VIVIAN CAMPBELL Doesn't Have 'Many Happy Memories' From Making Of DIO's 'Sacred Heart' Album

Vivian Campbell says that he doesn't have "many happy memories" from the making of DIO's third album, saying that the record marked "the beginning of the end for the original DIO band."

Campbell, bassist Jimmy Bain, drummer Vinny Appice and singer Ronnie James Dio worked together on the first three DIO albums — 1983's "Holy Diver", 1984's "The Last In Line" and 1985's "Sacred Heart" — before Irishman Campbell left to join WHITESNAKE in 1987. Vivian later publicly took issue with Ronnie's need for total control of the band, claiming that finances played a major part in the bad blood that preceded the split.

Earlier today, on what marks the 33rd anniversary of "Sacred Heart"'s release, Campbell took to the LAST IN LINE Facebook page to reflect on the album's creation and long-lasting impact.

He wrote: "I can't believe it's been 33 years since 'Sacred Heart' was released. To be honest, I don't have many happy memories from the making of this record. On both 'Holy Diver' and 'Last In Line', there was a real sense of camaraderie in the band and everyone would hang out at the studio, even when we were done with our own parts, just because we were excited to hear every new development — we were all invested. On the first two albums, I felt like we belonged to a team, but by the time we got to 'Sacred Heart', things were different. Ronnie's mood had darkened considerably following his breakup with [his then-wife] Wendy. Furthermore, it had become increasingly clear to me that Wendy (as Ronnie's manager) was determined to separate Ronnie from the band. She didn't see DIO as one creative unit. Ronnie knew better, but I suspect that in an effort to win back Wendy's love, he was willing to bend to her whims. Thus began the beginning of the end for the original DIO band.

"When I separate my emotions from it and listen to the album solely on its musical merit, there are many significant highlights, the title track being perhaps the most impressive. However, listening now after so many years, I can also hear the emergence of more keyboards in the songs and a more polished production — further steps away from the kinetic energy of the original band and the raw appeal of the earlier two albums."

Campbell, Appice and Bain reunited in 2012 alongside singer Andrew Freeman to form LAST IN LINE.

In a May 2011 interview with Brazil's Roadie Crew magazine, Wendy stated about the controversy surrounding Ronnie's relationship with Campbell (in a 2003 interview, Vivian called Ronnie "an awful businessman and, way more importantly, one of the vilest people in the industry."),"[Vivian] always said that he hated all the albums that he played on with Ronnie, and that was very hurtful to Ronnie. Very hurtful. Would you like someone who said something like that about your albums? He said a lot of things in the press that I don't wanna get into, because it really wasn't Ronnie's feud at all. Ronnie didn't fire him. I fired [Vivian]. He wanted as much money as Ronnie wanted. He thought he was as important as Ronnie was, and that was just wrong. But I don't wanna get into that. It's water under the bridge. It doesn't matter."