Jimmy Bain, of Rainbow and Dio has died at the age of 68 while playing in the Def Leppard Hysteria on the High Seas Cruise with his band “Last in Line”. Of which Dio guitarist, Vivian Campbell was also a member. There have been so many recent deaths of musicians around this same age it forces you to begin considering your own mortality but also celebrating the lives we live and the great music we love to play and listen to.
James Stewart Bain (19 December 1947 – 24 January 2016) was a Scottish bassist best known for playing in the bands Rainbow and Dio with Ronnie James Dio. He has worked with Thin Lizzy frontman Phil Lynott, co-writing on his solo albums.
Bain was born in Newtonmore, Highland, in Scotland, and played in several provincial amateur bands as a young teen. His parents and younger brothers relocated to Vancouver, Canada. By this point he was playing professionally in Street Noise. However, he did join his family for a brief stay in Canada. Before returning to Scotland, getting his band Harlot and then hitting the London music scene, Bain joined Harlot in early 1974, after turning down a job with The Babys.
Bain was asked to join Rainbow after Ritchie Blackmore had watched him performing at The Marquee in London. He would record the studio album Rising with them and play on their following world tour. While on the tour, he played on Rainbow’s first live album, On Stage. In January 1977, Bain was sacked from the band. He then toured Europe with John Cale.
In 1983, Jimmy linked up again with ex-Rainbow vocalist Ronnie James Dio for the band Dio. A central figure within Dio the band, Jimmy co-wrote some of the most successful heavy metal songs of the eighties, such as “Rainbow in the Dark”, and “Holy Diver”. These two were on their first album Holy Diver (1983). Jimmy co-wrote several other songs for the following albums, The Last in Line (1984), Sacred Heart (1985), Intermission (1986), Dream Evil (1987) and Killing the Dragon (2002).
In the mid-1980s, when the entertainment community became active in drawing attention to world charities, Jimmy Bain founded Hear ‘n Aid, a foundation in which he could involve the Rock community to help eliminate world hunger. He also co-wrote the song, “Stars,” with Vivian Campbell and Ronnie James Dio, which became the Heavy Rock world’s answer to, “We Are The World”. “Stars”, provided a major contribution to the famine relief charity appeal. Bain donates all of his shares of the proceeds to one of his favourite charities, Children of the Night.
In autumn 1989, Jimmy formed a band with vocalist Mandy Lion called World War III. After their 1990 eponymous debut album, the band floundered. Jimmy’s solo project The Key utilised a far more melodic and commercial approach. Guitarist on the project was Tracy G, borrowed from Dio’s then band who was also the guitarist for World War III.
Ronnie James Dio’s concept project Magica (2000) saw the return of Jimmy Bain to the Dio story. Bain played on the albums Magica and Killing the Dragon.
In 2005, Bain again joined forces with former Black Sabbath and Dio drummer, Vinny Appice, for two projects, The Hollywood All Starz and 3 Legged Dogg. While the Hollywood All Starz performed live concerts featuring greatest hits sets of the individual members, (Carlos Cavazo of Quiet Riot was another notable member of the band), 3 Legged Dogg produced a well received album of original material. In an interview with journalist, David Lee Wilson, Bain lamented Appice’s ultimate choice to leave both these groups so that he could tour with Ronnie James Dio in the Black Sabbath offshoot, Heaven and Hell.
The band ‘Last in line’ was put together in 2013 comprising Jimmy, Viv Campbell, Vinny Appice, Claude Schnell and Andrew Freeman. The line-up, excluding singer Freeman, were the original song writers and performers on the early classic “DIO” albums, and so intend to play gigs under the band name ‘Last in line’ performing these songs. He died on 24 January 2016 at the age of 68.
Jimmy Bain Discography
With Rainbow
- Rising (1976)
- On Stage (1977)
- Live in Germany (1990, recorded September 1976)
With Mike Montgomery
- Solo (1976)
With David Kubinec
- Some Things Never Change (1978)
With Thin Lizzy
- Black Rose: A Rock Legend (1979)
With Phil Lynott
- Solo in Soho (1980)
- The Philip Lynott Album (1982)
With Wild Horses
- Wild Horses (1980)
- Stand Your Ground (1981)
With Gary Moore
- Dirty Fingers (1983)
With Dio
- Holy Diver (1983)
- The Last in Line (1984)
- Sacred Heart (1985)
- Intermission (1986)
- Dream Evil (1987)
- Magica (2000)
- Killing the Dragon (2002)
With World War III
- World War III (1991)
With 3 Legged Dogg
- Frozen Summer (2006)