Holy Diver’ as a 13-year-old ‘drummer,’ this was it for me,” noted Tardy. He later expressed his admiration for Ronnie James Dio’s vocals, “This album grabbed my attention and drew me in and as I listened to Dio’s magical, heavenly, angelic voice along with the straight forward, solid perfection that Vinny Appice played on each song and throughout this entire album.”
The Obituary drummer revealed that Appice was his teacher during the early days of his drumming, saying, “It became my school, and Vinny was my teacher. He showed me that basic, tasty and solid was heavier and more powerful than any technical drumming, and to this day, ‘Holy Diver’ and Vinny’s performance still taps into a vein unlike any other album! It is my Bible!”
After Ronnie James Dio’s tenure with Black Sabbath ended, the musician formed Dio with his Sabbath bandmate Vinny Appice. After they were joined by Rainbow’s Jimmy Bain and Vivian Campbell, the band released its debut studio album in 1983. As expected from this lineup, the record succeeded and arguably became the band’s best release.
